Grand Prix of Long Beach - Race Advance
RACE SETUP
Race: Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, April 13
Drivers: @scottdixon9 @tonykanaan
Cars: No. 9 and No. 10 Target Chevrolets
Track: Streets of Long Beach (1.97-mile street circuit) in Long Beach, Calif.
TV: NBC Sports Network 4:00pm ET
Social: @CGRTeams #TeamTarget
BET YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT
A Day At The Beach: Since Target Chip Ganassi Racing's (TCGR) first entry in the Long Beach Grand Prix 25 years ago, the team has amassed five wins, eight podiums, 11 top-five and 18 top-10 finishes.
Take A Walk On The Wild Side: Former TCGR driver Dario Franchitti will be inducted into the Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame on Thursday, April 10th alongside fellow inductees Gerald Forsythe and Kevin Kalkhoven. The ninth annual induction ceremony will be held on South Pine Avenue in front of the Convention Center, which lies along the route of the 2014 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. The Walk of Fame inductees will receive medallions which include renditions of the racers' cars and their major achievements in motorsports.
3...2...1...Go!: The Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach will feature the first standing start of the 2014 season. An Indy car standing start was last held on the temporary street circuit for the 2008 Champ Car race in Long Beach. There is roughly a half-mile from where the front row will be staged behind the start-finish line to the left-hand Turn 1. The next confirmed standing start for the season will take place at the Grand Prix of Indianapolis on May 10th.
The Silver Lining: In celebration of their 25th year together, Target and Chip Ganassi Racing will be entering three specially-liveried cars into races on May 25. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rookie Kyle Larson will drive a silver No. 42 Chevrolet in the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte, matching Scott Dixon and Tony Kanaan's No. 9 and 10 cars which will be entered the Indianapolis 500 earlier in the day. The silver cars were revealed at a special celebration thrown by Target in Las Vegas on March 7th where all three drivers were in attendance.
Title Talk: Should reigning Verizon IndyCar Series Champion Scott 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.
Dario Returns: Four-time Verizon IndyCar Series Champion and three-time Indianapolis 500 Winner Dario Franchitti returns to Team Target in 2014 as a driving advisor for Chip Ganassi Racing Teams. Franchitti will aid the team as it adapts to recent lineup changes and additions, and was on site with the team at the Rolex 24 At Daytona and the Barber Motorsports Park Open Test earlier this month. He will continue to work closely with the teams' Verizon IndyCar Series drivers throughout the duration of the season.
100+ Wins and Counting...: The Target Racing Program, which began with Target and Chip Ganassi Racing in 1990, will be contending for their 104th 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. 102 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.
Topping the Charts: Dixon and Kanaan rank first and fifth, respectively, in the number of victories among active full-time drivers in the Verizon IndyCar Series. Dixon is ranked seventh on the all-time wins list with 33 victories. Reigning Indianapolis 500 Winner Kanaan has 16 victories.
Finding New Roads: All four Chip Ganassi Racing Teams (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.
#TEAMGANASSI
Follow Team Target on Twitter: Continue to follow Target 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 LONG BEACH
Scott Dixon and No. 9 Target Team
Dixon's Beach Excursions: Scott Dixon has seven career starts on the streets of Long Beach (2001 - 2002, 2009 - 2013) with a career-best finish of fourth in 2010. Over half of his starts have ended with a spot in the top-10 (2009-2012).
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.
The Best Defense Is A Good Offense: Dixon will spend the 2014 season attempting his first successful defense of a Verizon IndyCar Series title. "I think it's obviously a good problem to have," Dixon said. "I've been in this situation a couple of times before... I think we need to focus on making a good start in the first three or four races." His closest effort so far came in 2009 when he finished second to teammate Dario Franchitti by a mere 11 points. If Dixon is successful, he will become the 14th driver to have at least two consecutive series championships.
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).
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.
SEASON
2014 Verizon IndyCar Series Standings
|
Starts |
Wins |
Poles |
Top 5s |
Top 10s |
Pts. Pos. |
|
|
Scott Dixon |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
|
Tony Kanaan |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
6 |
CAREER
|
Starts |
Wins |
Poles |
Top 5s |
Top 10s |
|
|
Scott Dixon |
221 |
33 |
20 |
109 |
154 |
|
Tony Kanaan |
277 |
16 |
15 |
112 |
176 |
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 |
