Iowa Speedway - Race Preview
Target Chip Ganassi Racing Iowa Speedway Advance Notes
RACE SETUP
Race: The Iowa Corn Indy 300, July 12
Drivers: @scottdixon9 @tonykanaan
Cars: No. 9 Target and No. 10 TNT Chevrolets
Track: Iowa Speedway (0.875-mile tri-oval)
TV: NBC Sports Network 8:00 PM ET
Social: @CGRTeams #TeamTarget
BET YOU DIDN’T KNOW THAT
Shooting For Three: Target Chip Ganassi Racing (TCGR) has two prior wins (Dan Wheldon-2008, Dario Franchitti-2009) and two prior poles (Scott Dixon-2007, Dario Franchitti-2012) in their history at Iowa Speedway.
Launch Sequence Engaged: Chip Ganassi Racing Teams (CGRT) has topped the speed charts in five out of the first 11 races of the 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series. Ryan Briscoe set the fastest lap of the Pocono IndyCar 500 last weekend, while Tony Kanaan set the fastest lap of the Firestone 600 on June 7 and Dixon topped the speed charts in three races earlier this season (Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama, Grand Prix of Indianapolis, Chevy Indy Dual in Detroit Race 2).
Championship Pedigree: Chip Ganassi will be honored next month by the International Motor Racing Research Center (IMRRC) for outstanding contributions to motorsports by receiving the inaugural Cameron R. Argetsinger Award. The award is named after the “Father of American Road Racing”, a visionary who, in 1948, conceived, organized and drove in the first post-war road race in America through the roads of Watkins Glen. "Chip Ganassi is a titan in the racing community. His leadership and business acumen have grown Chip Ganassi Racing from a one-car team to a powerhouse in the industry," said International Speedway Cooperation President John Saunders. "Owning multiple teams across different racing series is no small task, yet he continues to find success at the upper echelons of professional motorsports.” NASCAR President Mike Helton added, "Chip is an outstanding competitor, savvy team owner and is passionate about his work. The France Family and all of NASCAR congratulate Chip on being the first recipient of the Cameron R. Argetsinger Award for outstanding contributions to motorsports."
Finding New Roads: All four CGRT Indy cars are utilizing the Chevrolet 2.2-liter twin turbocharged V6 engine for 2014 season. The engine produces well over 600 horsepower and close to 300 lb. ft. of torque.
Dixon Nominated for ESPY: Reigning Verizon IndyCar Series Champion Dixon was recently nominated in the "Best Driver" category for this year’s annual ESPY Awards. Dixon earned his third series title in 2013 with a late-season run that saw him rally from a nearly 80-point deficit. Dixon described the nomination by saying "The fields are so tight in the Verizon IndyCar Series right now, with the best drivers competing every weekend. 2013 marked a great final run by our team to come back and win the championship, and I’m honored to represent Target Chip Ganassi Racing as a nominee for the ESPY Award for Best Driver.”
Reliable Racing: Up to this point in the 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series season, TCGR has completed 2471 out of a possible 2598 laps, or 95 percent.
100+ Wins and Counting…: The Target Racing Program, which began with Target and Chip Ganassi Racing in 1990, will be contending for their 105th win as the season progresses. The first win for the program came in 1994 with Michael’s Andretti’s Indy car victory at Surfers Paradise, Australia, when the team was a two-car, Indy car program. 103 wins later, the program’s umbrella not only includes involvement in the Verizon IndyCar Series, but in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship. The partnership between Target and Chip Ganassi Racing is one of the longest consecutive team partnerships in motor racing history.
Legendary Advice: After retiring from his racing career at the end of 2013, former TCGR driver Dario Franchitti returned to Team Target in 2014 as a driving advisor for CGRT. Franchitti has also received many honors in 2014. The four-time Verizon IndyCar Series Champion and three-time Indianapolis 500 Winner from Scotland was among sports figures to be honored in Queen Elizabeth II’s birthday list in early June, being made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to motor racing. Earlier this year, Franchitti also received the honor of being named the pace car driver for the 98th running of the Indianapolis 500, where he led the field around during the opening laps in a 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28. In his new role with Team Target, Franchitti has been assisting the team as it adapts to recent lineup changes and additions and will continue to provide support throughout the remainder of the year.
#TEAMGANASSI
Follow Team Target on Twitter: Continue to followTarget Chip Ganassi Racing through Chip Ganassi Racing’s official team Twitter page. Find in-race updates and weekly news on the No.9 and No.10 Target teams throughout the 2014 season by following “@CGRTeams”.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW FOR IOWA SPEEDWAY
Scott Dixon and No. 9 Target Team
Track of Dreams: Dixon has completed seven races at Iowa Speedway, in which he has compiled six top-10 (2007-2012) and four top-five (2008, 2009, 2011, 2012) finishes.
Team Target Tie: With Dixon’s recent top-five finish at Pocono Raceway on July 6, 2014 he moved up the All-Time Indy car top-five list into a tie for ninth with 113. He is now tied for ninth with his TGCR teammate Kanaan.
The Ice Man Returns: The three-time Verizon IndyCar Series Champion (2003, 2008, 2013) and 2008 Indianapolis 500 Winner returns in 2014 for his first season alongside 2004 Series Champion and 2013 Indianapolis 500 Winner Kanaan. Dixon, the active wins leader, is in seventh place on the all-time list (1909-Present) with 33 victories, ranking only behind A.J. Foyt, the Andretti’s (Mario and Michael) and Unser’s (Al, Bobby and Al Jr.). His next pole (21st) will see him tied for 13th on the all-time list with Gil De Ferran.
Title Talk: Should reigning Verizon IndyCar Series Champion Dixon take home the 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series title, he would become the fifth driver to win four Indy car titles (AJ Foyt, Mario Andretti, Sebastien Bourdais, Dario Franchitti). Dixon won the title in 2003, 2008 and again in 2013.
Moving Forward: With his next victory, Dixon would tie Al Unser Jr. for sixth on the all-time wins list. Dixon won his 33rd race at Houston's Reliant Park in October 2013. A victory in 2014 will extend Dixon’s streak of consecutive seasons with a win to 10; while qualifying in the top spot would mark eight consecutive seasons with a pole. He has led at least one race for 12 consecutive seasons. Dixon has 168 consecutive starts, placing him in fourth on the all-time list and in second place behind teammate Kanaan for active drivers.
Go with What you Know: 2014 marks Dixon’s 13th year with Team Target – the longest tenure for a driver in team history (1990-Present).
SEASON
2014 Verizon IndyCar Series Standings
|
Starts |
Wins |
Poles |
Top 5s |
Top 10s |
Pts. Pos. |
|
|
Scott Dixon |
11 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
5 |
8 |
|
|
CAREER
|
Starts |
Wins |
Poles |
Top 5s |
Top 10s |
|
|
Scott Dixon |
231 |
33 |
20 |
113 |
158 |
|
|
ROSTER
Mike Hull – Managing Director
Barry Wanser – Team Manager, Competition
Scott Harner – Team Manager, Administration
|
No. 9 |
|
|
Crew Chief/(R/F): Blair Julian |
Shocks/Firebottle: Chris Clark |
|
Engineer: Eric Bretzman |
Engines/Radio: Troy Scheller |
|
Assistant Engineer: Brian Welling |
Fueler: Todd DeNeve |
|
Front End/Tire Helper: Jason Beck |
Gear Box/Air Jack: Andy Schneider |
|
Front End/(R/R): Greg Shuker |
Rear Tire Helper: Jake Klomp |
|
Rear End/(L/F): Adam Rovazzini |
Spotter: Robbie Fast |
|
Rear End/(L/R): Tyler Rees |
Floater: Wayne Westplate |
