Chip Ganassi Racing
Encyclopedia
Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (CGRFS) is an automotive racing organization with teams competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Rolex Sports Car Series
. It is owned by businessmen Chip Ganassi
and Felix Sabates
. They have won 4 Champ Car
, 3 Indy Racing League (IRL) and 1 Grand-Am championships. CGRFS fields the #9 and #10 Target
Dallara/Honda for Scott Dixon
and Dario Franchitti
, the #38 Service Central Dallara for Graham Rahal
, the #83 Novo Nordisk
Dallara/Honda for rookie Charlie Kimball
, and the #01 Telmex
Lexus
/Riley for Scott Pruett
/Memo Rojas
in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series
.
Between 2001–2008 the team also fielded teams in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series after Ganassi bought a majority stake in Sabates' Team SABCO Racing. In 2008, they merged their NASCAR operation with that of Dale Earnhardt, Inc.
to form Earnhardt Ganassi Racing
.
, a Cuba
n immigrant who was a self-made millionaire in products such as Teddy Ruxpin
. The team was known as Team SABCO or SABCO Racing. In 2001
, Ganassi bought 80% of the ownership interest in the team, the same year the team switched from Chevy to Dodge
. However, Sabates plans to give his 20% interest back to Ganassi during the 2012 season.
driving, starting 28th and finishing 2nd. Pruett and the car reappeared in 2004 and 2005 at Infineon
, where Pruett finished 3rd and 31st, respectively. He also attempted The Glen, but he failed to qualify both years. In 2005, former champion Bill Elliott
drove the car with Coors
sponsorship at the Bud Shootout when his regular ride was unavailable. David Stremme
then drove seven races in preparation for his bid in 2006 for NASCAR Rookie of the Year
. Casey Mears
was originally going to drive this car full-time in 2006 with sponsorship from Home123
, but it was later announced he would drive the #42 car instead. Home123 then terminated its contract with CGN. In late 2006, Juan Pablo Montoya
made his Cup debut at the Ford 400 in the #30, but failing to finish after being wrecked late in the race.
The #40 car debuted in 1993 as the 2nd car in the SABCO stable. It had sponsorship from Dirt Devil
and was piloted by rookie driver Kenny Wallace
. After Wallace finished 3rd behind Bobby Labonte
and Jeff Gordon
in the NASCAR Rookie of the Year
standings, he left for other opportunities. Bobby Hamilton
drove the car the next season with sponsorship from Kendall Motor Oil, during which the #40 car was bought by Dick Brooks
. Hamilton finished 23rd in points that year. The 1995 season saw multiple drivers such as Rich Bickle
, Greg Sacks
, and Shane Hall
pilot the car. But at the end of the year, Brooks closed up shop and sold the team back to Sabates. The team came back in 1996 with First Union sponsoring the car and Greg Sacks
driving. Returning full-time the next year with rookie driver Robby Gordon
driving and Coors Light
paying the bills and while the team switched from Pontiac
to Chevy
, things looked promising when Gordon won the pole at the spring Atlanta
race. Unfortunately, open-wheel ace Gordon suffered burns during the Indianapolis 500
. By the time he came back, the damage was done, and despite picking up a top-5 at Watkins Glen, Gordon was released. Sacks returned to finish out the year.
For 1998, Sabates chose a more experienced driver in 2-time Daytona 500
winner Sterling Marlin
. Marlin did not qualify at the spring Atlanta race, one year after the team won the pole position there, marking the first time since 1986 Marlin missed a Winston Cup race. At the end of the year, Marlin had 6 top-10's and was 18th in points. Marlin showed a brief insurgence in 1999 when he won the pole at Pocono
, but the mediocrity continued, and it looked like Marlin's best days were behind him. In 2001, the car got a new silver-red paint scheme, a manufacturer switch to Dodge
, a new crew chief in Lee McCall, and a new owner in Ganassi. Marlin made an impression by winning his qualifying race for the Daytona 500, but the euphoria soon vaporized. On the last lap of the 500
, Marlin's car and Dale Earnhardt
's car touched, causing the 7-time champion to lose control and crash into the wall, killing him. Out of anger and grief, fans sent hate mail
and death threats to Marlin and his wife, claiming he was responsible for the death of Dale Earnhardt
. They only ceased when Earnhardt's drivers Dale Jr. and Michael Waltrip
publicly defended Marlin. Marlin was able to rise above the controversy, and gave Dodge
its first win since its return to NASCAR at Michigan
, won again at the UAW-GM Quality 500, and finished 3rd in points. Marlin led the points standings for most of 2002 and won twice, but broke his neck at Kansas Speedway
, ending his season. Some say that Sterling's injury signified the beginning of the struggles for CGRFS. Jamie McMurray
, scheduled to drive the #42 car the following season, filled in for Marlin. At Lowe's Motor Speedway
, McMurray beat out Bobby Labonte
to win his first race in just his second Winston Cup start. The emotional victory was capped off with a phone call from Marlin through the television network congratulating McMurray on his victory. Since then, Marlin has not won a race, and rookie David Stremme
replaced Marlin in 2006. This move outraged some fans, since Coors and Ganassi both stated that the decision was partly due to Coors attempting to target the younger demographic. Stremme did not finish higher than 11th and had a 33rd-place finish in the points.
Before the 2007 season started, Lone Star
left the 40 team as primary sponsor, leaving only Coors Light. After the beginning of the season, Tums
also came on as a sponsor of the 40 team. Stremme had a much better start to the season, earning his first top ten in the Samsung 500 at Texas Motor Speedway
, posting his best career finish, 8th, two weeks later in the Aaron's 499
at Talladega Superspeedway
, and ended the season with three top-tens. Stremme was released due to Coors Light's departure to become the official beer of NASCAR. On October 3, 2007 Indianapolis 500
winner and IndyCar Series Champion Dario Franchitti
was announced as the new driver of the #40 car for 2008. Due to the lack of sponsorship, the team had to procure one-race partnerships on a rotational basis, with The Hartford
, Kennametal
, Dodge Journey
, Target, Dodge Avenger
, and the Wii Fit
appearing on the car. Franchitti also suffered ankle injuries in a Nationwide Series race at Talladega, causing him to miss several races. Marlin, Stremme, and Jeremy Mayfield
filled in during his absence.
Ganassi shut down the team due to its lack of funding midseason and moved Franchitti to its IndyCar operation. The team was revived for the Bank of America 500
with Bryan Clauson
driving, but race qualifying was rained out and the team did not make the field due to being too low in the owner points.
, as the #42 Peak Antifreeze Pontiac
for Team SABCO, Felix Sabates' race team. The car was driven by Kyle Petty
, who finished 4th. The car ran on and off for the rest of the year before moving to full-time status in 1990. Petty won one race and finished 11th in points that year. Petty was running strong in 1991 with new sponsorship from Mello Yello
, before he broke his leg in an accident at Talladega Superspeedway
. Over the next 11 races, he was replaced by Bobby Hillin, Jr.
, Tommy Kendall
, and Kenny Wallace
while he recovered. After returning, he won five races finished 5th in points in both 1992 and 1993.
After that, his career began to run out of steam, as he began to be less consistent in finishing races.. He won his final race in 1995 at Dover
, the first year the car had Coors Light
as a sponsor. In 1996, Petty was temporarily replaced by Jim Sauter
to recover from more injuries. After that year, Petty and Sabates split and Coors moved to the #40 car. The team switched from Pontiac
to Chevy
. Joe Nemechek
and BellSouth
came onboard. The year got off to a rocky start when Nemechek did not qualify for the Daytona 500
, but was able to get in on a car bought from Phil Barkdoll
. After losing his brother John
in an accident at Homestead-Miami Speedway
(and missing Darlington to attend his funeral, during which he was replaced by Phil Parsons
), Nemechek won two pole positions and finished 28th in points, followed up by a then-career best 26th in 1998. Weeks after announcing that they would not race together after the 1999 season had ended, Nemechek won his first Winston Cup race at New Hampshire International Speedway
, and won two more pole positions.
In 2000, Kenny Irwin Jr. took over. He was just adjusting to his new team when he was killed in a practice accident at New Hampshire, the first race since the team won there the previous year. The team took one week off and returned as #01 driven by Ted Musgrave
. For 2001, Chip Ganassi purchased a majority stake in SABCO, the BellSouth brand Cingular became the sponsor and rookie driver Jason Leffler
was hired to drive the car, which was now a Dodge
. Leffler struggled despite winning a pole at the inaugural race at Kansas Speedway
, and he was released at the end of the season. When Cingular moved to Richard Childress Racing
to sponsor the #31 car, Target
became the sponsor, the number was changed to #41, and Jimmy Spencer
was tabbed to replace Leffler. Spencer did not qualify for the Daytona 500, and was replaced by Scott Pruett at Watkins Glen, then was released. Casey Mears
, a Busch Series
driver was hired to drive the car. After three seasons, Reed Sorenson
was hired to drive the #41 car full time, and Mears switched to the #42 car. Sorenson had five top-tens and ended the 2006 season 24th in the standings.
After finishing 22nd in the standings with three top 5s and 6 top 10s in 2007, the #41 team dropped to 32nd in the final standings in 2008. Sorenson failed to qualify for a race for the first time in his career, and the team only managed one top five and two top tens. Sorenson left the team to drive for Richard Petty Motorsports, and as of December 16, 2008 EGR has not named a replacement. On January 11, 2009, ESPN.com reported that Juan Pablo Montoya
, the driver of the #42 EGR entry, was considered for the seat due to its full-time sponsorship, which is one of only two that EGR has. However, EGR decided to move the Target sponsorship to Montoya's #42, leaving the #41 without a driver or a sponsor. The number was then assigned to Jeremy Mayfield
's new NASCAR Sprint Cup team and taken out of the EGR stable. As part of the aforementioned cooperative agreement with Front Row Motorsports the points from the #15 team were transferred to the #34.
drove the #81 Tracfone/WCW
Chevy full-time in 2000, and had two top-tens and finished 25th in points, despite failing to qualify for the season-opening race. Dave Steele
was hired by SABCO to drive the #82 Channellock
Chevy full-time, but after failing to qualify for three out of the first five races, he was released. Sterling Marlin won in the next race in the 82, while Jeff Fuller failed to qualify in his attempt in the car the following week at Texas. After Derek Gilcrest drove for a pair of races, Glenn Allen, Jr.
drove for the next five races, not finishing better than 29th. Jason White
drove for two short track races, followed by Anthony Lazzaro at Watkins Glen, Andy Houston
at Milwaukee, and Austin Cameron
at Nazareth and Pikes Peak. Ted Musgrave then signed on for the next eight races, finishing eighth at Lowe's. Marty Houston
finished the season in the 82, with a best finish of 14th. At the end of the 2000 season, SABCO's Busch equipment was sold to HighLine Performance Group.
/Havoline
Dodge. Casey Mears drove nine races and won his first career race at Chicagoland Speedway
. Juan Pablo Montoya drove the last four races of the year, posting an eleventh place finish in his series debut at Memphis. He drove seventeen races the next season, and won his first race at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez
and had three top-tens. Kevin Hamlin also made seven starts, including two consecutive top-tens. After Michael Valiante
drove at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve
and David Stremme at Bristol, it was announced the 42 team would shut down effective immediately, but that decision and was rescinded and A. J. Allmendinger
was named driver for the next five races, but he failed to finish higher than 14th. Dario Franchitti finished out the year with Target sponsorship, qualifying in the top-ten twice.
For 2008
, rookies Franchitti and Bryan Clauson
were hired to split the driving duties of the newly-renumbered #40 car, with sponsorship coming from Fastenal. Late in the season, Clauson took over the car permanently.
In December 2008, Earnhardt Ganassi Racing announced that they had closed the #40 team down, due to a lack of sponsorship. The remnants of this team were purchased by businessman Eddie Smith and professional boxer Evander Holyfield
in February 2009 and will run under the name Smith-Ganassi Racing with Kenny Hendrick
.
, when Reed Sorenson made his NASCAR debut with sponsorship coming Discount Tire Company
. He qualified third and finished thirteenth. For the rest of the season, Sorenson, Casey Mears
, and Jamie McMurray ran limited schedules in the 41, with McMurray picking up a win at Phoenix. In 2005, Sorenson drove full-time, picking up two wins and finishing fourth in points. He drove most of the 2006 season, except the AT&T 250
, where David Stremme finished eleventh in his place. After Sorenson's tenth-place points finish, Discount Tire left for Roush Fenway Racing and Wrigley's became the new sponsor. Sorenson and Stremme shared the 41 for most of the season, with Sorenson winning at Gateway. Bryan Clauson came on board with Memorex
sponsorship then drove for five races with a best finish of eighteenth, before A.J. Allmendinger finished out the season in the 41. Bryan Clauson began the season in the 41 with Polaroid
sponsorship, before Kyle Krisiloff
drove for a few races. The team stopped running after the spring Talladega race.
, widow of Dale Earnhardt
, the seven-time NASCAR champion and namesake of their own NASCAR team, announced that the two teams would merge in time for the 2009 season
and run under the name of Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. The team fielded Chevrolet
s in all series for three drivers – the #1 Bass Pro Shops
car driven by Martin Truex, Jr. and the #8 car of Aric Almirola
from the DEI stable and the #42 car Juan Pablo Montoya
from Target Ganassi's stable. The #41 was transferred by NASCAR to Jeremy Mayfield.
, who had driven in the IndyCar World Series
, joined Pat Patrick
as co-owner for Emerson Fittipaldi
's Marlboro IndyCar team. Patrick had announced he was going to retire at the end of the year, and the team would go completely to Ganassi. The team won the Indy 500
and the IndyCar Championship.
By season's end, Patrick had second thoughts. Instead of retracting the sale of the team to Ganassi, he went ahead with the deal as planned, and instead re-started his team by taking over the upstart Alfa Romeo
IndyCar effort for 1990. Fittipaldi took the Marlboro sponsorship to Team Penske
, an arrangement that was also pre-planned. (Penske had supplied Patrick with a fleet of Penske chassis for 1989 as part of the deal).
Ganassi officially took over the remaining assets of the team (including the 1989 Penske chassis), and renamed it Chip Ganassi Racing. He signed former Formula One
driver Eddie Cheever
and raced full-time in the IndyCar World series with Target
as primary sponsor.
In 1992 Ganassi expanded to a two-car effort for the Indy 500
, adding Arie Luyendyk
for the Indy-only entry. Later Ganassi debuted rookie Robby Gordon
in selected events. For 1993, Luyendyk replaced Cheever full-time. Luyendyk and won the pole position for the Indy 500
and finished second to Emerson Fittipaldi
, Ganassi's former driver in his partnership with Patrick
. For 1994, Michael Andretti
joined the team, immediately after returning from his failed transition to Formula One
the previous year
. He scored Ganassi's first IndyCar victory at Surfers Paradise
.
Target continued to sponsor Ganassi's operation through the decade, and by the mid part of the decade, the team had risen to the top of the series. Perhaps the most impressive was Juan Pablo Montoya
winning the championship in his rookie season in 1999. They won four consecutive series championships, with Jimmy Vasser
(1996), Alex Zanardi
(1997–1998
), and Montoya in 1999, becoming the first car owner to win four consecutive CART championships. In 2000
, Ganassi became the first CART team to break ranks and return to race in the Indianapolis 500
, part of the rival Indy Racing League. The team saw instant success as Juan Pablo Montoya
dominated the race
. Montoya also became the first driver to win the Indianapolis 500
and the Michigan 500
in the same year since Rick Mears
in 1991. However, he was unable to duplicate his championship success of 1999. 1996 champion Jimmy Vasser
's performance steadily dwindled, as his lone victory at Houston
was his first in nearly two years.
The team ran from 1992 to 2002 before moving into the rival Indy Racing League full-time. They had run one IRL entry for former motocross
racer Jeff Ward
in 2002
, in which Ward won one race at Texas in one of the closest finishes in IRL history. In their prime in CART, driving for Target Chip Ganassi Racing was viewed as the final proving ground for much of the top talent before moving onto Formula One
.
(1990–1992) Arie Luyendyk
(1992–1993, 1997) Robby Gordon
(1992) Didier Theys
(1992) Michael Andretti
(1994) Maurício Gugelmin
(1994) Bryan Herta
(1995) Mike Groff
(1995) Jimmy Vasser
(1995–2000) Alex Zanardi
(1996–1998) Juan Pablo Montoya
(1999–2000) Nicolas Minassian
(2001) Memo Gidley
(2001) Bruno Junqueira
(2001–2002) Kenny Bräck
(2002) Scott Dixon
(2002)
Chip Ganassi Racing initially raced in the IRL with Juan Pablo Montoya
and Jimmy Vasser
in the 2000
Indy 500
won by rookie Montoya. In 2001
they returned to Indy
with Vasser, Bruno Junqueira
, Nicolas Minassian
, and NASCAR
's Tony Stewart
, who would also compete in that evening's Coca-Cola 600
. But in neither year did they run the entire IndyCar Series season.
For 2002
, Ganassi made the jump to the IndyCar Series full-time with Jeff Ward
driving one car, with the addition of Ganassi's two CART Championship
drivers Kenny Bräck
and Bruno Junqueira
at Indianapolis
. None of those three would drive for Ganassi in 2003; the replacements were Scott Dixon
(a midseason addition to Ganassi's Champ Car team in 2002) and Tomas Scheckter
. Dixon won three races and the series championship while Scheckter struggled and was released from his contract. Tony Renna
was to replace him, but had a tragic testing crash at Indianapolis that claimed his life. Englishman
Darren Manning
wound up in the seat for 2004. The team's performance suffered the next two seasons and when Manning was fired, a bevy of drivers ran in Ganassi's cars, among them former Formula One
test drivers Ryan Briscoe
and Giorgio Pantano
, and Jaques Lazier
. For 2006, Target Ganassi Racing scaled back to two cars, with Dixon returning along with 2005 Indianapolis 500
Champion Dan Wheldon
, whom Ganassi signed away from Andretti Green Racing
in the offseason. The team also changed to Honda
engines (along with all other IndyCar teams) and Dallara
chassis for 2006.
The 2007 IndyCar Series season showed promise for the Chip Ganassi Racing team, as Scott Dixon
took 4 wins at Watkins Glen, Nashville
, Mid Ohio
, and Infineon Raceway
and Dan Wheldon
took 2 additional wins at Homestead and Kansas. The 2008 IndyCar season
was even stronger for the Chip Ganassi Racing team with eventual champion Scott Dixon
taking wins at Homestead
, Indianapolis
, Texas, Nashville
, Edmonton, and Kentucky
, and teammate Dan Wheldon
finishing 4th overall after winning again at Kansas
and Iowa
. Shortly before the conclusion of the season it was announced that Wheldon would not return as Dixon's teammate in 2009
, a role taken by 2007 IndyCar Champion and Indy 500 winner
Dario Franchitti
of Scotland
. Franchitti teamed with Dixon for the non-championship race at Surfer's Paradise at the end of 2008.
The Target
Chip Ganassi car driven by Dario Franchitti
won the 94th running
of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday May 30, 2010.
Ganassi will add an additional 2-car team for Graham Rahal
and Charlie Kimball
in 2011.
Ganassi has announced that in 2012, all 4 cars will be powered by Honda engines after the series decided to have multiple engine manufacturers (Honda, Chevrolet and Lotus) for the first time since 2005.
(2000; Indianapolis only) Jimmy Vasser
(2000–2001; Indianapolis only) Bruno Junqueira
(2001–2002; Indianapolis only; CART regular) Nicolas Minassian
(2001; Indianapolis only; CART regular) Tony Stewart
(2001; Indianapolis only) Jeff Ward
(2002) Kenny Bräck
(2002; Indianapolis only; CART regular) Scott Dixon
(2003–current driver) Tomas Scheckter
(2003) Darren Manning
(2004–2005) Ryan Briscoe
(2005) Jaques Lazier
(2005) Giorgio Pantano
(2005) Dan Wheldon
(2006–2008) Dario Franchitti
(2008–Current driver) Graham Rahal
(2011–Current driver) Charlie Kimball
(2011–Current driver)
and Pablo Pérez
. Perez was severely injured in a crash in the opening race of the Indy Lights season and was not replaced. Festa finished 10th in points without winning a race in a season dominated by Alex Lloyd
who was signed by Chip Ganassi Racing at the end of the season. The team partnered with Integra Motorsports in 2007 and 2008 fielding a variety of development drivers, notably New Zealanders Marc Williams and Jonny Reid
.
Target Chip Ganassi Racing also runs a Daytona Prototype team in the Rolex Grand-Am series fielding a Lexus
-Riley
car driven by Scott Pruett
and Luis Diaz. Their second team car won the 2006 24 Hours of Daytona
driven by Ganassi IRL drivers Dan Wheldon
and Scott Dixon
along with NASCAR driver Casey Mears
. In 2007, Ganassi won the race again, this time with Pruett, former Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya
, and Salvador Duran
, making him the first owner to win it in back to back years since Al Holbert in 1986–87. In 2008 Chip Ganassi Racing won a third Daytona 24 in a row. Also in 2008, Chip Ganassi Racing won their 3rd Grand-Am Championship, with drivers Scott Pruett, and Memo Rojas. Scott Pruett's 8th Road Racing Championship. Also participating was Memo Rojas, the first Mexican to win a major Road Racing title in North America.
For the 2010 Grand Am season the team switched from Lexus
-Riley
to BMW
- Riley
. On 2010 the Memo Rojas and Scott Pruett won 9 out of 12 races and eventrally they won the 4 Grand-am championship for Telmex Ganassi Racing.
, having started third, defeated Scott Dixon
by a margin of victory of over two seconds in a one-lap sprint to the finish after a late caution period.
The victory made Ganassi the first racing team owner to win the four of the most important races in North American auto racing, the Daytona 500
, Indianapolis 500
, Brickyard 400, and 24 Hours of Daytona
, within the same 12-month span. It was Pruett's fourth win in the event; for co-driver Memo Rojas
, his second victory, while co-drivers Joey Hand
and Graham Rahal
won for the first time, the latter thirty years after his father, Bobby Rahal
, won the event.
Rolex Sports Car Series
The Rolex Sports Car Series is the premier series run by the Grand American Road Racing Association. It is a North American-based sports car series that was founded in 2000 under the name Grand American Road Racing Championship to replace the failed United States Road Racing Championship...
. It is owned by businessmen Chip Ganassi
Chip Ganassi
Floyd "Chip" Ganassi, Jr is a former American racecar driver and current racecar owner.He is currently the owner and president of Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates which operates teams on the IndyCar, NASCAR and Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series circuit...
and Felix Sabates
Felix Sabates
Felix Sabates is an entrepreneur and philanthropist living in the United States. He is currently a minority shareholder in Chip Ganassi Racing, which fields teams in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series , GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series and the IZOD IndyCar Series...
. They have won 4 Champ Car
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
, 3 Indy Racing League (IRL) and 1 Grand-Am championships. CGRFS fields the #9 and #10 Target
Target Corporation
Target Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's...
Dallara/Honda for Scott Dixon
Scott Dixon
Scott Ronald Dixon, MNZM is a New Zealand motor racer who became the most successful all-time driver in the Indy Racing League championship in the United States when he won the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio in August 2009. This took his total to 21 wins...
and Dario Franchitti
Dario Franchitti
George Dario Marino Franchitti is a Scottish racing driver. He formerly competed in the CART series before switching to the IndyCar Series where he was 2007 champion, and won the rain-shortened 2007 Indianapolis 500. Franchitti is also a former NASCAR driver for Chip Ganassi Racing, competing...
, the #38 Service Central Dallara for Graham Rahal
Graham Rahal
Graham Rahal is an American race car driver. He currently participates in the IZOD IndyCar Series. He is the son of 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal.-Early racing:...
, the #83 Novo Nordisk
Novo Nordisk
Novo Nordisk manufactures and markets pharmaceutical products and services. Created in 1989 through a merger of two Danish companies dating back to the 1920s, it has become one of the world's leading companies in diabetes care, where Novo Nordisk pursues research into pulmonary delivery systems;...
Dallara/Honda for rookie Charlie Kimball
Charlie Kimball
Charlie Kimball is an Anglo-American racecar driver currently competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series with Chip Ganassi Racing.-2002–2005:...
, and the #01 Telmex
Telmex
Telmex is a telecommunications company headquartered in Mexico City that provides telecommunication products and services in Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Brazil and other countries in Latin America. In addition to traditional fixed-line telephone service, Telmex also offers Internet access, data,...
Lexus
Lexus
is the luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corporation. First introduced in 1989 in the United States, Lexus is now sold globally and has become Japan's largest-selling make of premium cars. The Lexus marque is marketed in over 70 countries and territories worldwide, and has...
/Riley for Scott Pruett
Scott Pruett
Scott Donald Pruett is an American race car driver who has competed in NASCAR, Champ Car, IMSA, Trans-Am and Grand-Am. He and his wife Judy have three children, and are children's book authors....
/Memo Rojas
Memo Rojas
Guillermo "Memo" Rojas, Jr. is a Mexican professional race car driver. Successful in American sports car racing, Rojas is a two-time series champion in the Rolex Sports Car Series and a two-time winner of the 24 Hours of Daytona...
in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series
Rolex Sports Car Series
The Rolex Sports Car Series is the premier series run by the Grand American Road Racing Association. It is a North American-based sports car series that was founded in 2000 under the name Grand American Road Racing Championship to replace the failed United States Road Racing Championship...
.
Between 2001–2008 the team also fielded teams in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series after Ganassi bought a majority stake in Sabates' Team SABCO Racing. In 2008, they merged their NASCAR operation with that of Dale Earnhardt, Inc.
Dale Earnhardt, Inc.
Dale Earnhardt, Inc. was a NASCAR-related organization located in Mooresville, North Carolina, United States working to continue the legacy of Dale Earnhardt. It was originally formed in 1980 by seven-time Winston Cup champion Dale Earnhardt who died in a crash on the closing lap of the 2001...
to form Earnhardt Ganassi Racing
Earnhardt Ganassi Racing
Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates is a NASCAR team based in Concord, North Carolina, United States, owned by Dale Earnhardt's widow Teresa Earnhardt, Chip Ganassi, and Felix Sabates. This team was formed when Dale Earnhardt, Inc...
.
Sprint Cup Series
The NASCAR operation was formed in 1989 by Felix SabatesFelix Sabates
Felix Sabates is an entrepreneur and philanthropist living in the United States. He is currently a minority shareholder in Chip Ganassi Racing, which fields teams in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series , GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series and the IZOD IndyCar Series...
, a Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n immigrant who was a self-made millionaire in products such as Teddy Ruxpin
Teddy Ruxpin
Teddy Ruxpin is a children's toy talking bear. The bear would move his mouth and eyes while 'reading' stories which were played on an audio tape cassette deck built into his back. It was created by Ken Forsse with later assistance by Larry Larsen and John Davies. Later versions would use a digital...
. The team was known as Team SABCO or SABCO Racing. In 2001
2001 in NASCAR
The 2001 NASCAR Winston Cup season began on February 11 at the Daytona International Speedway and ended on November 23 at the New Hampshire International Speedway. Jeff Gordon of Hendrick Motorsports was crowned series champion for the fourth time in seven years. The season was marked by tragedy,...
, Ganassi bought 80% of the ownership interest in the team, the same year the team switched from Chevy to Dodge
Dodge
Dodge is a United States-based brand of automobiles, minivans, and sport utility vehicles, manufactured and marketed by Chrysler Group LLC in more than 60 different countries and territories worldwide....
. However, Sabates plans to give his 20% interest back to Ganassi during the 2012 season.
Car #39 History
1.The #39 car was often a R&D car for CGN. It debuted in 2003 at Watkins Glen with Scott PruettScott Pruett
Scott Donald Pruett is an American race car driver who has competed in NASCAR, Champ Car, IMSA, Trans-Am and Grand-Am. He and his wife Judy have three children, and are children's book authors....
driving, starting 28th and finishing 2nd. Pruett and the car reappeared in 2004 and 2005 at Infineon
Infineon Raceway
Infineon Raceway, formerly Sears Point Raceway, is a road course and drag strip located on the landform known as Sears Point in the southern Sonoma Mountains near Sonoma, California, USA. The course is a complex series of twists and turns that go up and down the hills...
, where Pruett finished 3rd and 31st, respectively. He also attempted The Glen, but he failed to qualify both years. In 2005, former champion Bill Elliott
Bill Elliott
William Clyde "Bill" Elliott , also known as Awesome Bill from Dawsonville or Million Dollar Bill, is a part-time driver and former champion of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Elliott was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America on August 15, 2007. He won the 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup...
drove the car with Coors
Coors Brewing Company
The Coors Brewing Company is a regional division of the world's fifth-largest brewing company, the Canadian Molson Coors Brewing Company and is the third-largest brewer in the United States...
sponsorship at the Bud Shootout when his regular ride was unavailable. David Stremme
David Stremme
David Andrew Stremme is an American stock car driver. He is most notable as the 2003 NASCAR Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year, winning the award while running a part time for several different teams. He currently drives the #30 Chevrolet Impala for Inception Motorsports.-Early life:Stremme was...
then drove seven races in preparation for his bid in 2006 for NASCAR Rookie of the Year
NASCAR Rookie of the Year
The NASCAR Rookie of the Year Award is presented to the first-year driver that has the best season in a NASCAR season. Each of NASCAR's national and regional touring series selects a RotY winner each year....
. Casey Mears
Casey Mears
Casey James Mears is the driver of the #13 GEICO Toyota for Germain Racing in the Sprint Cup Series. He is a former winner of the Coca-Cola 600....
was originally going to drive this car full-time in 2006 with sponsorship from Home123
New Century
New Century Financial Corporation was founded in 1995 by a trio of former managers at Option One Mortgage, including former CEO Brad Morrice and is headquartered in Irvine, California...
, but it was later announced he would drive the #42 car instead. Home123 then terminated its contract with CGN. In late 2006, Juan Pablo Montoya
Juan Pablo Montoya
Juan Pablo Montoya Roldán is a Colombian race car driver known internationally for participating and winning in Formula One and CART race competitions. He has enjoyed great success. Currently, he competes in NASCAR, driving the #42 Target Chevrolet Impala for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing in the Sprint...
made his Cup debut at the Ford 400 in the #30, but failing to finish after being wrecked late in the race.
Car #40 History
Dirt Devil
Dirt Devil is a brand name of household vacuum cleaners and floor care. There are two main units: Power for large houses, and RV unit for smaller houses or apartments, as well as a number of other floor care products including hand-held vacuum cleaners and carpet shampooing machines.-Company...
and was piloted by rookie driver Kenny Wallace
Kenny Wallace
Kenneth Wallace is an American stock car driver who currently drives the #09 Family Farmers/University of Northwestern Ohio/Federated Auto Parts/American Ethanol/Iowa Corn/G-Oil/Marquis Energy Toyota Camry for RAB Racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series...
. After Wallace finished 3rd behind Bobby Labonte
Bobby Labonte
Robert Alan "Bobby" Labonte is an American race car driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He currently drives the #47 Kroger/Clorox/Kimberly-Clark/Kingsford/Reese Towpower Hitches Toyota Camry for JTG Daugherty Racing. He currently resides in Trinity, North Carolina. He is married to his wife...
and Jeff Gordon
Jeff Gordon
Jeffery Michael "Jeff" Gordon is a professional NASCAR driver. He is the driver of the #24 Drive to End Hunger/DuPont/Pepsi Chevrolet Impala. He is a four-time Sprint Cup Series champion and a three-time Daytona 500 winner. He is third on the all-time wins list, with 85 career wins, and has the...
in the NASCAR Rookie of the Year
NASCAR Rookie of the Year
The NASCAR Rookie of the Year Award is presented to the first-year driver that has the best season in a NASCAR season. Each of NASCAR's national and regional touring series selects a RotY winner each year....
standings, he left for other opportunities. Bobby Hamilton
Bobby Hamilton
Charles Robert Hamilton, Sr. was a driver and owner in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series circuit and the winner of the 2004 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship. Hamilton owned Bobby Hamilton Racing, which fielded three entries in each NCWTS event...
drove the car the next season with sponsorship from Kendall Motor Oil, during which the #40 car was bought by Dick Brooks
Dick Brooks
Richard "Dick" Brooks was an American NASCAR driver. Born in Porterville, California, he was the 1969 NASCAR Rookie of the Year, and went on to win the 1973 Talladega 500...
. Hamilton finished 23rd in points that year. The 1995 season saw multiple drivers such as Rich Bickle
Rich Bickle
Richard "Rich" Bickle, Jr. is a journeyman NASCAR driver. Bickle, who has never completed a full season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, has a long history in short track racing.-Early career:...
, Greg Sacks
Greg Sacks
Greg Sacks is a NASCAR driver. He is married to his wife Vicky and lives in Ormond Beach, Florida. Together they had three children: Paul, Brian, and Rachel. He and his sons are partners in Grand Touring Vodka.Sacks has spent most of his career as a Research & Development driver for many NASCAR...
, and Shane Hall
Shane Hall
Shane Hall , is a Part-Time Driver in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. He last drove the #49 Jay Robinson Inc. Chevrolet for Jay Robinson Racing. Hall is featured as an Unlockable Driver in the 2003 EA Sports Video Game NASCAR Thunder 2003.-Sprint Cup Series:Hall has One Career Cup Series Start...
pilot the car. But at the end of the year, Brooks closed up shop and sold the team back to Sabates. The team came back in 1996 with First Union sponsoring the car and Greg Sacks
Greg Sacks
Greg Sacks is a NASCAR driver. He is married to his wife Vicky and lives in Ormond Beach, Florida. Together they had three children: Paul, Brian, and Rachel. He and his sons are partners in Grand Touring Vodka.Sacks has spent most of his career as a Research & Development driver for many NASCAR...
driving. Returning full-time the next year with rookie driver Robby Gordon
Robby Gordon
Robert W. "Robby" Gordon is an American racecar driver who currently competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series as an owner-driver, driving the No. 7 Speed Energy Dodge Charger for Robby Gordon Motorsports, and also competes part-time in the Nationwide Series...
driving and Coors Light
Coors Light
Coors Light is a light beer produced by the Coors Brewing Company. It was first produced in 1978.The beer has a "Cold Certified" label which turns the mountains on the label from white to blue when the beer's temperature is lowered to 4 degrees Celsius .- Promotions :In 2008, Coors Light became...
paying the bills and while the team switched from Pontiac
Pontiac
Pontiac was an automobile brand that was established in 1926 as a companion make for General Motors' Oakland. Quickly overtaking its parent in popularity, it supplanted the Oakland brand entirely by 1933 and, for most of its life, became a companion make for Chevrolet. Pontiac was sold in the...
to Chevy
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
, things looked promising when Gordon won the pole at the spring Atlanta
Atlanta Motor Speedway
Atlanta Motor Speedway is a track just outside Hampton, Georgia, twenty miles south of Atlanta. It is a quad-oval track with a seating capacity of over 125,000. It opened in 1960 as a standard oval. In 1994, 46 condominiums were built over the northeastern side of the track...
race. Unfortunately, open-wheel ace Gordon suffered burns during the Indianapolis 500
1997 Indianapolis 500
The 81st Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway over three days, May 25–27, 1997. It was originally scheduled Sunday, May 25, however, rain washed out all activities for the day. The race was started on Monday May 26, but rain halted the race after only 15 laps...
. By the time he came back, the damage was done, and despite picking up a top-5 at Watkins Glen, Gordon was released. Sacks returned to finish out the year.
For 1998, Sabates chose a more experienced driver in 2-time Daytona 500
Daytona 500
The Daytona 500 is a -long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is one of four restrictor plate races on the Cup schedule....
winner Sterling Marlin
Sterling Marlin
Sterling Marlin is a retired NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver. He is the son of late NASCAR driver Coo Coo Marlin. He is married to Paula and has a daughter, Sutherlin, and a son, Steadman, who sometimes races in the Nationwide Series....
. Marlin did not qualify at the spring Atlanta race, one year after the team won the pole position there, marking the first time since 1986 Marlin missed a Winston Cup race. At the end of the year, Marlin had 6 top-10's and was 18th in points. Marlin showed a brief insurgence in 1999 when he won the pole at Pocono
Pocono Raceway
Pocono Raceway also known as the Tricky Triangle, is a superspeedway located in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania at Long Pond...
, but the mediocrity continued, and it looked like Marlin's best days were behind him. In 2001, the car got a new silver-red paint scheme, a manufacturer switch to Dodge
Dodge
Dodge is a United States-based brand of automobiles, minivans, and sport utility vehicles, manufactured and marketed by Chrysler Group LLC in more than 60 different countries and territories worldwide....
, a new crew chief in Lee McCall, and a new owner in Ganassi. Marlin made an impression by winning his qualifying race for the Daytona 500, but the euphoria soon vaporized. On the last lap of the 500
2001 Daytona 500
The 2001 Daytona 500, the 43rd running of the event, was held on February 18, 2001 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida over 200 laps on the 2.5 mile asphalt tri-oval. Bill Elliott won the pole. The race will be forever remembered for the final lap...
, Marlin's car and Dale Earnhardt
Dale Earnhardt
Ralph Dale Earnhardt, Sr. was an American race car driver, best known for his involvement in stock car racing for NASCAR...
's car touched, causing the 7-time champion to lose control and crash into the wall, killing him. Out of anger and grief, fans sent hate mail
Hate mail
Hate mail is a form of harassment, usually consisting of invective and potentially intimidating or threatening comments towards the recipient...
and death threats to Marlin and his wife, claiming he was responsible for the death of Dale Earnhardt
Death of Dale Earnhardt
Dale Earnhardt was an American race car driver who gained fame driving stock cars for NASCAR and winning seven championships. He was involved in a car accident during the last lap of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 18, 2001. He was taken to Halifax Medical Center,...
. They only ceased when Earnhardt's drivers Dale Jr. and Michael Waltrip
Michael Waltrip
Michael Curtis Waltrip is a semi-former professional race car driver, co-owner of Michael Waltrip Racing, and a published author. He is the younger brother of three-time NASCAR champion and racing commentator Darrell Waltrip. Waltrip is a two-time winner of the Daytona 500; having won the race in...
publicly defended Marlin. Marlin was able to rise above the controversy, and gave Dodge
Dodge
Dodge is a United States-based brand of automobiles, minivans, and sport utility vehicles, manufactured and marketed by Chrysler Group LLC in more than 60 different countries and territories worldwide....
its first win since its return to NASCAR at Michigan
Michigan International Speedway
Michigan International Speedway is a two-mile moderate-banked D-shaped superspeedway located off U.S. Highway 12 on more than in Brooklyn, in the scenic Irish Hills area of southeastern Michigan. The track is used primarily for NASCAR events. It is sometimes known as a "sister track" to Texas...
, won again at the UAW-GM Quality 500, and finished 3rd in points. Marlin led the points standings for most of 2002 and won twice, but broke his neck at Kansas Speedway
Kansas Speedway
Kansas Speedway is a tri-oval race track in Kansas City, Kansas. The speedway was built in 2001 and currently hosts two annual NASCAR race weekends. The IndyCar Series also raced at the speedway until 2011...
, ending his season. Some say that Sterling's injury signified the beginning of the struggles for CGRFS. Jamie McMurray
Jamie McMurray
James Christopher "Jamie" McMurray is a professional American race car driver. McMurray is best known for winning the 2002 UAW-GM Quality 500 as a substitute driver in his second Winston Cup start, and is one of three drivers to win both the Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 in the same year...
, scheduled to drive the #42 car the following season, filled in for Marlin. At Lowe's Motor Speedway
Lowe's Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway is a motorsports complex located in Concord, North Carolina, United States 13 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina. The complex features a quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend and the Sprint All-Star Race...
, McMurray beat out Bobby Labonte
Bobby Labonte
Robert Alan "Bobby" Labonte is an American race car driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He currently drives the #47 Kroger/Clorox/Kimberly-Clark/Kingsford/Reese Towpower Hitches Toyota Camry for JTG Daugherty Racing. He currently resides in Trinity, North Carolina. He is married to his wife...
to win his first race in just his second Winston Cup start. The emotional victory was capped off with a phone call from Marlin through the television network congratulating McMurray on his victory. Since then, Marlin has not won a race, and rookie David Stremme
David Stremme
David Andrew Stremme is an American stock car driver. He is most notable as the 2003 NASCAR Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year, winning the award while running a part time for several different teams. He currently drives the #30 Chevrolet Impala for Inception Motorsports.-Early life:Stremme was...
replaced Marlin in 2006. This move outraged some fans, since Coors and Ganassi both stated that the decision was partly due to Coors attempting to target the younger demographic. Stremme did not finish higher than 11th and had a 33rd-place finish in the points.
Before the 2007 season started, Lone Star
Lone Star Steakhouse & Saloon
Lone Star Steakhouse & Saloon is a casual dining restaurant chain, serving steak, seafood, salad, and similar food items. Lone Star opened its first restaurant in 1987 in Tampa,Florida. In March 1992, Lone Star became a public company with eight restaurants opened. On February 18, 2008, Lone Star...
left the 40 team as primary sponsor, leaving only Coors Light. After the beginning of the season, Tums
Tums
TUMS is an antacid made of sucrose and calcium carbonate manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline in St.Louis, Missouri, USA. It is a non-prescription drug and available at many retail stores, including drug stores, grocery stores and mass merchandisers. It provides relief from acid indigestion, heartburn,...
also came on as a sponsor of the 40 team. Stremme had a much better start to the season, earning his first top ten in the Samsung 500 at Texas Motor Speedway
Texas Motor Speedway
Texas Motor Speedway is a speedway located in the northernmost portion of the U.S. city of Fort Worth, Texas – the portion located in Denton County, Texas....
, posting his best career finish, 8th, two weeks later in the Aaron's 499
Aaron's 499
The Aaron's 499 is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car auto race held at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama. The race has always been held in late April or early May. The Aaron's 499 is also one of four races currently run with restrictor plates, the others being the AMP Energy 500,...
at Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama, United States. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base just outside the small city of Lincoln. It was constructed by International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France Family, in...
, and ended the season with three top-tens. Stremme was released due to Coors Light's departure to become the official beer of NASCAR. On October 3, 2007 Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
winner and IndyCar Series Champion Dario Franchitti
Dario Franchitti
George Dario Marino Franchitti is a Scottish racing driver. He formerly competed in the CART series before switching to the IndyCar Series where he was 2007 champion, and won the rain-shortened 2007 Indianapolis 500. Franchitti is also a former NASCAR driver for Chip Ganassi Racing, competing...
was announced as the new driver of the #40 car for 2008. Due to the lack of sponsorship, the team had to procure one-race partnerships on a rotational basis, with The Hartford
The Hartford
The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. , usually known as The Hartford, is a Fortune 500 company and one of America’s largest investment and insurance companies...
, Kennametal
Kennametal
Kennametal is a leading producer of metals founded in 1938 in the Pittsburgh suburb of Latrobe, Pennsylvania and still headquartered there. It delivers productivity to customers seeking peak performance in demanding environments by providing innovative custom and standard wear-resistant solutions...
, Dodge Journey
Dodge Journey
The Dodge Journey is a mid-size crossover SUV built by the Dodge division of Chrysler.-First generation :Unveiled first at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show, and later appearing at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, the Journey identified internally as the JC49, has an almost identical wheelbase as the...
, Target, Dodge Avenger
Dodge Avenger
The Dodge Avenger is a front-wheel drive, mid-size sedan, built by the Chrysler Corporation for the Dodge marque. In its initial debut, the Avenger was produced from 1995 to 2000 as a 2-door coupe...
, and the Wii Fit
Wii Fit
is a video game developed by Nintendo for the company's home video game console, Wii, designed by Hiroshi Matsunaga. It is an exercise game consisting of activities using the Wii Balance Board peripheral...
appearing on the car. Franchitti also suffered ankle injuries in a Nationwide Series race at Talladega, causing him to miss several races. Marlin, Stremme, and Jeremy Mayfield
Jeremy Mayfield
Jeremy Allen Mayfield is a former NASCAR driver who last competed in 2009 due to legal troubles and an indefinite suspension by NASCAR. Prior to 2009, Mayfield drove cars for the Sadler Brothers, T.W. Taylor, Cale Yarborough, Michael Kranefuss, Roger Penske, Ray Evernham, Bill Davis, and Gene Haas...
filled in during his absence.
Ganassi shut down the team due to its lack of funding midseason and moved Franchitti to its IndyCar operation. The team was revived for the Bank of America 500
Bank of America 500
The Bank of America 500 is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race that is hosted annually at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, United States. The race is usually held in the month of October, as part of the Chase for the Sprint Cup and is 500 miles long...
with Bryan Clauson
Bryan Clauson
Bryan Clauson, is an American auto racing driver. He went to Noblesville High School in Noblesville, Indiana.-Career:...
driving, but race qualifying was rained out and the team did not make the field due to being too low in the owner points.
Car #41 History
What is now the #34 car debuted in 1989 at Atlanta Motor SpeedwayAtlanta Motor Speedway
Atlanta Motor Speedway is a track just outside Hampton, Georgia, twenty miles south of Atlanta. It is a quad-oval track with a seating capacity of over 125,000. It opened in 1960 as a standard oval. In 1994, 46 condominiums were built over the northeastern side of the track...
, as the #42 Peak Antifreeze Pontiac
Pontiac
Pontiac was an automobile brand that was established in 1926 as a companion make for General Motors' Oakland. Quickly overtaking its parent in popularity, it supplanted the Oakland brand entirely by 1933 and, for most of its life, became a companion make for Chevrolet. Pontiac was sold in the...
for Team SABCO, Felix Sabates' race team. The car was driven by Kyle Petty
Kyle Petty
Kyle Eugene Petty is a former American NASCAR driver and is currently a co-host for NASCAR RaceDay and panel member for NASCAR Smarts which are both on SPEED. He also commentates for TNT in the summer. He is the son of racer Richard Petty, grandson of racer Lee Petty, and father of the late Adam...
, who finished 4th. The car ran on and off for the rest of the year before moving to full-time status in 1990. Petty won one race and finished 11th in points that year. Petty was running strong in 1991 with new sponsorship from Mello Yello
Mello Yello
Mello Yello is a caffeinated, citrus-flavored soft drink produced and distributed by The Coca-Cola Company. It was introduced on March 1, 1979 to compete with PepsiCo's Mountain Dew. There have been three flavored variants of Mello Yello. Mello Yello Cherry was released in response to Mountain Dew...
, before he broke his leg in an accident at Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama, United States. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base just outside the small city of Lincoln. It was constructed by International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France Family, in...
. Over the next 11 races, he was replaced by Bobby Hillin, Jr.
Bobby Hillin, Jr.
Bobby Hillin, Jr. , is an American stock car racecar driver. Hillin's love for racing began when he was a young boy watching his father's USAC Sprint and Indy cars race across the Midwest. At the age of 13, after a short period of racing go-karts and motocross, Hillin drove his first race car in...
, Tommy Kendall
Tommy Kendall
Tommy Kendall is an American race car driver and television broadcaster. He is best known for his SCCA Trans-Am Series career....
, and Kenny Wallace
Kenny Wallace
Kenneth Wallace is an American stock car driver who currently drives the #09 Family Farmers/University of Northwestern Ohio/Federated Auto Parts/American Ethanol/Iowa Corn/G-Oil/Marquis Energy Toyota Camry for RAB Racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series...
while he recovered. After returning, he won five races finished 5th in points in both 1992 and 1993.
After that, his career began to run out of steam, as he began to be less consistent in finishing races.. He won his final race in 1995 at Dover
Dover International Speedway
Dover International Speedway is a NASCAR-sanctioned race track located in Dover, Delaware, owned by, and serving as the corporate headquarters of, Dover Motorsports, Inc. It is co-located with a harness racing track, Dover Downs, and shares the complex with Dover Downs Hotel & Casino...
, the first year the car had Coors Light
Coors Light
Coors Light is a light beer produced by the Coors Brewing Company. It was first produced in 1978.The beer has a "Cold Certified" label which turns the mountains on the label from white to blue when the beer's temperature is lowered to 4 degrees Celsius .- Promotions :In 2008, Coors Light became...
as a sponsor. In 1996, Petty was temporarily replaced by Jim Sauter
Jim Sauter (NASCAR)
Jim Sauter is a former NASCAR race car driver from Necedah, Wisconsin.-Racing career:Sauter started racing in 1964 in a modified at Raceway Park in Savage, Minnesota. He moved up to late models the following year. Sauter moved to Wisconsin, and his career took off after he won the North Star 500...
to recover from more injuries. After that year, Petty and Sabates split and Coors moved to the #40 car. The team switched from Pontiac
Pontiac
Pontiac was an automobile brand that was established in 1926 as a companion make for General Motors' Oakland. Quickly overtaking its parent in popularity, it supplanted the Oakland brand entirely by 1933 and, for most of its life, became a companion make for Chevrolet. Pontiac was sold in the...
to Chevy
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
. Joe Nemechek
Joe Nemechek
Joseph Frank Nemechek III is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver and owner of NEMCO Motorsports. He won the 1992 Busch Series championship...
and BellSouth
BellSouth
BellSouth Corporation is an American telecommunications holding company based in Atlanta, Georgia. BellSouth was one of the seven original Regional Bell Operating Companies after the U.S...
came onboard. The year got off to a rocky start when Nemechek did not qualify for the Daytona 500
Daytona 500
The Daytona 500 is a -long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is one of four restrictor plate races on the Cup schedule....
, but was able to get in on a car bought from Phil Barkdoll
Phil Barkdoll
Phil Barkdoll is a former NASCAR owner-driver from Phoenix, Arizona who only ran at two tracks in his entire career: Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway.-NASCAR career:...
. After losing his brother John
John Nemechek
John Nemechek , was a race car driver who was killed in an accident during a Craftsman truck race at Homestead, Florida.-Life and racing career:...
in an accident at Homestead-Miami Speedway
Homestead-Miami Speedway
Homestead-Miami Speedway is a race track in Homestead, Florida southwest of Miami.Since 2002 Homestead has hosted the final races of the season in all three of NASCAR's series: the Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series, and the Camping World Truck Series...
(and missing Darlington to attend his funeral, during which he was replaced by Phil Parsons
Phil Parsons
Phil Parsons , is a former NASCAR driver and owner of MSRP Motorsports . He is also the younger brother of the late 1973 Winston Cup champion and former NBC/TNT commentator Benny Parsons. Years later, he returned to the Busch Series, where he enjoyed modest success...
), Nemechek won two pole positions and finished 28th in points, followed up by a then-career best 26th in 1998. Weeks after announcing that they would not race together after the 1999 season had ended, Nemechek won his first Winston Cup race at New Hampshire International Speedway
New Hampshire International Speedway
New Hampshire Motor Speedway is a oval speedway located in Loudon, New Hampshire which has hosted NASCAR racing annually since the early 1990s, as well as an IndyCar weekend and the oldest motorcycle race in North America, the Loudon Classic...
, and won two more pole positions.
In 2000, Kenny Irwin Jr. took over. He was just adjusting to his new team when he was killed in a practice accident at New Hampshire, the first race since the team won there the previous year. The team took one week off and returned as #01 driven by Ted Musgrave
Ted Musgrave
Theodore Musgrave is an American race car driver.-Pre-NASCAR:Musgrave's father, Elmer, was a famous short-track racer in the Midwest who raced for over 25 years at Soldier Field, O'Hare, Waukegan, and Wilmot, Wisconsin before moving into asphalt late models in the American Speed Association and...
. For 2001, Chip Ganassi purchased a majority stake in SABCO, the BellSouth brand Cingular became the sponsor and rookie driver Jason Leffler
Jason Leffler
Jason Leffler is a NASCAR driver from Long Beach, California. Leffler began racing in the open-wheel ranks before moving to NASCAR's three major series...
was hired to drive the car, which was now a Dodge
Dodge
Dodge is a United States-based brand of automobiles, minivans, and sport utility vehicles, manufactured and marketed by Chrysler Group LLC in more than 60 different countries and territories worldwide....
. Leffler struggled despite winning a pole at the inaugural race at Kansas Speedway
Kansas Speedway
Kansas Speedway is a tri-oval race track in Kansas City, Kansas. The speedway was built in 2001 and currently hosts two annual NASCAR race weekends. The IndyCar Series also raced at the speedway until 2011...
, and he was released at the end of the season. When Cingular moved to Richard Childress Racing
Richard Childress Racing
RCR Enterprises, LLC, doing business as Richard Childress Racing, is a NASCAR team based in Welcome, North Carolina, and is owned and operated by former driver Richard Childress...
to sponsor the #31 car, Target
Target Corporation
Target Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's...
became the sponsor, the number was changed to #41, and Jimmy Spencer
Jimmy Spencer
Jimmy Spencer is a current television commentator, and a former NASCAR driver. He formerly hosted the NASCAR inspired talk show, “What’s the Deal?”, on SPEED. He is the former co-host, with John Roberts and Kenny Wallace, of the SPEED's pre-race and post-race NASCAR shows NASCAR RaceDay and...
was tabbed to replace Leffler. Spencer did not qualify for the Daytona 500, and was replaced by Scott Pruett at Watkins Glen, then was released. Casey Mears
Casey Mears
Casey James Mears is the driver of the #13 GEICO Toyota for Germain Racing in the Sprint Cup Series. He is a former winner of the Coca-Cola 600....
, a Busch Series
Busch Series
The NASCAR Nationwide Series is a stock car racing series owned and operated by the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing. It is promoted as NASCAR's "minor league" circuit, and is a proving ground for drivers who wish to step up to the organization's "big leagues"; the Sprint Cup circuit...
driver was hired to drive the car. After three seasons, Reed Sorenson
Reed Sorenson
Bradley Reed Sorenson is an American NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #82 MacDonald Motorsports Dodge Charger in the Nationwide Series...
was hired to drive the #41 car full time, and Mears switched to the #42 car. Sorenson had five top-tens and ended the 2006 season 24th in the standings.
After finishing 22nd in the standings with three top 5s and 6 top 10s in 2007, the #41 team dropped to 32nd in the final standings in 2008. Sorenson failed to qualify for a race for the first time in his career, and the team only managed one top five and two top tens. Sorenson left the team to drive for Richard Petty Motorsports, and as of December 16, 2008 EGR has not named a replacement. On January 11, 2009, ESPN.com reported that Juan Pablo Montoya
Juan Pablo Montoya
Juan Pablo Montoya Roldán is a Colombian race car driver known internationally for participating and winning in Formula One and CART race competitions. He has enjoyed great success. Currently, he competes in NASCAR, driving the #42 Target Chevrolet Impala for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing in the Sprint...
, the driver of the #42 EGR entry, was considered for the seat due to its full-time sponsorship, which is one of only two that EGR has. However, EGR decided to move the Target sponsorship to Montoya's #42, leaving the #41 without a driver or a sponsor. The number was then assigned to Jeremy Mayfield
Jeremy Mayfield
Jeremy Allen Mayfield is a former NASCAR driver who last competed in 2009 due to legal troubles and an indefinite suspension by NASCAR. Prior to 2009, Mayfield drove cars for the Sadler Brothers, T.W. Taylor, Cale Yarborough, Michael Kranefuss, Roger Penske, Ray Evernham, Bill Davis, and Gene Haas...
's new NASCAR Sprint Cup team and taken out of the EGR stable. As part of the aforementioned cooperative agreement with Front Row Motorsports the points from the #15 team were transferred to the #34.
Nationwide Series
CGRWFS began running the Nationwide Series in 2000, fielding two full-time and one part-time. The part-time team was the #42 BellSouth Chevrolet driven by Irwin and had raced nine times with Irwin finishing in the top-ten twice before Irwin was killed at New Hampshire. Like Irwin's Cup team, the number was switched to 01, and Marlin became the new driver. He raced three races in the 01, finishing in the top-ten twice. Blaise AlexanderBlaise Alexander
Blaise Alexander was a stock car racer from Montoursville, Pennsylvania. He began racing at the age of 12 in go-karts, winning the coveted World Karting Association East Regional championship in 1992. In 1995, he moved south to Mooresville, North Carolina and was named Rookie of the Year in the...
drove the #81 Tracfone/WCW
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
Chevy full-time in 2000, and had two top-tens and finished 25th in points, despite failing to qualify for the season-opening race. Dave Steele
Dave Steele
Dave Steele , is an American racecar driver.-Racing career:He has competed in several USAC sprint and Silver Crown races. He won the 2001 and 2003 Turkey Night Grand Prix midget car race. He won the USAC Silver Crown Series in 2004 and 2005. He also raced in the 1998 Indy Racing League season,...
was hired by SABCO to drive the #82 Channellock
Channellock
Channellock is an American company that produces hand tools. It is best known for its pliers—the company manufactures more than 120 types of pliers—particularly its eponymous style of tongue-and-groove, slip-joint pliers...
Chevy full-time, but after failing to qualify for three out of the first five races, he was released. Sterling Marlin won in the next race in the 82, while Jeff Fuller failed to qualify in his attempt in the car the following week at Texas. After Derek Gilcrest drove for a pair of races, Glenn Allen, Jr.
Glenn Allen, Jr.
Glenn Allen, Jr. is the co-owner of Allen-Hock Motorsports, an American Speed Association team. He is a former auto racer, participating in both the ASA and the NASCAR Busch Series during his career, and earning the 1996 NBS Rookie of the Year award.-Busch Series:Allen participated in two Busch...
drove for the next five races, not finishing better than 29th. Jason White
Jason White (NASCAR)
Jason White is the driver for the #23 GunBroker.com Chevy Silverado for Joe Denette Motorsports in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. He has been racing in NASCAR since 1999.-Beginnings:...
drove for two short track races, followed by Anthony Lazzaro at Watkins Glen, Andy Houston
Andy Houston
Andy Houston is a veteran of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, scoring three wins. Houston is the son of legendary Busch Driver Tommy Houston and the youngest of three brothers, one of them being part-time NASCAR driver Marty Houston and the other being the oldest of the three, Scott Houston...
at Milwaukee, and Austin Cameron
Austin Cameron
Austin Cameron is a NASCAR race car driver. He was born in El Cajon, California). He drives the #88 RaceCarCeilingFans.com Chevrolet in the NASCAR Grand National West Series, and the #61 Chevrolet in the Sprint Cup Series for Bill McAnally.-Racing career:Austin Cameron began racing go-karts at the...
at Nazareth and Pikes Peak. Ted Musgrave then signed on for the next eight races, finishing eighth at Lowe's. Marty Houston
Marty Houston
Marty Houston, is a former driver in NASCAR. His younger brother, Andy and father Tommy Houston have driven in NASCAR as well.-Craftsman Truck Series Career:...
finished the season in the 82, with a best finish of 14th. At the end of the 2000 season, SABCO's Busch equipment was sold to HighLine Performance Group.
Car #40 History
The 40 car debuted in 2006 as the #42 TexacoTexaco
Texaco is the name of an American oil retail brand. Its flagship product is its fuel "Texaco with Techron". It also owns the Havoline motor oil brand....
/Havoline
Havoline
Havoline is a motor oil brand of Texaco, a former major oil company based in the United States that is now merged with the Chevron Corporation.-History:First introduced 1904, the Havoline brand was named by Havemeyer Oil Company of New York....
Dodge. Casey Mears drove nine races and won his first career race at Chicagoland Speedway
Chicagoland Speedway
Chicagoland Speedway is a tri-oval speedway in Joliet, Illinois, USA, southwest of Chicago. The speedway opened in 2001 and currently hosts NASCAR racing including the opening event in the 2011 Chase for the Sprint Cup. Until 2011, the speedway also hosted the IZOD IndyCar Series, recording...
. Juan Pablo Montoya drove the last four races of the year, posting an eleventh place finish in his series debut at Memphis. He drove seventeen races the next season, and won his first race at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez
Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez
The Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez is a race track in Mexico City, Mexico, named for the famous racing drivers Ricardo and Pedro Rodríguez. The circuit got its name shortly after it opened when Ricardo Rodríguez died in practice for the non-Championship 1962 Mexican Grand Prix...
and had three top-tens. Kevin Hamlin also made seven starts, including two consecutive top-tens. After Michael Valiante
Michael Valiante
Michael Valiante is a Canadian racing driver.Michael began racing in karting where his success earned him a full-season scholarship in the Skip Barber 2.0 Series. In his first season, Michael was both series champion and rookie of the year...
drove at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve
Circuit Gilles Villeneuve
The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is a motor racing circuit, venue for the Formula One Canadian Grand Prix, NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series....
and David Stremme at Bristol, it was announced the 42 team would shut down effective immediately, but that decision and was rescinded and A. J. Allmendinger
A. J. Allmendinger
Allmendinger again failed to qualify for the 2008 Daytona 500. After three failures to qualify in 2 attempts , he was replaced by veteran driver Mike Skinner on a temporary basis. Allmendinger returned to the Cup series at Talladega...
was named driver for the next five races, but he failed to finish higher than 14th. Dario Franchitti finished out the year with Target sponsorship, qualifying in the top-ten twice.
For 2008
2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series
The 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series began on February 16, 2008, at Daytona International Speedway with the Camping World 300, and ended on November 15, 2008, at Homestead-Miami Speedway with the Ford 300. This was the first season in which NASCAR's second-tier series was known as the Nationwide...
, rookies Franchitti and Bryan Clauson
Bryan Clauson
Bryan Clauson, is an American auto racing driver. He went to Noblesville High School in Noblesville, Indiana.-Career:...
were hired to split the driving duties of the newly-renumbered #40 car, with sponsorship coming from Fastenal. Late in the season, Clauson took over the car permanently.
In December 2008, Earnhardt Ganassi Racing announced that they had closed the #40 team down, due to a lack of sponsorship. The remnants of this team were purchased by businessman Eddie Smith and professional boxer Evander Holyfield
Evander Holyfield
Evander Holyfield is a professional boxer from the United States. He is a former undisputed world champion in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions, earning him the nickname "The Real Deal"...
in February 2009 and will run under the name Smith-Ganassi Racing with Kenny Hendrick
Kenny Hendrick
Kenny Hendrick , from Chino, California, is a current NASCAR Nationwide Series driver. He dabbled in the sport part-time for a number of years before fading out of the limelight. He returned to the Truck Series in 2007 for Xpress Motorsports.-Busch Series:Hendrick made his Busch Series debut in...
.
Car #41 History
The 41 car began racing at the 2004 Kroger 200Kroger 200 (Busch)
The Kroger 200 was a race in the NASCAR Nationwide Series which took place at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis in Clermont, Indiana.It originally debuted as a summer night race, as the only major NASCAR event in the state of Indiana. It replaced a USAC stock car race held at the track, after that...
, when Reed Sorenson made his NASCAR debut with sponsorship coming Discount Tire Company
Discount Tire Company
Discount Tire Company is a tire and wheel retailer headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona. It is the largest independent tire retailer in the United States, and sole retail outlet for the Arizonian brand of tires....
. He qualified third and finished thirteenth. For the rest of the season, Sorenson, Casey Mears
Casey Mears
Casey James Mears is the driver of the #13 GEICO Toyota for Germain Racing in the Sprint Cup Series. He is a former winner of the Coca-Cola 600....
, and Jamie McMurray ran limited schedules in the 41, with McMurray picking up a win at Phoenix. In 2005, Sorenson drove full-time, picking up two wins and finishing fourth in points. He drove most of the 2006 season, except the AT&T 250
AT&T 250
The NorthernTool.com 250 is a NASCAR Nationwide Series race held at the Milwaukee Mile. From 1984-1985, the race was 200 laps, long. From 1986-1992, no race was held. In 1993, the race returned, and was increased to 250 laps, , a distance it has remained at since...
, where David Stremme finished eleventh in his place. After Sorenson's tenth-place points finish, Discount Tire left for Roush Fenway Racing and Wrigley's became the new sponsor. Sorenson and Stremme shared the 41 for most of the season, with Sorenson winning at Gateway. Bryan Clauson came on board with Memorex
Memorex
Memorex began as a computer tape producer and expanded to become a major IBM plug compatible peripheral supplier. It is now a consumer electronics brand of Imation specializing in disk recordable media for CD and DVD drives, flash memory, computer accessories and other electronics.Established in...
sponsorship then drove for five races with a best finish of eighteenth, before A.J. Allmendinger finished out the season in the 41. Bryan Clauson began the season in the 41 with Polaroid
Polaroid Corporation
Polaroid Corporation is an American-based international consumer electronics and eyewear company, originally founded in 1937 by Edwin H. Land. It is most famous for its instant film cameras, which reached the market in 1948, and continued to be the company's flagship product line until the February...
sponsorship, before Kyle Krisiloff
Kyle Krisiloff
Kyle Krisiloff is an American race car driver. He is the son of former Champ Car racer, Steve Krisiloff, the nephew of Tony George, and the grandson of Mari Hulman George. He became the youngest BMX rider in the United States, when he began racing BMX bicycles at just three years old...
drove for a few races. The team stopped running after the spring Talladega race.
Merger with DEI
On November 12, 2008 Chip Ganassi along with Teresa EarnhardtTeresa Earnhardt
Teresa Earnhardt was the third wife and is the widow of Dale Earnhardt. She is the biological mother of Taylor Nicole Earnhardt and she is the stepmother of Kerry Earnhardt, Kelley Earnhardt Miller and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Teresa is currently the president and Co. Chief Executive Officer of...
, widow of Dale Earnhardt
Dale Earnhardt
Ralph Dale Earnhardt, Sr. was an American race car driver, best known for his involvement in stock car racing for NASCAR...
, the seven-time NASCAR champion and namesake of their own NASCAR team, announced that the two teams would merge in time for the 2009 season
2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
The 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season was the 61st season of professional stock car racing in the United States, which began at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, with the 2009 Budweiser Shootout at Daytona, a race for the top six teams of the four brands in the 2008...
and run under the name of Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. The team fielded Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
s in all series for three drivers – the #1 Bass Pro Shops
Bass Pro Shops
Bass Pro Shops is a privately held retailer of hunting, fishing, camping and related outdoor recreation merchandise. Bass Pro Shops is known for a large selection of hunting, fishing, and other outdoor gear.-History:The owner, John L...
car driven by Martin Truex, Jr. and the #8 car of Aric Almirola
Aric Almirola
Aric A. Almirola is a Cuban-American stock car driver in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. He currently drives the #88 Unilever/Grand Touring Vodka Chevrolet Impala for JR Motorsports. Almirola attended the University of Central Florida working on a degree in mechanical engineering before leaving to...
from the DEI stable and the #42 car Juan Pablo Montoya
Juan Pablo Montoya
Juan Pablo Montoya Roldán is a Colombian race car driver known internationally for participating and winning in Formula One and CART race competitions. He has enjoyed great success. Currently, he competes in NASCAR, driving the #42 Target Chevrolet Impala for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing in the Sprint...
from Target Ganassi's stable. The #41 was transferred by NASCAR to Jeremy Mayfield.
Current IndyCar Drivers
- 9 Scott DixonScott DixonScott Ronald Dixon, MNZM is a New Zealand motor racer who became the most successful all-time driver in the Indy Racing League championship in the United States when he won the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio in August 2009. This took his total to 21 wins...
, TargetTarget CorporationTarget Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's...
. - 10 Dario FranchittiDario FranchittiGeorge Dario Marino Franchitti is a Scottish racing driver. He formerly competed in the CART series before switching to the IndyCar Series where he was 2007 champion, and won the rain-shortened 2007 Indianapolis 500. Franchitti is also a former NASCAR driver for Chip Ganassi Racing, competing...
, TargetTarget CorporationTarget Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's...
. - 38 Graham RahalGraham RahalGraham Rahal is an American race car driver. He currently participates in the IZOD IndyCar Series. He is the son of 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal.-Early racing:...
, Service Central. - 83 Charlie KimballCharlie KimballCharlie Kimball is an Anglo-American racecar driver currently competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series with Chip Ganassi Racing.-2002–2005:...
, Novo NordiskNovo NordiskNovo Nordisk manufactures and markets pharmaceutical products and services. Created in 1989 through a merger of two Danish companies dating back to the 1920s, it has become one of the world's leading companies in diabetes care, where Novo Nordisk pursues research into pulmonary delivery systems;...
.
IndyCar History
In 1989, Chip GanassiChip Ganassi
Floyd "Chip" Ganassi, Jr is a former American racecar driver and current racecar owner.He is currently the owner and president of Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates which operates teams on the IndyCar, NASCAR and Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series circuit...
, who had driven in the IndyCar World Series
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
, joined Pat Patrick
U. E. Patrick
Ueal Eugene Patrick, nicknamed "Pat", is the founder and owner of Patrick Racing, a team that raced in Champ Cars and the Indy Racing League. Pat was also one of the founding members of CART in 1978 and the Indy Lights series in 1986. In addition, he was founder of Patrick Petroleum in the...
as co-owner for Emerson Fittipaldi
Emerson Fittipaldi
Emerson Fittipaldi |São Paulo]], Brazil) is a Brazilian automobile racing driver who throughout a long and successful career won the Indianapolis 500 twice and championships in both Formula One and CART.-Early and personal life:...
's Marlboro IndyCar team. Patrick had announced he was going to retire at the end of the year, and the team would go completely to Ganassi. The team won the Indy 500
1989 Indianapolis 500
The 73rd Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 28, 1989. Emerson Fittipaldi became the first foreign winner of the race since 1966. Though Fittipaldi dominated most of the race, he dropped to second in the waning laps. On the 199th lap, Al Unser, Jr. was...
and the IndyCar Championship.
By season's end, Patrick had second thoughts. Instead of retracting the sale of the team to Ganassi, he went ahead with the deal as planned, and instead re-started his team by taking over the upstart Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of cars. Founded as A.L.F.A. on June 24, 1910, in Milan, the company has been involved in car racing since 1911, and has a reputation for building expensive sports cars...
IndyCar effort for 1990. Fittipaldi took the Marlboro sponsorship to Team Penske
Penske Racing
Penske Racing is a racing team that competes in the IndyCar Series and NASCAR. They also previously competed in road racing, and Formula One. Penske Racing is a division of Penske Corporation, and is owned and chaired by Roger Penske...
, an arrangement that was also pre-planned. (Penske had supplied Patrick with a fleet of Penske chassis for 1989 as part of the deal).
Ganassi officially took over the remaining assets of the team (including the 1989 Penske chassis), and renamed it Chip Ganassi Racing. He signed former Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
driver Eddie Cheever
Eddie Cheever
Edward "Eddie" McKay Cheever, Jr. is an American racing driver who raced for almost thirty years in Formula One, Sports cars, CART and the Indy Racing League. Cheever participated in 143 World Championship Formula One races and started 132, more than any other American, driving for nine different...
and raced full-time in the IndyCar World series with Target
Target Corporation
Target Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's...
as primary sponsor.
In 1992 Ganassi expanded to a two-car effort for the Indy 500
1992 Indianapolis 500
The 76th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 24, 1992. The race is famous for the fierce battle in the closing laps, as race winner Al Unser, Jr...
, adding Arie Luyendyk
Arie Luyendyk
Arie Luyendyk, originally Arie Luijendijk is a Dutch auto racing driver, twice winner of the Indianapolis 500....
for the Indy-only entry. Later Ganassi debuted rookie Robby Gordon
Robby Gordon
Robert W. "Robby" Gordon is an American racecar driver who currently competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series as an owner-driver, driving the No. 7 Speed Energy Dodge Charger for Robby Gordon Motorsports, and also competes part-time in the Nationwide Series...
in selected events. For 1993, Luyendyk replaced Cheever full-time. Luyendyk and won the pole position for the Indy 500
1993 Indianapolis 500
The 77th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 30, 1993. Emerson Fittipaldi took the lead with 16 laps to go, and won his second career Indy 500 victory...
and finished second to Emerson Fittipaldi
Emerson Fittipaldi
Emerson Fittipaldi |São Paulo]], Brazil) is a Brazilian automobile racing driver who throughout a long and successful career won the Indianapolis 500 twice and championships in both Formula One and CART.-Early and personal life:...
, Ganassi's former driver in his partnership with Patrick
U. E. Patrick
Ueal Eugene Patrick, nicknamed "Pat", is the founder and owner of Patrick Racing, a team that raced in Champ Cars and the Indy Racing League. Pat was also one of the founding members of CART in 1978 and the Indy Lights series in 1986. In addition, he was founder of Patrick Petroleum in the...
. For 1994, Michael Andretti
Michael Andretti
Michael Mario Andretti is a retired American CART and Formula One driver and owner of the Andretti Autosport team in the IndyCar Series. Andretti is the son of Mario Andretti. His son is Marco Andretti.-Early career:...
joined the team, immediately after returning from his failed transition to Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
the previous year
1993 Formula One season
The 1993 Formula One season was the 44th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1993 FIA Formula One World Championship, which commenced on March 14, 1993 and ended on November 7 after sixteen races...
. He scored Ganassi's first IndyCar victory at Surfers Paradise
1994 Australian FAI Indycar Grand Prix
The 1994 Australian FAI Indycar Grand Prix was the opening round of the 1994 CART World Series season, held on 20 March 1994 on the streets of Surfers Paradise, Australia....
.
Target continued to sponsor Ganassi's operation through the decade, and by the mid part of the decade, the team had risen to the top of the series. Perhaps the most impressive was Juan Pablo Montoya
Juan Pablo Montoya
Juan Pablo Montoya Roldán is a Colombian race car driver known internationally for participating and winning in Formula One and CART race competitions. He has enjoyed great success. Currently, he competes in NASCAR, driving the #42 Target Chevrolet Impala for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing in the Sprint...
winning the championship in his rookie season in 1999. They won four consecutive series championships, with Jimmy Vasser
Jimmy Vasser
Jimmy Vasser is a retired American racing driver and current co-owner of KV Racing Technology. Vasser won the 1996 IndyCar season championship with Chip Ganassi Racing, and scored ten victories in the series...
(1996), Alex Zanardi
Alex Zanardi
Alessandro "Alex" Zanardi is an Italian racing driver and paracyclist.He won two CART championship titles in North America during the late 1990s. He also had a less successful career as a Formula One driver...
(1997–1998
1998 CART World Series Season
The 1998 CART season, the twentieth in the CART era of U.S. open-wheel racing, consisted of 19 races, beginning in Homestead, Florida on March 15 and concluding in Fontana, California on November 1. The FedEx Championship Series Drivers' Champion was Alex Zanardi. Rookie of the Year was Tony...
), and Montoya in 1999, becoming the first car owner to win four consecutive CART championships. In 2000
2000 in IRL
The 2000 Indy Racing Northern Light Series season was another season that saw a high level of parity as only one driver, champion Buddy Lazier, won more than a single race. It also saw the beginning of the jump from CART as Al Unser Jr. moved to the series full time and Chip Ganassi Racing came...
, Ganassi became the first CART team to break ranks and return to race in the Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
, part of the rival Indy Racing League. The team saw instant success as Juan Pablo Montoya
Juan Pablo Montoya
Juan Pablo Montoya Roldán is a Colombian race car driver known internationally for participating and winning in Formula One and CART race competitions. He has enjoyed great success. Currently, he competes in NASCAR, driving the #42 Target Chevrolet Impala for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing in the Sprint...
dominated the race
2000 Indianapolis 500
The 2000 Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 28, 2000.-Recap:Chip Ganassi Racing became the first regular CART series team to break ranks and compete at Indianapolis since the CART/IRL split in 1996, entering 1996 CART series champion Jimmy Vasser and reigning...
. Montoya also became the first driver to win the Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
and the Michigan 500
Firestone Indy 400
The Firestone Indy 400 was an IndyCar Series race held at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan.Between 1970 and 2007, Michigan International Speedway hosted at least one open-wheel race in every season, hosting 55 open-wheel races over 38 years...
in the same year since Rick Mears
Rick Mears
Rick Ravon Mears is a retired American race car driver. He is one of three men to have won the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race four times , and the current record-holder for pole positions in the race with six...
in 1991. However, he was unable to duplicate his championship success of 1999. 1996 champion Jimmy Vasser
Jimmy Vasser
Jimmy Vasser is a retired American racing driver and current co-owner of KV Racing Technology. Vasser won the 1996 IndyCar season championship with Chip Ganassi Racing, and scored ten victories in the series...
's performance steadily dwindled, as his lone victory at Houston
Grand Prix of Houston
The Grand Prix of Houston was an annual auto race on the Champ Car World Series circuit. It was held in a street circuit located in downtown Houston, Texas, United States of America for four years, then returned for two years on a course laid out in the parking lot of the Reliant Park Complex...
was his first in nearly two years.
The team ran from 1992 to 2002 before moving into the rival Indy Racing League full-time. They had run one IRL entry for former motocross
Motocross
Motocross is a form of motorcycle sport or all-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed off road circuits. It evolved from trials, and was called scrambles, and later motocross, combining the French moto with cross-country...
racer Jeff Ward
Jeff Ward (motocross)
Jeff Ward is the first motocross rider in history to win every major AMA motocross national championship...
in 2002
2002 in IRL
The 2002 Indy Racing League season was one of transition, with many CART teams participating in a partial IRL schedule while retaining "lame duck" status in their original series with their CART engine suppliers Toyota and Honda...
, in which Ward won one race at Texas in one of the closest finishes in IRL history. In their prime in CART, driving for Target Chip Ganassi Racing was viewed as the final proving ground for much of the top talent before moving onto Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
.
Drivers (chronological)
Eddie CheeverEddie Cheever
Edward "Eddie" McKay Cheever, Jr. is an American racing driver who raced for almost thirty years in Formula One, Sports cars, CART and the Indy Racing League. Cheever participated in 143 World Championship Formula One races and started 132, more than any other American, driving for nine different...
(1990–1992) Arie Luyendyk
Arie Luyendyk
Arie Luyendyk, originally Arie Luijendijk is a Dutch auto racing driver, twice winner of the Indianapolis 500....
(1992–1993, 1997) Robby Gordon
Robby Gordon
Robert W. "Robby" Gordon is an American racecar driver who currently competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series as an owner-driver, driving the No. 7 Speed Energy Dodge Charger for Robby Gordon Motorsports, and also competes part-time in the Nationwide Series...
(1992) Didier Theys
Didier Theys
Didier Theys is an Belgian sports car driver. He is a two-time overall winner of the 24 Hours of Daytona ; a winner of the 12 Hours of Sebring ; the Sports Racing Prototype driver champion of the Grand-American Road Racing Association and the winner of the 24 Hours of Spa...
(1992) Michael Andretti
Michael Andretti
Michael Mario Andretti is a retired American CART and Formula One driver and owner of the Andretti Autosport team in the IndyCar Series. Andretti is the son of Mario Andretti. His son is Marco Andretti.-Early career:...
(1994) Maurício Gugelmin
Mauricio Gugelmin
Maurício Gugelmin is a former racing driver from Brazil. He took part in both Formula One and the Champ Car World Series. He participated in 80 Formula One grands prix, debuting in 1988 for the March team. He achieved one top-three finish and scored a total of ten championship points in the series...
(1994) Bryan Herta
Bryan Herta
Bryan John Herta is an American race car driver. He currently runs his own team, Bryan Herta Autosport in the Firestone Indy Lights Series...
(1995) Mike Groff
Mike Groff
Mike Groff is a former race car driver in CART and the Indy Racing League and the 1989 Indy Lights champion. He made 54 starts in CART beginning in 1990 with a best finish of 6th, occurring at Phoenix International Raceway in 1994...
(1995) Jimmy Vasser
Jimmy Vasser
Jimmy Vasser is a retired American racing driver and current co-owner of KV Racing Technology. Vasser won the 1996 IndyCar season championship with Chip Ganassi Racing, and scored ten victories in the series...
(1995–2000) Alex Zanardi
Alex Zanardi
Alessandro "Alex" Zanardi is an Italian racing driver and paracyclist.He won two CART championship titles in North America during the late 1990s. He also had a less successful career as a Formula One driver...
(1996–1998) Juan Pablo Montoya
Juan Pablo Montoya
Juan Pablo Montoya Roldán is a Colombian race car driver known internationally for participating and winning in Formula One and CART race competitions. He has enjoyed great success. Currently, he competes in NASCAR, driving the #42 Target Chevrolet Impala for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing in the Sprint...
(1999–2000) Nicolas Minassian
Nicolas Minassian
Nicolas Minassian is a French race driver of Armenian descent.After spending finishing 2nd place in the 1993 Formula Renault Eurocup, he graduated to the French Formula Three Championship where he finished runner-up to countryman Laurent Redon at his second attempt in 1995...
(2001) Memo Gidley
Memo Gidley
José Guillermo "Memo" Gidley is a Mexican-American racing driver, of German and Canadian ancestry, born in La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico in 1973. He holds dual citizenship - American and Mexican....
(2001) Bruno Junqueira
Bruno Junqueira
Bruno Junqueira is a Brazilian race car driver that most recently competed in the IRL IndyCar Series. He is a former Formula 3000 champion and three-time runner-up in the Champ Car World Series.-Early career:...
(2001–2002) Kenny Bräck
Kenny Bräck
Kenny Bräck is a race car driver from Sweden. Until his retirement from racing, he competed in the CART, Indy Racing League and the IROC series. He is the winner of the 1999 Indianapolis 500 and the 1998 driving champion of the Indy Racing League. He survived one of the racing sport's biggest...
(2002) Scott Dixon
Scott Dixon
Scott Ronald Dixon, MNZM is a New Zealand motor racer who became the most successful all-time driver in the Indy Racing League championship in the United States when he won the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio in August 2009. This took his total to 21 wins...
(2002)
IndyCar Series
Juan Pablo Montoya
Juan Pablo Montoya Roldán is a Colombian race car driver known internationally for participating and winning in Formula One and CART race competitions. He has enjoyed great success. Currently, he competes in NASCAR, driving the #42 Target Chevrolet Impala for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing in the Sprint...
and Jimmy Vasser
Jimmy Vasser
Jimmy Vasser is a retired American racing driver and current co-owner of KV Racing Technology. Vasser won the 1996 IndyCar season championship with Chip Ganassi Racing, and scored ten victories in the series...
in the 2000
2000 in IRL
The 2000 Indy Racing Northern Light Series season was another season that saw a high level of parity as only one driver, champion Buddy Lazier, won more than a single race. It also saw the beginning of the jump from CART as Al Unser Jr. moved to the series full time and Chip Ganassi Racing came...
Indy 500
2000 Indianapolis 500
The 2000 Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 28, 2000.-Recap:Chip Ganassi Racing became the first regular CART series team to break ranks and compete at Indianapolis since the CART/IRL split in 1996, entering 1996 CART series champion Jimmy Vasser and reigning...
won by rookie Montoya. In 2001
2001 in IRL
The 2001 Indy Racing Northern Light Series season saw the addition of five races and loss of one to bring the total to 13. Chip Ganassi Racing returned to the Indy 500 with four cars and were joined on the grid by Penske Racing and Team Kool Green. Many other CART teams made clear their intention...
they returned to Indy
2001 Indianapolis 500
The 85th Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis on Sunday, May 27, 2001. Race rookie Hélio Castroneves led the final 52 laps and won his first Indy 500.-Changes for 2001:...
with Vasser, Bruno Junqueira
Bruno Junqueira
Bruno Junqueira is a Brazilian race car driver that most recently competed in the IRL IndyCar Series. He is a former Formula 3000 champion and three-time runner-up in the Champ Car World Series.-Early career:...
, Nicolas Minassian
Nicolas Minassian
Nicolas Minassian is a French race driver of Armenian descent.After spending finishing 2nd place in the 1993 Formula Renault Eurocup, he graduated to the French Formula Three Championship where he finished runner-up to countryman Laurent Redon at his second attempt in 1995...
, and NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
's Tony Stewart
Tony Stewart
Anthony Wayne "Tony" Stewart is an American auto racing driver and owner. Throughout his racing career, Stewart has won titles in Indy cars and stock cars as well as midget, sprint and USAC Silver Crown cars, giving him the recognition of "one of the finest racers of his generation."Stewart...
, who would also compete in that evening's Coca-Cola 600
Coca-Cola 600
The Coca-Cola 600, formerly known as the World 600, is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held each year at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina on Memorial Day weekend...
. But in neither year did they run the entire IndyCar Series season.
For 2002
2002 in IRL
The 2002 Indy Racing League season was one of transition, with many CART teams participating in a partial IRL schedule while retaining "lame duck" status in their original series with their CART engine suppliers Toyota and Honda...
, Ganassi made the jump to the IndyCar Series full-time with Jeff Ward
Jeff Ward (motocross)
Jeff Ward is the first motocross rider in history to win every major AMA motocross national championship...
driving one car, with the addition of Ganassi's two CART Championship
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
drivers Kenny Bräck
Kenny Bräck
Kenny Bräck is a race car driver from Sweden. Until his retirement from racing, he competed in the CART, Indy Racing League and the IROC series. He is the winner of the 1999 Indianapolis 500 and the 1998 driving champion of the Indy Racing League. He survived one of the racing sport's biggest...
and Bruno Junqueira
Bruno Junqueira
Bruno Junqueira is a Brazilian race car driver that most recently competed in the IRL IndyCar Series. He is a former Formula 3000 champion and three-time runner-up in the Champ Car World Series.-Early career:...
at Indianapolis
2002 Indianapolis 500
The 86th Indianapolis race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 26, 2002. It was the seventh Indianapolis 500 held as part of the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series schedule, and was part of the 2002 Indy Racing League season....
. None of those three would drive for Ganassi in 2003; the replacements were Scott Dixon
Scott Dixon
Scott Ronald Dixon, MNZM is a New Zealand motor racer who became the most successful all-time driver in the Indy Racing League championship in the United States when he won the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio in August 2009. This took his total to 21 wins...
(a midseason addition to Ganassi's Champ Car team in 2002) and Tomas Scheckter
Tomas Scheckter
Tomas Scheckter is a South African racing driver, born in Monte Carlo. He is the son of 1979 Formula One World Champion Jody Scheckter.-Early years:...
. Dixon won three races and the series championship while Scheckter struggled and was released from his contract. Tony Renna
Tony Renna
Tony Renna was an American race car driver from DeLand, Florida who raced in the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series. He made seven starts for Kelley Racing in 2002 and 2003 including the 2003 Indianapolis 500. His best finish was fourth place at Michigan International Speedway in 2002...
was to replace him, but had a tragic testing crash at Indianapolis that claimed his life. Englishman
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Darren Manning
Darren Manning
Darren Manning is a motor racing driver, most recently racing in the IRL IndyCar Series for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing.-Early career:...
wound up in the seat for 2004. The team's performance suffered the next two seasons and when Manning was fired, a bevy of drivers ran in Ganassi's cars, among them former Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
test drivers Ryan Briscoe
Ryan Briscoe
Ryan Briscoe is an Australian auto racing driver who has raced open wheel and sports cars in Europe and America.In addition to his native English, Briscoe speaks Italian and French...
and Giorgio Pantano
Giorgio Pantano
Giorgio Pantano is an Italian racing driver who drove for the Jordan Formula One team for much of the 2004 season before being replaced by Timo Glock...
, and Jaques Lazier
Jaques Lazier
Jaques Lazier is an American racing driver born January 25, 1971 in Denver, Colorado and is the younger brother of 1996 Indianapolis 500 champion Buddy Lazier and son of former Indy racer Bob Lazier....
. For 2006, Target Ganassi Racing scaled back to two cars, with Dixon returning along with 2005 Indianapolis 500
2005 Indianapolis 500
The 89th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 29, 2005. It was the premier event of the 2005 IndyCar Series season, and the tenth Indy 500 sanctioned by the Indy Racing League. Dan Wheldon won the race under a yellow flag...
Champion Dan Wheldon
Dan Wheldon
Daniel Clive "Dan" Wheldon was a British racing driver from England. He was the 2005 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series champion, and winner of the Indianapolis 500 in both 2005 and 2011...
, whom Ganassi signed away from Andretti Green Racing
Andretti Green Racing
Andretti Autosport is an auto racing team that competes in the IndyCar Series, Firestone Indy Lights, Star Mazda Championship, and U.S. F2000 National Championship.-Current IndyCar Drivers and Cars:*7 Danica Patrick, GoDaddy.com*26 Marco Andretti...
in the offseason. The team also changed to Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
engines (along with all other IndyCar teams) and Dallara
Dallara
Dallara Automobili is an Italian chassis manufacturer for various motor racing series, being most notable for its near-monopoly in Formula 3 since 1993...
chassis for 2006.
The 2007 IndyCar Series season showed promise for the Chip Ganassi Racing team, as Scott Dixon
Scott Dixon
Scott Ronald Dixon, MNZM is a New Zealand motor racer who became the most successful all-time driver in the Indy Racing League championship in the United States when he won the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio in August 2009. This took his total to 21 wins...
took 4 wins at Watkins Glen, Nashville
Firestone Indy 200
The Firestone Indy 200 was an Indy Racing League IndyCar Series race held at Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, Tennessee.In 2001, it marked the first American open wheel event in the Nashville area. In later years it was held as a Saturday night race. The 2007 event was postponed until Sunday...
, Mid Ohio
Honda 200
The Honda 200 at Mid-Ohio presented by Westfield Insurance is an Indy Racing League IndyCar Series race held at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio....
, and Infineon Raceway
Infineon Raceway
Infineon Raceway, formerly Sears Point Raceway, is a road course and drag strip located on the landform known as Sears Point in the southern Sonoma Mountains near Sonoma, California, USA. The course is a complex series of twists and turns that go up and down the hills...
and Dan Wheldon
Dan Wheldon
Daniel Clive "Dan" Wheldon was a British racing driver from England. He was the 2005 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series champion, and winner of the Indianapolis 500 in both 2005 and 2011...
took 2 additional wins at Homestead and Kansas. The 2008 IndyCar season
2008 IndyCar Series season
The 2008 IndyCar Series season was the 13th season of the IndyCar Series. Its premier event was the 92nd Indianapolis 500 on May 25. The first race was held March 29 at Homestead. It was the 97th recognized season of top-level American open wheel racing....
was even stronger for the Chip Ganassi Racing team with eventual champion Scott Dixon
Scott Dixon
Scott Ronald Dixon, MNZM is a New Zealand motor racer who became the most successful all-time driver in the Indy Racing League championship in the United States when he won the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio in August 2009. This took his total to 21 wins...
taking wins at Homestead
2008 GAINSCO Auto Insurance Indy 300
The 2008 GAINSCO Auto Insurance Indy 300 was the opening round of the 2008 IndyCar Series season and took place on March 29, 2008 at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. For the first time in series history, the reigning champion was not on the grid to defend his title, as Dario Franchitti had moved to...
, Indianapolis
2008 Indianapolis 500
The 92nd Indianapolis 500-Mile Race was run on Sunday May 25, 2008 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, USA. Scott Dixon of New Zealand won the race from the pole position. It was the thirteenth Indy 500 sanctioned by the Indy Racing League, and served as the showcase event of...
, Texas, Nashville
Firestone Indy 200
The Firestone Indy 200 was an Indy Racing League IndyCar Series race held at Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, Tennessee.In 2001, it marked the first American open wheel event in the Nashville area. In later years it was held as a Saturday night race. The 2007 event was postponed until Sunday...
, Edmonton, and Kentucky
Meijer Indy 300
The Kentucky Indy 300 was an IndyCar Series race held at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, Kentucky.The IRL IndyCar Series debuted the race in 2000...
, and teammate Dan Wheldon
Dan Wheldon
Daniel Clive "Dan" Wheldon was a British racing driver from England. He was the 2005 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series champion, and winner of the Indianapolis 500 in both 2005 and 2011...
finishing 4th overall after winning again at Kansas
2008 RoadRunner Turbo Indy 300
The 2008 RoadRunner Turbo Indy 300 was the fourth round of the 2008 IndyCar Series season and took place on April 27, 2009 at the Kansas Speedway. At the start, Scott Dixon took the lead from the pole position. Meanwhile, Enrique Bernoldi spun and headed to the pits. On lap 23, Will Power crashed...
and Iowa
Iowa Corn Indy 250
The Iowa Corn Indy 250 Presented by Pioneer is an IndyCar Series race held at the Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa. The first event was held in 2007.-IndyCar history in Iowa:...
. Shortly before the conclusion of the season it was announced that Wheldon would not return as Dixon's teammate in 2009
2009 IndyCar Series season
The 2009 IndyCar Series season was the 14th season of the IndyCar Series. The 17-race season began on April 5, and its premier event, the 93rd Indianapolis 500 was held May 24. All races were broadcast on ABC or Versus in high-definition...
, a role taken by 2007 IndyCar Champion and Indy 500 winner
2007 Indianapolis 500
The 91st Indianapolis 500 ran on Sunday, May 27, 2007 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was the 12th Indy 500 sanctioned by the Indy Racing League, and marked the fifth race of the 2007 IndyCar Series season just after the 2007 Kansas Lottery Indy 300 and just before the 2007 ABC Supply...
Dario Franchitti
Dario Franchitti
George Dario Marino Franchitti is a Scottish racing driver. He formerly competed in the CART series before switching to the IndyCar Series where he was 2007 champion, and won the rain-shortened 2007 Indianapolis 500. Franchitti is also a former NASCAR driver for Chip Ganassi Racing, competing...
of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Franchitti teamed with Dixon for the non-championship race at Surfer's Paradise at the end of 2008.
The Target
Target Corporation
Target Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's...
Chip Ganassi car driven by Dario Franchitti
Dario Franchitti
George Dario Marino Franchitti is a Scottish racing driver. He formerly competed in the CART series before switching to the IndyCar Series where he was 2007 champion, and won the rain-shortened 2007 Indianapolis 500. Franchitti is also a former NASCAR driver for Chip Ganassi Racing, competing...
won the 94th running
2010 Indianapolis 500
The 94th Indianapolis 500 was held on Sunday, May 30, 2010, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was the 15th Indy 500 sanctioned by the Indy Racing League, and was the premier event of the 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series season. The race was won by Dario Franchitti, ahead of Dan Wheldon and Marco...
of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday May 30, 2010.
Ganassi will add an additional 2-car team for Graham Rahal
Graham Rahal
Graham Rahal is an American race car driver. He currently participates in the IZOD IndyCar Series. He is the son of 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal.-Early racing:...
and Charlie Kimball
Charlie Kimball
Charlie Kimball is an Anglo-American racecar driver currently competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series with Chip Ganassi Racing.-2002–2005:...
in 2011.
Ganassi has announced that in 2012, all 4 cars will be powered by Honda engines after the series decided to have multiple engine manufacturers (Honda, Chevrolet and Lotus) for the first time since 2005.
Drivers
Chronologically Juan Pablo MontoyaJuan Pablo Montoya
Juan Pablo Montoya Roldán is a Colombian race car driver known internationally for participating and winning in Formula One and CART race competitions. He has enjoyed great success. Currently, he competes in NASCAR, driving the #42 Target Chevrolet Impala for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing in the Sprint...
(2000; Indianapolis only) Jimmy Vasser
Jimmy Vasser
Jimmy Vasser is a retired American racing driver and current co-owner of KV Racing Technology. Vasser won the 1996 IndyCar season championship with Chip Ganassi Racing, and scored ten victories in the series...
(2000–2001; Indianapolis only) Bruno Junqueira
Bruno Junqueira
Bruno Junqueira is a Brazilian race car driver that most recently competed in the IRL IndyCar Series. He is a former Formula 3000 champion and three-time runner-up in the Champ Car World Series.-Early career:...
(2001–2002; Indianapolis only; CART regular) Nicolas Minassian
Nicolas Minassian
Nicolas Minassian is a French race driver of Armenian descent.After spending finishing 2nd place in the 1993 Formula Renault Eurocup, he graduated to the French Formula Three Championship where he finished runner-up to countryman Laurent Redon at his second attempt in 1995...
(2001; Indianapolis only; CART regular) Tony Stewart
Tony Stewart
Anthony Wayne "Tony" Stewart is an American auto racing driver and owner. Throughout his racing career, Stewart has won titles in Indy cars and stock cars as well as midget, sprint and USAC Silver Crown cars, giving him the recognition of "one of the finest racers of his generation."Stewart...
(2001; Indianapolis only) Jeff Ward
Jeff Ward (motocross)
Jeff Ward is the first motocross rider in history to win every major AMA motocross national championship...
(2002) Kenny Bräck
Kenny Bräck
Kenny Bräck is a race car driver from Sweden. Until his retirement from racing, he competed in the CART, Indy Racing League and the IROC series. He is the winner of the 1999 Indianapolis 500 and the 1998 driving champion of the Indy Racing League. He survived one of the racing sport's biggest...
(2002; Indianapolis only; CART regular) Scott Dixon
Scott Dixon
Scott Ronald Dixon, MNZM is a New Zealand motor racer who became the most successful all-time driver in the Indy Racing League championship in the United States when he won the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio in August 2009. This took his total to 21 wins...
(2003–current driver) Tomas Scheckter
Tomas Scheckter
Tomas Scheckter is a South African racing driver, born in Monte Carlo. He is the son of 1979 Formula One World Champion Jody Scheckter.-Early years:...
(2003) Darren Manning
Darren Manning
Darren Manning is a motor racing driver, most recently racing in the IRL IndyCar Series for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing.-Early career:...
(2004–2005) Ryan Briscoe
Ryan Briscoe
Ryan Briscoe is an Australian auto racing driver who has raced open wheel and sports cars in Europe and America.In addition to his native English, Briscoe speaks Italian and French...
(2005) Jaques Lazier
Jaques Lazier
Jaques Lazier is an American racing driver born January 25, 1971 in Denver, Colorado and is the younger brother of 1996 Indianapolis 500 champion Buddy Lazier and son of former Indy racer Bob Lazier....
(2005) Giorgio Pantano
Giorgio Pantano
Giorgio Pantano is an Italian racing driver who drove for the Jordan Formula One team for much of the 2004 season before being replaced by Timo Glock...
(2005) Dan Wheldon
Dan Wheldon
Daniel Clive "Dan" Wheldon was a British racing driver from England. He was the 2005 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series champion, and winner of the Indianapolis 500 in both 2005 and 2011...
(2006–2008) Dario Franchitti
Dario Franchitti
George Dario Marino Franchitti is a Scottish racing driver. He formerly competed in the CART series before switching to the IndyCar Series where he was 2007 champion, and won the rain-shortened 2007 Indianapolis 500. Franchitti is also a former NASCAR driver for Chip Ganassi Racing, competing...
(2008–Current driver) Graham Rahal
Graham Rahal
Graham Rahal is an American race car driver. He currently participates in the IZOD IndyCar Series. He is the son of 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal.-Early racing:...
(2011–Current driver) Charlie Kimball
Charlie Kimball
Charlie Kimball is an Anglo-American racecar driver currently competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series with Chip Ganassi Racing.-2002–2005:...
(2011–Current driver)
Firestone Indy Lights Series
On December 20, 2006, Chip Ganassi Racing announced that it would field an Indy Lights team for the first time in 2007, with drivers Chris FestaChris Festa
Chris Festa, born in Atlanta on September 5, 1985, is an American auto racing driver.Chris raced the #9 Dallara for Chip Ganassi Racing in the Indy Pro Series in 2007. As of the end of the 2007 season he has made 39 IPS starts with a best finish of 2nd and won the pole for the first race of the...
and Pablo Pérez
Pablo Pérez Companc
Pablo Pérez Companc is an Argentine racing driver from Buenos Aires.He began his racing career in Canadian Formula Ford 2000 in 2000. In 2001 and 2002 he drove in the Argentine Formula Renault Championship. From 2004 to 2005 Pérez competed in Formula Three Sudamericana...
. Perez was severely injured in a crash in the opening race of the Indy Lights season and was not replaced. Festa finished 10th in points without winning a race in a season dominated by Alex Lloyd
Alex Lloyd (racing driver)
Alex Stewart Lloyd is a British motor racing driver. He currently takes part in the IndyCar Series...
who was signed by Chip Ganassi Racing at the end of the season. The team partnered with Integra Motorsports in 2007 and 2008 fielding a variety of development drivers, notably New Zealanders Marc Williams and Jonny Reid
Jonny Reid
Jonathan Ross Reid, more commonly known as Jonny Reid, is a New Zealand racing driver. Reid comes from a well-known New Zealand racing family. Both his grandfather and his father were known kiwi racers. His father, Clayton Reid, was a New Zealand champion in karting...
.
Grand Am series
Lexus
is the luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corporation. First introduced in 1989 in the United States, Lexus is now sold globally and has become Japan's largest-selling make of premium cars. The Lexus marque is marketed in over 70 countries and territories worldwide, and has...
-Riley
Riley Technologies
Riley Technologies LLC is an auto racing constructor and team which specializes in the design and manufacture of complete race cars, as well as prototype development for racing and manufacturing applications.-Grand Am:...
car driven by Scott Pruett
Scott Pruett
Scott Donald Pruett is an American race car driver who has competed in NASCAR, Champ Car, IMSA, Trans-Am and Grand-Am. He and his wife Judy have three children, and are children's book authors....
and Luis Diaz. Their second team car won the 2006 24 Hours of Daytona
24 Hours of Daytona
The 24 Hours of Daytona, currently known as the Rolex 24 Daytona for sponsorship reasons, is a 24-hour sports car endurance race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is run on a combined road course, utilizing portions of the NASCAR tri-oval and an infield...
driven by Ganassi IRL drivers Dan Wheldon
Dan Wheldon
Daniel Clive "Dan" Wheldon was a British racing driver from England. He was the 2005 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series champion, and winner of the Indianapolis 500 in both 2005 and 2011...
and Scott Dixon
Scott Dixon
Scott Ronald Dixon, MNZM is a New Zealand motor racer who became the most successful all-time driver in the Indy Racing League championship in the United States when he won the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio in August 2009. This took his total to 21 wins...
along with NASCAR driver Casey Mears
Casey Mears
Casey James Mears is the driver of the #13 GEICO Toyota for Germain Racing in the Sprint Cup Series. He is a former winner of the Coca-Cola 600....
. In 2007, Ganassi won the race again, this time with Pruett, former Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya
Juan Pablo Montoya
Juan Pablo Montoya Roldán is a Colombian race car driver known internationally for participating and winning in Formula One and CART race competitions. He has enjoyed great success. Currently, he competes in NASCAR, driving the #42 Target Chevrolet Impala for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing in the Sprint...
, and Salvador Duran
Salvador Durán
Salvador Durán Sánchez is a Mexican race car driver currently racing in the NACAR Corona Series and formerly Formula Renault 3.5 Series championship with the Interwetten.com team....
, making him the first owner to win it in back to back years since Al Holbert in 1986–87. In 2008 Chip Ganassi Racing won a third Daytona 24 in a row. Also in 2008, Chip Ganassi Racing won their 3rd Grand-Am Championship, with drivers Scott Pruett, and Memo Rojas. Scott Pruett's 8th Road Racing Championship. Also participating was Memo Rojas, the first Mexican to win a major Road Racing title in North America.
For the 2010 Grand Am season the team switched from Lexus
Lexus
is the luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corporation. First introduced in 1989 in the United States, Lexus is now sold globally and has become Japan's largest-selling make of premium cars. The Lexus marque is marketed in over 70 countries and territories worldwide, and has...
-Riley
Riley Technologies
Riley Technologies LLC is an auto racing constructor and team which specializes in the design and manufacture of complete race cars, as well as prototype development for racing and manufacturing applications.-Grand Am:...
to BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
- Riley
Riley Technologies
Riley Technologies LLC is an auto racing constructor and team which specializes in the design and manufacture of complete race cars, as well as prototype development for racing and manufacturing applications.-Grand Am:...
. On 2010 the Memo Rojas and Scott Pruett won 9 out of 12 races and eventrally they won the 4 Grand-am championship for Telmex Ganassi Racing.
2011 Rolex 24 victory
Ganassi's Grand-Am Series team started 2011 in the best possible fashion, earning a one-two finish in the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona endurance race. Ganassi's two cars ran torwards the front of the field for the majority of the race, and driver Scott PruettScott Pruett
Scott Donald Pruett is an American race car driver who has competed in NASCAR, Champ Car, IMSA, Trans-Am and Grand-Am. He and his wife Judy have three children, and are children's book authors....
, having started third, defeated Scott Dixon
Scott Dixon
Scott Ronald Dixon, MNZM is a New Zealand motor racer who became the most successful all-time driver in the Indy Racing League championship in the United States when he won the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio in August 2009. This took his total to 21 wins...
by a margin of victory of over two seconds in a one-lap sprint to the finish after a late caution period.
The victory made Ganassi the first racing team owner to win the four of the most important races in North American auto racing, the Daytona 500
Daytona 500
The Daytona 500 is a -long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is one of four restrictor plate races on the Cup schedule....
, Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
, Brickyard 400, and 24 Hours of Daytona
24 Hours of Daytona
The 24 Hours of Daytona, currently known as the Rolex 24 Daytona for sponsorship reasons, is a 24-hour sports car endurance race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is run on a combined road course, utilizing portions of the NASCAR tri-oval and an infield...
, within the same 12-month span. It was Pruett's fourth win in the event; for co-driver Memo Rojas
Memo Rojas
Guillermo "Memo" Rojas, Jr. is a Mexican professional race car driver. Successful in American sports car racing, Rojas is a two-time series champion in the Rolex Sports Car Series and a two-time winner of the 24 Hours of Daytona...
, his second victory, while co-drivers Joey Hand
Joey Hand
Joey Hand is an American professional race car driver. A former champion of the Star Mazda Series, Hand is best known as a sports car driver, and is co-winner of the 2011 24 Hours of Daytona driving for Chip Ganassi Racing.-Personal life:...
and Graham Rahal
Graham Rahal
Graham Rahal is an American race car driver. He currently participates in the IZOD IndyCar Series. He is the son of 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal.-Early racing:...
won for the first time, the latter thirty years after his father, Bobby Rahal
Bobby Rahal
Robert "Bobby" Woodward Rahal is an American auto racing driver and team owner. As a driver, he won three championships and 24 races in the CART open-wheel series, including the 1986 Indianapolis 500...
, won the event.