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Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 7:20 am
by mlittle
#99 HER ENERGY TEAM TO EMBRACE MORE PINK FOR SAM SCHMIDT PARALYSIS FOUNDATION

INDIANAPOLIS - Sam Schmidt Motorsports, having been dressed in pink gear all month long, has decided to take advantage of the attention to raise funds in a pledge drive for the Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation.

One team member will dye their hair pink per $10,000 pledged to the Foundation. Thus, if the foundation were to raise $100,000, 10 team members will crew the car for the 2009 Indianapolis 500 with pink hair.

"Well, we have pink suits and a pink car," team owner Sam Schmidt said, "so we may as well go all the way and dye our hair pink. We've gotten a lot of attention with our program this month, and we felt we should center some of that positive attention towards a good cause." "Running the pink HER car, I think it'd be great to have crew with pink hair as well," driver Alex Lloyd said. "The donations would go towards a great cause, and the benefits would be huge. Plus, it'll be a lot of fun for everyone involved."

As of now, $20,000 has been pledged to the Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation, but for a different reason. Crew member Kody Kohlman, known around the paddock for his stylish mullet, has been asked to shave his head for the pledged donation.

"I know Kody loves the foundation, and he'll do anything that will benefit the cause," Schmidt said. "We're all excited to see him bald."

As of today, Kohlman still has not agreed to go along with the plan. More pledges will help the cause.

Posted: Tue May 26, 2009 10:30 am
by mlittle
AFTER FALLING A LAP DOWN EARLY, PINK LLOYD FIGHTS BACK AND BRINGS HER CAR HOME 13TH AT INDY 500

INDIANAPOLIS - After several weeks of anticipation, Alex "Pink" Lloyd and the #99 HER Energy CGR/SSM Racing team took part in Sunday's Indianapolis 500, and after battling back from falling a lap down early, Lloyd finished the day in 13th position.

The race was won by Helio Castroneves.

The day started off as a struggle when on Lap 7, Lloyd was forced by series officials to pit to remove the rear rain light which was no longer fully secured to the car. He fell a lap down due to the ill-timed stop.

>From there, he had to spend the first half of the race trying to get back onto the lead lap. Just after halfway, he was able to get back onto the lead lap in 22nd position with pit strategy and timely yellows.

With attrition and patience, Lloyd was able to move into his eventual finishing position of 13th. As closely matched as all the cars were, passing proved to be very difficult, unless the driver ahead had made a mistake. Lloyd soldiered on and maximized every situation presented to him.

The other drama of the day was Lloyd's pregnant wife Samantha, who during the race was experiencing mild contractions. Her contractions were about ten minutes apart, and as word spread, emergency personnel was camped near the HER Energy pit to service Lloyd should the need have arisen.

Doctors had warned her that race day could be the birth day for the Lloyd's second child, but as of this writing, the baby was still in Mrs. Lloyd's womb.

From here, the team returns to its race shop to prepare four Firestone Indy Lights machines for this upcoming weekend's race in Milwaukee.

For the Lloyds, it's a potential trip to the doctor, and maybe, the delivery room.

#99 HER Energy CGR/SSM RACING Honda Dallara Driver Alex Lloyd

Finished 13th in 2009 Indianapolis 500.
Qualified in the 11th spot on Pole Day with an average speed of 222.622 mph.
Indianapolis 500 marked first IndyCar race of 2009, second overall in career.
Firestone Indy Lights Champion (2007).
First driver to win on both the road course and oval at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

On race: "I think we were a little bit disappointed just because we had a car capable of running at the front. We had our rear rain light fall off at the beginning of the race, literally right at the beginning, and we were forced to pit under green flag conditions, which just really hurt us because we fell a lap down right at the beginning. We came back out of that a lap down, but right with the lead group and we were able to hang with the quick guys all day long. When we had to go to the back of the pack when we got our lap back, suddenly you're running two to three miles per hour slower. The ride heights, the downforce, everything is different than what we anticipated running. You just get stuck there. It wasn't just me. It wasn't just me. There were a number of cars with similar issues. So, you know, we kind of fought our way back. Everyone at the team did a great job. We had a car that was capable of running right at the front. The circumstances just didn't work out for us today, which is a shame because we were strong, but we brought it home okay. We salvaged something out of the day considering we went to 33rd or something as soon as the race basically started. So, we should have been a solid top 10, but 13th was the best we could do today.

On baby worries: "I had no idea (Samantha was having contractions). I hadn't even thought about it during the race because there's so much going on. As soon as I saw her I was like, 'Okay, that's good.' But it's still, I mean, when she told me she was having contractions at 1:40pm every ten minutes apart, I'm thinking 'uh oh.' Ya know, traffic is notoriously bad at getting out of this track. So, we might not be too far away. But it's great. I'm glad that I'm done now and I can be there 100% because it's been tough the past week knowing a baby could come at any point because you've got your commitments somewhere else. So, it's nice that I can 100% commit to that now. Like I said, we salvaged a decent day and, you never know, we may have a baby again tonight. So, yeah, it should be a good day."

Team Owner, Sam Schmidt
"I think to bring us in with what went wrong on the car under green was just completely bogus. We clearly had a top six or seven car all day long and the league single-handedly put us in 13th and actually could have put us in the wall a few times because it was nasty back there. It is what it is and Alex did a great job especially in that amount of traffic to keep it under him and progress as we could. We had to just be patient and wait for an opportunity to get our lap back and we never got lucky with that either. But the guys were always consistent; spot on on the pit stops. I thought we called as good a race as we could have because, even when we were second guessing ourselves, we looked at what would have happened, and it wouldn't have helped us. We just battled back as much as we could and we'll have to take it. At least it's one piece."

Samantha Lloyd, Alex's Wife
"There was no way I was leaving. You were not getting me out of there unless they (the contractions) got closer. So, I had to see the end of the race. They're getting stronger. So, I'd say this is probably it because normally, if they're like false contractions, you can move about and they'll go. But these ones have just been constant and getting stronger as I've been going. So, we'll see."

Posted: Tue May 26, 2009 10:45 am
by mlittle
Franchitti Takes IndyCar Point Lead to Milwaukee after Target Team Finishes Sixth and Seventh at Indianapolis

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (May 25, 2009)-Target Chip Ganassi Racing's Dario Franchitti started on the front row in his return to Indianapolis, led 50 laps and finished seventh in Sunday's "500." Defending pole sitter and race winner Scott Dixon started fifth and led a race-high 73 of 200 laps to finished sixth.

Both Target cars proved strong throughout the race, running as high as first and second as the No.9 and 10 teams traded the race lead. The turning point of the race for both teams came on pit lane when, with 66 laps left, the No.10 team had a miscue that cost them track position. The No. 9 team encountered similar problems with 36 laps left, which took the team out of contention for the lead.

With the results, Dixon remains fourth in IndyCar points with 111, while Franchitti jumps from third to first in the IndyCar Series point standings with 122.

The 2009 IndyCar Series season continues May 31 with the ABC Supply/A.J. Foyt 225 at The Milwaukee Mile. The race will be telecast live in High Definition at 3:30 p.m. (EDT) by ABC. The race will air live on the IMS Radio Network, XM channel 145 and Sirius channel 211. The radio broadcast also will be carried on www.indycar.com.

Notes:

- Franchitti finished seventh in his first start in the Indianapolis 500 since winning the race in 2007. He has finished seventh or better in four consecutive "500s."

- Franchitti led 50 laps and has led 84 laps in his last two "500s."

- The top lap leader in the 2009 Indianapolis 500 was defending winner Dixon, who led 73 laps and finished sixth. He also was the top lap leader (115 laps) in the 2008 Indianapolis 500.

Dario Franchitti:

"It takes a total team effort to win at Indianapolis. Everybody has to be flawless, and we had a problem in the pits. The Target guys are fantastic on pit lane, normally. They do a great job. But one mistake, unfortunately, is very, very costly. We'll go back, regroup and try to get ourselves a championship. The Target car was pretty bloody good today. When you get too far back in the pack like we did with that problem with the pit stop, it's tough to get back to the front again." (On racing in the Indy 500 again after missing a year): "When I managed to take the lead and was running away, I had a big smile on my face, I can assure you. That was cool. But, it was a tough deal. It was tough in traffic. When we got back in the pack, it was really difficult. But that's the Speedway. Helio did a fantastic job, and he deserves it. The Penske team deserves it. Believe me, we'll be back next year to try to take it back from them."

Scott Dixon:

"It was a pretty uneventful day until the last 60 laps. We had great stops all day with the Target team. Toward the end there; that last stop, we fumbled. I'm not sure which tire it was. That's the problem now with the competition being so tight. You give up a few seconds here and there, and that's nearly your day. You lose six or seven spots. It's just too tough when everybody at the end is full fuel and trying to go flat out. It's too tough to pass." (On driving in traffic versus running up front): "Well, you need to be working at it. If you're going to lose some spots, you want to make sure it's early on. Toward the end, everybody's worked out what they need, and the cars are really good. It just makes it tougher to pass. At the moment, I just think we're relying too much on the down force of the cars. We need more mechanical grip so you can get closer. At the moment, it just seems spread. Everybody kind of runs up, tags the guy in front, then you can't go behind them close enough in the corners. It's a tough day; pretty unfortunate. We were looking pretty good there for a while."

Posted: Thu May 28, 2009 2:30 pm
by mlittle
TomTom Teams with Target Chip Ganassi Racing and Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates as Sponsor for the 2009 IndyCar and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Season

CONCORD, N.C. (May 27, 2009) - TomTom Inc. today announces that it will become an associate sponsor of Target Chip Ganassi Racing and Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates for both the IndyCar Series and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) during the 2009 racing season. TomTom will be the primary sponsor for multiple races of the No. 10 Honda Dallara driven by Dario Franchitti in the IndyCar Series, and the No. 1 Chevrolet driven by Martin Truex Jr.in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

"We are very excited about the partnership with Target Chip Ganassi Racing and Earnhardt Ganassi Racing," said Tom Murray, vice president of market development at TomTom Inc. "As IndyCar and NASCAR continue to capture the attention of race fans and drivers everywhere, this partnership provides TomTom with an ideal means of reaching our target audience throughout the race season. We are excited by the opportunity to partner with organizations such as Target Chip Ganassi Racing and Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, and by the opportunity to promote the TomTom brand in conjunction with Target."

The No. 10 and No. 1 cars, as well as the driver and crew uniforms, will prominently display the TomTom logo throughout the 2009 race seasons. The TomTom logo and brand colors will also be featured as the primary paint scheme at several races throughout the year. Earnhardt Ganassi Racing driver Aric Almirola first debuted the TomTom paint scheme on the No. 8 Chevrolet at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 1 of this year. The TomTom paint scheme will return to the track on the No. 10 Honda Dallara for the IndyCar Series race at Milwaukee, WI on May 31. TomTom will follow Milwaukee with races at Pocono, PA on June 7 (NSCS), Newton, IA on June 21(IndyCar) and Loudon, NH on June 28 (NSCS).

"Whether they are driving from track to track to see their favorite drivers race throughout the season or just commuting from home to work, portable navigation devices offer real benefits to race fans everywhere," said Chip Ganassi Racing Teams President, Steve Lauletta. "The partnership between TomTom, Target Chip Ganassi Racing and Earnhardt Ganassi Racing will help both TomTom and Target drive awareness of their brands with the huge number of race fans who are watching IndyCar and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racing each week. We look forward to a successful partnership in 2009, and to seeing our drivers navigate themselves into the winner's circle all year."

"I'm very excited to be driving the TomTom car in Milwaukee and Iowa during the 2009 IndyCar Series," said Dario Franchitti.

Franchitti, the 2007 Indianapolis 500 winner and IndyCar Series Champion, is the most decorated IndyCar Series driver in history to hail from Great Britain. He returns to open wheel racing in 2009 after spending last season in NASCAR. Franchitti already has begun adding to his tally of career wins in 2009 by capturing his 19th victory at the prestigious Grand Prix of Long Beach in Round 2 of the IRL schedule.

"This is a great opportunity for me to represent a world-renowned brand such as TomTom," said Martin Truex Jr.

Truex has a total of 129 starts in the NSCS, with one win, 12 top-five finishes, 34 top-10 results, and two pole awards. The Mayetta, NJ native made his mark in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series after claiming his first pole award, seven top-five finishes, 14 top-10s, and his career first victory at Dover International Speedway during the 2007 season. The win catapulted Truex and his team into the Chase for the Sprint Cup where they finished 11th in the 2007 points standings. Truex is a two-time winner of the Nationwide Series Championship in 2004 and 2005.

Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 8:03 am
by mlittle
Milwaukee: Chip Ganassi Racing preview


TCGR at Milwaukee: Team competed in CART races at track from 1990 to 2002, winning at The Mile in 1998 (Jimmy Vasser) and 2000 (Juan Pablo Montoya). TCGR's best IndyCar Series finish for was in 2008; Dixon 2nd and Wheldon 3rd.

Scott Dixon and the No. 9 Target Team

Dixon Joins Wall of Fame: Dixon expected last weekend to take possession of the Halberg Award statue that he won in February as New Zealand's Sportsman of the Year. But the 2008 Indianapolis 500 and IndyCar Series champion was surprised to learn that he'd been inducted into the MotorSport New Zealand Wall of Fame. Dixon joins other famous Kiwi drivers, including Bruce McLaren and Denny Hulme, who have made indelible marks on motorsport at the national or international level. The last person inducted was Dave McMillan in 2006.

"I'm still pretty young at 28 and to be alongside a lot of the greats that have come from there is pretty special," Dixon said. "I'm kind of overwhelmed between getting this honor and winning the Sportsman of the Year award. They are two of the biggest prizes as far as motor racing and sports in New Zealand. I'm truly humbled."

The Motorsport Wall of Fame was established in 1994 and located in Motorsport House as a permanent reminder of the achievements of past and present members who, through their endeavors, have been instrumental in bringing motorsport achievements to the world at large. The Halberg Awards are the country's premier sporting awards, which recognize teams and individuals.

Dario Franchitti and the No. 10 TomTom Team

Dario in the Points Lead Again: Franchitti finds himself atop the IndyCar Series standings again heading into Milwaukee (he held it following Long Beach). He took over the points lead with his seventh-place finish in the "500" and holds a five-point advantage over Helio Castroneves. Two years ago, when Franchitti won the Indianapolis 500, he left Indy third in points - just three points behind current teammate Scott Dixon and two points behind Dan Wheldon. In 2007, Franchitti took over the points lead at Milwaukee and held onto to it for all but one week en route to winning the series championship.

TomTom: TomTom Inc. recently announced that it will become an associate sponsor of Target Chip Ganassi Racing and Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates for both the IndyCar Series and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) during the 2009 racing season. TomTom will be the primary sponsor for multiple races of the No. 10 Honda Dallara driven by Franchitti in the IndyCar Series, and the No. 1 Chevrolet driven by Martin Truex Jr. in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. TomTom is the world's leading navigation solutions provider.

Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2009 11:30 am
by mlittle
Milwaukee: Chip Ganassi Racing race report

Dixon Wins, Takes over IndyCar Point Lead at Milwaukee

WEST ALLIS, Wis. (June 1, 2009)-Target Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon recorded the team's 67th open wheel win Sunday at The Milwaukee Mile, giving the defending IndyCar Series champion the point lead heading into next weekend's race in Texas where he is also the defending racewinner. Teammate Dario Franchitti gave the Target team a double podium finish with his third place result in the No.10 TomTom car.

After finishing second in last year's event to Ryan Briscoe, Dixon turned the tables on his Team Penske rival with a three-wide pass for the lead on lap 201 of the 225-lap event. With the win, Dixon became the first driver to go to victory lane for the second time in 2009.

Franchitti's solid run started from eighth on the grid. The TomTom car moved up five positions to the podium after leading once for 19 laps.

With the results, Dixon takes the IndyCar point lead with 161, while Franchitti slips from first to second in the standings with 157.

The 2009 IndyCar Series season continues June 6 with the Bombardier Learjet 550 at Texas Motor Speedway. The race will be telecast live in High Definition at 9:00 p.m. (EDT) by VERSUS. The race will air live on the IMS Radio Network, XM channel 145 and Sirius channel 211. The radio broadcast also will be carried on www.indycar.com.

Notes:

- Dixon earned his second victory of the season and his 18th career IndyCar Series victory. He also won at Kansas this season.

- Dixon is the first driver to win for the second time in 2009.

- Dixon ranks second all-time with 18 victories. With one more victory, he will time Sam Hornish Jr. for the most in IndyCar Series history.

- Dixon takes over the points lead. He holds a four-point advantage over Briscoe and Franchitti. This is the first time he has been in the points lead since the end of last season.

- This is the 26th IndyCar Series victory for Target Chip Ganassi Racing, third all-time.

- Franchitti finished third, his third top-five finish of the season.

Scott Dixon: "I was trying to get the flow of traffic the whole day. I definitely think from the start our car was better. We could run quick times when we needed to, and we were good in traffic. We had many runs on (Ryan) Briscoe, and he kind of blocked a lot and that was kind of frustrating early on, but he definitely got caught up there with (Tomas) Scheckter trying to take him on the bottom, and I got a great run on the high side and it just lined up perfect."

Dario Franchitti: "The hard thing was lapped cars. It was traffic, it was timing your passes right. My guys did a great job and got me out in the lead on the green flag (pit) stop. Then I just mistimed a pass, someone took my air off and that was it - back to third again. I really tried hard to pass (Ryan) Briscoe at the end, but again, when he was taking my air there was nothing I can do. It was a tough day. The Milwaukee Mile produces close racing and you're really fighting that lapped traffic all day."

Posted: Thu Jun 04, 2009 9:55 am
by mlittle
TCGR to Date: The team has won three of the first five races on the 2009 season (Franchitti-Long Beach, Dixon-Kansas/Milwaukee) heading into Texas where the No.9 Target team is also the defending racewinner.

TCGR at Texas: TCGR has two wins at track (2002-Jeff Ward; 2008-Scott Dixon). Tomas Scheckter won TCGR's first pole at Texas in 2003; Dixon won team's second pole in 2008. TCGR has led 509 laps at Texas since 2002.

Scott Dixon and the No. 9 Target Team
www.chipganassiracing.com/drivers/

Dixon Hopes to Surpass Hornish Jr.: Dixon earned his second victory of the season and his 18th career IndyCar Series victory Sunday in Milwaukee. His previous win was at Kansas earlier this season. Dixon is the first driver to win for the second time in 2009 and now ranks second all-time in the IRL with 18 victories. With one more victory, he will tie Sam Hornish Jr. for the most wins in IndyCar Series history.

Dixon takes over the points lead: Dixon currently holds a four-point lead over Ryan Briscoe and teammate Dario Franchitti. This is the first time that he has been in the points lead since the end of last season.

2008 Texas Rewind: Dixon started from pole, led 58 of 228 laps and claimed his third win of the season in the 2008 event. The race ended under caution after Marco Andretti and Ryan Hunter-Reay made contact while battling behind Dixon for second place with five laps remaining.

Dario Franchitti and the No. 10 Energizer Team
www.chipganassiracing.com/drivers/

Energizer Keeps Going and Going to Victory Lane: Dario hopes the Energizer paint scheme will bring him the same luck it has for Dixon over the years at TCGR. Dixon has won three total races for Energizer-- which were all part of three-win stretches at a track. In 2006, Dixon won at Watkins Glen in the Energizer car where he was the winner there from 2005-2006-2007. In 2007 and 2008 Dixon won at Nashville Superspeedway where he was the winner there from 2006-2007-2008.

History at Texas: Franchitti will be driving the No. 10 Energizer car this weekend for the Bombardier Learjet 550. He has raced a total of five times at the 1.5- mile oval with his best start being from the pole position (2004). Franchitti's highest finish at the track is second-place (2004) and has tallied two top-five and three top-10 finishes.

Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 3:49 am
by mlittle
Texas: Chip Ganassi Racing race report


Dixon Third, Franchitti Fifth at Texas Motor Speedway

FORT WORTH, Texas. (June 8, 2009)-Target Chip Ganassi Racing's Dario Franchitti won the pole for the Bombardier Learjet 550k in the No.10 Energizer car and ran in the top five all night long, but the team cut it close on fuel mileage and coasted to the line in fifth place. Teammate Scott Dixon qualified third in the No.9 Target machine and finished in the same position after the 228-lap event.

While Dixon and the No.9 team held serve in the top three for most of the night, Franchitti and the Energizer team led the first 10 laps from pole position en route to their eventual top five finish.

With the results, Dixon moves from first to second in IndyCar points with 199 (-3 from leader Briscoe), while Franchitti slips from second to third in the standings with 189 (-10).

The 2009 IndyCar Series season continues June 21 with the Iowa Corn Indy 250 at Iowa Speedway. The race will be telecast live in High Definition at 1:00 p.m. (EDT) by ABC. The race will air live on the IMS Radio Network, XM channel 145 and Sirius channel 211. The radio broadcast also will be carried on www.indycar.com.

Notes:

- - Scott Dixon scored his third podium finish in the last four races.

TCGR Quoteboard:

Scott Dixon: "There was lots of green running, which is different for Texas. The Penske cars were definitely hooked up. The Target cars weren't too bad. We just need to work on it a bit."

Dario Franchitti: "It was slow. It was just slow all night. The biggest problem I had was the fuel mileage. If we would have known that that from the start, I would have done a lot better and saved fuel. I gave away a place tonight, and I hope it doesn't cost us at the end of the year."

Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 9:21 am
by mlittle
Iowa: Chip Ganassi Racing preview


Off-Week Testing Recap from Managing Director Mike Hull: "Our guys tested simultaneously in two locations. Dario's was a team test at Iowa for one day and Scott tested tires for Firestone at Chicago along with Tony Kanaan. The tests were very different as Dario's group worked on a test list of speed and performance items specific to TCGR for the Iowa event. Scott's guys worked with Firestone on compounds and constructions for the current race specifications for all of the IRL competitors at the one and one half mile oval events this season. The biggest difference between the two tests is that with a Firestone test, the team establishes a baseline for the car as quickly as possible, and doesn't test chassis items during the day as it is devoted to tire improvement comparison. The driver tries to run the same line on the track consistently through short and long runs for Firestone to determine performance variance with durability through a long-run. Conversely, a team test devotes itself to qualifying and race set-up specifically for our Target drivers. Both are important, but very different from the outset. Dario was testing for the 9 & 10 cars, and Scott was testing for the entire Indy Car grid."

Scott Dixon and the No. 9 Target Team

Iowa Rewind: Last season at Iowa, Dixon finished fourth in the No.9 Commit Honda Dallara to extend his lead in the IndyCar Series championship race from 35 to 48 over Helio Castroneves. In 2007 he started on pole and led 10 laps before finishing 10th.

Points: 2nd in points with 196, -3 to leader Ryan Briscoe.

Dario Franchitti and the No. 10 TomTom Team

Previous Winner at Iowa: Franchitti's only previous race at Iowa was in 2007 where he started from the third position. He went on to lead 96 out of 250 laps en route to the win. Dario was in NASCAR in 2008 and did not compete in the race last season.

Points: 3rd in points with 188, -11 to leader Ryan Briscoe.

TomTom Paint Scheme: Franchitti will pilot the No.10 TomTom sponsored car for the second and final time this season. He finished third in his first race in Milwaukee. The TomTom car moved up five positions to the podium after leading once for 19 laps.

Defending Winner: Last season at Iowa in the No.10 Target car, Dan Wheldon celebrated his birthday in victory lane by winning his second race of the season in the Iowa Corn Indy 250.

Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 12:08 pm
by mlittle
Franchitti Puts TomTom Car in Victory Lane, Goes Two-for-Two at Iowa Speedway

NEWTON, Iowa (June 22, 2009)-Target Chip Ganassi Racing's Dario Franchitti scored his second win in as many races at Iowa Speedway Sunday in the Iowa Corn Indy 250, beating Ryan Briscoe to the line by 5.0132 seconds. Franchitti's crew helped him get to the front, turning the trick on a quick pit stop on Lap 196 of 250 as the leaders cycled through green flag stops. Teammate Scott Dixon had contact Helio Castroneves early in the race, forcing both cars to pit for repairs. Dixon finished fifth.

With the results, Franchitti moves from third to second in IndyCar points with 238 (-3 from leader Briscoe), while Dixon slips from second to third in the standings with 226 (-15).

The 2009 IndyCar Series season continues June 27 with the SunTrust Indy Challenge at Richmond International Raceway. The race will be telecast live in High Definition at 8:00 p.m. (EDT) by VERSUS. The race will air live on the IMS Radio Network, XM channel 145 and Sirius channel 211. The radio broadcast also will be carried on www.indycar.com.

Notes:

* - Dario Franchitti earns his 10th career IndyCar Series victory and his second victory of the season. He also won at Long Beach.

* - Overall, it was Franchitti's 20th career open wheel win (CART, IndyCar)

* - Franchitti has won both of his starts at Iowa Speedway. He also won the race in 2007.

* - This is the 28th IndyCar Series victory for Target Chip Ganassi Racing. This is the team's fourth win of the season.

* - Overall, it was Target Chip Ganassi Racing's 68th career open wheel win (CART, IndyCar)

* - Scott Dixon finished fifth, his fourth top-five finish of the season.

Dario Franchitti: "I like driving here. We tested at Iowa last Wednesday. The TomTom guys did a really, really good job coming up with a setup, and they were awesome in the pits. I just went out, did my job and hung on, made some good moves in traffic and here we are. More than anywhere, today is a team win because those pit stops moved us up in track position."

Scott Dixon: "We tried to go with two different strategies, and it looks like Dario just had a stellar day. Once we touched (with Helio Castroneves' car), we cycled back. And once we got back in traffic, it was really tough. We should have done much better, but at least one of the cars did well this weekend."

Posted: Sat Jun 27, 2009 1:47 am
by mlittle
Thoughts on Richmond with TCGR Managing Director Mike Hull: "Richmond represents IndyCar short track, Saturday night racing for a very large and loyal fan base. Just like Texas earlier this year, racing under the lights is beyond description. Although Versus does a good job to capture it, if you ever have the opportunity, first person makes it worth the trip. It's very gratifying to get the set up right for a place like Richmond, and TCGR has been on both sides which simply means that when you're good as a team, it doesn't get any better. When you're off, it's a long night, so we'd prefer for Dario and Scott to be well engaged right from the start. It's tough due to the fact that we practice during the day, and race as the lights are engaged. A tip to how quickly the track will change is the twilight qualifying session, as you can easily see through the sixty-five minutes how much the track changes from the first driver to the last one. Depending upon the draw, speed is enhanced to the end and that's why Richmond's grid is more mixed than most. The race downforce level that's chosen is critical. The grip level changes over two hours more at Richmond from start to finish than any other short track or night race that we do, so our guys spend an enormous amount of time together as a team to compare the 9 and 10 cars, and then use the information to pick the starting set-up for the race. It's fun, and exciting with great satisfaction to be there at the end."

CGR Double: Last weekend the team won two races in the same weekend: Dario Franchitti at Iowa Speedway and Scott Pruett/Memo Rojas at Mid-Ohio in the Grand-Am race. In total, Chip Ganassi Racing Teams, Inc. has 109 race wins over open wheel, stock car and sports car racing (1990-Present).

Scott Dixon and the No. 9 Target Team

RIR Rewind: Last year at RIR, Dixon and Dan Wheldon started fourth and sixth and survived 102 caution laps to finish third and fourth, respectively in the 300-lap SunTrust Indy Challenge at Richmond. Dixon's podium finish for the No.9 team was the seventh consecutive top-five finish and eighth top-five finish of the season. Wheldon had a strong run but an electrical gremlin shut down the No.10 Target car on the final lap as he coasted to the finish line.

Former RIR Winner: Dixon won the 2003 event at RIR from pole en route to his first IRL champiosnhip. The race was shortened to 206 laps due to rain, with Dixon leading all 206 laps of the event.

Points: 3rd in points with 226, -15 to leader Ryan Briscoe.

Dario Franchitti and the No. 10 Target Team

Former RIR Winner: Franchitti led 242 of the 250 laps to win the 2007 RIR race. He won that race from pole driving for Andretti Green Racing, and finished with the two Target cars in tow (second-Dixon and third -Wheldon). Franchitti was also the points leader following the 2007 race (+65) over Dixon.

Points: 2nd in points with 238, -3 to leader Ryan Briscoe.

Honda's Best: Last weekend's win at Iowa was the 20th for Franchitti in North American open-wheel racing, 10 each in IndyCar and CART competition, and all with Honda power. Dario continues to be Honda's most successful driver in Indy-style racing, with former TCGR driver Alex Zanardi next on the Honda all-time list with 15 victories.

Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 1:11 am
by mlittle
Dixon Wins, Franchitti Takes Over Point Lead in Target Sweep at Richmond

RICHMOND, Va. (June 28, 2009)-Team Target driver Scott Dixon started second, led 161 laps and won Saturday night's SunTrust Indy Challenge at Richmond International Raceway, tying him with Sam Hornish Jr. for the most wins in IndyCar Series history with 19. The win marked the 69th overall for Target Chip Ganassi Racing (TCGR) and the fifth in eight IndyCar races this season.

Dixon's TCGR teammate Dario Franchitti scored his second pole of the season (20th overall), but lost the lead on a Lap 139 pit stop under yellow when the team had to come in for fuel. Franchitti led 65 laps and scored his sixth top five finish of the season with a second-place result.

It was a big night for Team Target in the point standings as Franchitti moved from second to first in IndyCar points with 279, while Dixon jumped from third to second in the standings with 278 (-1) at the halfway point of the season.

The 2009 IndyCar Series season continues July 5 with the Camping World Grand Prix at The Glen at Watkins Glen International. The race will be telecast live in High Definition at 1:00 p.m. (EDT) by ABC. The race will air live on the IMS Radio Network, XM channel 145 and Sirius channel 211. The radio broadcast also will be carried on www.indycar.com.

Notes:

* Dixon drove to an IndyCar Series-best third win of the season, and his second at Richmond

* It was Dixon's 19th career IndyCar win, (20th overall in open wheel racing)

* In total, Chip Ganassi Racing Teams now has 110 race wins over open wheel, stock car and sports car racing (1990-Present)

Scott Dixon: "Richmond has been a place I've wanted to win at again for quite some time. You know, we won here in 2003. To come through and get the points when we need them and have such a great day points-wise over the Penske cars was very, very big. I definitely hand it to Team Target. The guys definitely had it covered with a 1-2 and almost putting the majority of the field almost a lap down."

Dario Franchitti: "It's a great 1-2 for the Target team. It came down to a yellow. We were very close on fuel and had to come in when the pits are closed. We couldn't pass. We were a second slower when we were in traffic. I have to apologize to the fans because that was an awful, awful race. There's nothing the drivers can do about it. We're trying as hard as we can. It was a terrible race, but the bright spot is a 1-2 for Team Target."

Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2009 9:35 am
by mlittle
Thoughts on Watkins Glen with TCGR Managing Director Mike Hull: "Watkins Glen is a very special race track due to its lineage of winners. The drivers who have competed there have won major open wheel championships and races world-wide, so it's great to be recognized with the significance of Watkins Glen with Scott Dixon as a three-time winner. The Glen is recognized as a driver's race track, as it takes a technically savvy driver who is supported by a solid team of people to win, so that is why it's considered so important to win the event. With Scott and Dario, we have a matched set of very technical drivers who appreciate and respect the history of motorsports. They thrive on being prepared to "get-up" for race tracks like Watkins Glen."

7 Wins and 5 of 8: Dixon's win last weekend at Richmond was the 110th for Chip Ganassi Racing Teams, Inc. covering open wheel, stock car and sports car racing (1990-Present). It was the seventh of the season for CGR (five open wheel and two sports car), and the fifth in eight races in the IndyCar Series. 2008 was the team's most successful season ever with 14 wins.

Check Check 1-2 1-2: Last weekend at Richmond Franchitti started first and Dixon second, with Dixon finishing first and Dario coming home second. Dario is now first in points, with Dixon second.

Scott Dixon and the No. 9 Target Team

WGI Rewind: Last year at Watkins Glen, Dixon was in second position and eyeing Darren Manning for the lead with 10 laps to go, but spun warming up his tires and collected Ryan Briscoe, ending hopes of extending his streak of three straight wins. Dixon rebounded to finish 11th.

Former WGI Winner, Winner, Winner: Dixon has won three of the four IndyCar Series races at Watkins Glen International. Beyond being one of only two drivers in Watkins Glen history to win three straight open-wheel races at the racetrack (Graham Hill, F1), this is also the place where Dixon ended the longest dry spell of his career. His win at the Glen in the fall of 2005 snapped a 40-race winless streak.

On the Record: Last weekend's victory - Dixon's third of the season and second at Richmond - was the 19th of his IndyCar Series career and tied Sam Hornish Jr. for the most in series history. He tied the record in his 104th race - one less than Hornish, who totaled 116 starts from 2000-2006.

Contractions: Last Saturday's victory in Richmond was a nice little farewell gift to Dixon's wife, Emma, who won't be back at the track until later this season. The Dixons are expecting their first child, and Emma will be spending the next three weeks in Indianapolis preparing to give birth. Following Saturday's race-clinching pit stop, Emma said she felt a contraction.

Points: 2nd in points with 278, -1 to leader Franchitti.

Dario Franchitti and the No. 10 Polaroid Team

Polaroid Paint Scheme: WGI marks the second time the Polaroid car will run as a primary paint for TCGR. It debuted in Texas (2008) with Dan Wheldon, but did not race after a qualifying accident (backup car was Target). However Wheldon did run the Polaroid car in Kentucky later that year, starting third and finishing fifth.

Great Scot, or Scott...: Franchitti joked last week that he was looking forward to "finding out Dixon's secrets at Watkins Glen."

Dario at The Glen: Last year at Watkins Glen, Franchitti was driving the No. 40 for Chip Ganassi in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. This was one of Franchitti's best races of the 2007 season while he tried his hand in the NASCAR circuit. He started the race from the pole position and went on to finish fifth, while leading 18 out of the 82 laps. Franchitti has raced three times at the 2.45-mile road course in the IndyCar Series. He has logged two top-five and two top-10 finishes. Franchitti has an average start of fifth and an average finish of sixth place at the track, totalling 558 miles at The Glen.

Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2009 8:09 am
by mlittle
Dixon's Podium Leads Team Target at The Glen as Ganassi Drivers Swap Points Lead

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (July 5, 2009)-Team Target driver and three-time Watkins Glen International winner Scott Dixon started and finished third in the 60-lap event in upstate New York, while teammate Dario Franchitti came home 15th after starting fifth in the No.10 Polaroid car. With the results, the Target Chip Ganassi Racing duo swapped the IndyCar Series points lead with Dixon now ahead of Franchitti as the series heads north to the streets of Toronto.

Both drivers started the day on Firestone's higher-gripping "alternate" tires and had used them up by their first round of pit stops by lap 21. The turning point for Franchitti and the No.10 team came on lap 23 as he went off course trying to avoid an incident that had developed ahead of him. Dixon would go on to record his fourth podium in five career races at The Glen, while Franchitti went a lap down and finished the race in 15th.

As a result, Team Target remains one-two in the point standings as Franchitti drops from first to second in IndyCar points with 294, while Dixon moves from second to first in the standings with 313.

The 2009 IndyCar Series season continues July 12th with the Honda Toronto Grand Prix. The race will be telecast live in High Definition at 1:00 p.m. (EDT) by ABC. The race will air live on the IMS Radio Network, XM channel 145 and Sirius channel 211. The radio broadcast also will be carried on www.indycar.com.

Notes:

* - This is the fifth top-three finish of the season for Dixon. He has three victories (Kansas, Milwaukee and Richmond).

* - This was the best street/road course finish of the season for Dixon. His previous best was 15th at Long Beach.

* - Franchitti had just his second finish outside the top 10 this season. He finished 18th at Kansas, an oval.

Scott Dixon
: "It was definitely pretty tough. We lost a spot at the start when I didn't shift down enough gears and (Mario) Moraes got by us. It was a tough first stint. We had about 8-10 laps on them (tires) from qualifying and they wore out pretty quick. We got caught out on strategy and we didn't have enough. Congratulations to Justin (Wilson). He drove a fantastic race and was unstoppable today. Ryan (Briscoe) and I had a great race at the end and thanks to the Target boys we had a good day."

Dario Franchitti: "Not a great day for the Polaroid car today unfortunately. We stretched it real far on the first stint. After our first stop I was on cold tires and tried to brake early to avoid an accident in front of me in the bus stop. The rear end just stepped out on me unexpectedly and we ended up in the gravel trap."

Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2009 8:09 am
by mlittle
Toronto: Chip Ganassi Racing preview


Thoughts on Toronto with TCGR Managing Director Mike Hull: "The first thing that comes to mind about racing in downtown Toronto is the passion of the Canadian race fans. They absolutely support and have a great appreciation for open-wheel racing.

It's exciting to return with the Target cars with two guys like Scott and Dario. What makes the IndyCar Championship so special is the fact that its champion needs to be at the front with the diversity of the schedule. Toronto clearly represents a very established and world-recognized street course. Street racing is about finding balance over humps, bumps, and curbs in combination with drive style. It's fun to be challenged."

TCGR at Toronto: Win number 2 of 110 for Chip Ganassi Racing Teams, Inc. came on July 17, 1994 in Toronto with Michael Andretti behind the wheel of a No.8 Target Reynard/Ford. Andretti said, "We struggled a little bit in practice, but Morris Nunn - who was engineering the car - did a shock absorber change in the warm-up and it was like a different car. I thought hmmm, we may have a chance to do something here. Then we went out and passed the guys ahead of us on the grid and won the race. That was cool because Toronto was always very special for me - it was one of my seven wins there."

TCGR also won the 1998 Toronto race with Alex Zanardi behind the wheel of a No.1 Target Reynard/Honda.

Swapping the points lead: Last weekend at The Glen, Dixon (finished 3rd) took over first place in the IndyCar Series point's race, with Franchitti (finished 15th) dropping to second.

Scott Dixon and the No. 9 Target Team

Baby on Board: Dixon and wife Emma welcomed a daughter into the world Sunday night at 1:30am. She is 6 lbs 8 oz and 18 inches long. Emma and baby are doing great but the couple was undecided on a name for the first day or two until they settled on "Poppy".

Rally for Scott: Dixon will be officially welcomed to Toronto Saturday night by Kiwis with a "Rally for Scott Dixon" at Hemingway's Restaurant by the President of Kea Toronto (New Zealand's Global Talent Community). The event is an opportunity for the Kiwi community to show their support for Scott, taking place from 6pm until 8pm.

Previously at Toronto: As a CART rookie in 2001, Dixon started 10th and finished fifth for Bruce McCaw in a Reynard/Toyota. In 2002 for TCGR, Dixon piloted a third Target car (No.44) alongside Kenny Brack and Bruno Junqueira, starting ninth and finishing fifth.

Points: 1st in points with 313, +19 over Franchitti.

Dario Franchitti and the No. 10 Target Team

Target Paint Scheme: Toronto marks the return of two Target paint schemes for the No.9 and 10 cars.

Former Winner at Toronto: Franchitti qualified on the outside of row one, led all 95 laps and won the 1999 CART event at Toronto over then teammate Paul Tracy. He left that race -7 to championship points leader and current Target NASCAR teammate Juan Pablo Montoya (NASCAR).

Points: 2nd in points with 294, -19 to Dixon.