Life, and the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma

Floyd Ganassi, Jr. - Chip as he accepts the honor, on behalf of Target Chip Ganassi Racing, of a medallion placed in cement on Pine Avenue during the 2011 Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame ceremony. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2011)

Life, and the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma

The continuum of living life happens all around us as we seek our goals and fulfill our desires.

This weekend will see the resumption of the 19 race IZOD IndyCar Series championship season with race 15 in the Northern San Francisco Bay area of Sears Point at Sonoma Raceway. The series is in a strong fight between Helio Castroneves of Penske Racing (who is seeking his first series championship in IndyCar), Scott Dixon of Target Chip Ganassi Racing (2-time Series champion), Ryan Hunter-Reay of Andretti Autosport (first-time champion in 2012, and current title holder), and mathematically, 17 other drivers who have a theoretical chance at the title with these five remaining races - Sonoma, Baltimore, Houston (twice), and the super speedway of Fontana.

Target Chip Ganassi Racing driver, Scott Dixon finds himself in the middle of a tight championship racing points race with only five races left in a nineteen race season. Last season, Scott was one of four drivers with a mathematical chance of the IICS championship in 2012 going into the season finale at Auto Club Speedway (media day at Santa Monica pier). Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2013)

Yesterday, it was announced that the father of Chip Ganassi, Floyd R. Ganassi Sr., died at the age of 87. Floyd Ganassi was well known and one the most beloved men in the IndyCar Series paddock where he took photographs of everyone he met. Floyd was also a profound influence on one of the most serious forces in motorsports - racing team owner Chip Ganassi.

Chip Ganassi's racing teams have won four Indianapolis 500 races and nine IndyCar Series championships, five Rolex 24 At Daytonas and six GRAND-AM championships Rolex Sports Car Series and one Daytona 500.

In a winter 2011 interview given to the Pittsburgh Quarterly, Chip Ganassi (55) gave the following statements about his then 85 year old father - Floyd Ganassi:

"My father and mother both had a huge influence on me. They weren’t really encouraging or discouraging. They just sort of went along with my ideas and let me find my own way, helping me from time to time. They believed that experience was good.
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My dad is a self-made man from a small suburb of West Newton, Pa. He pulled himself up by his boot straps. He’s my ultimate hero. He started in the asphalt business and had a company called Westmoreland Paving. Then he sold that business and acquired a company called Davidson Gravel, a concrete business that supplied gravel to the asphalt people. It was a pretty big operation in the area within a 100-mile radius of Pittsburgh. So I guess I got my business acumen from him, which was valuable. My dad still comes with me to races and events and is always taking pictures. He’s there for me. He’s my No. 1 advisor."
[Reference Here]

As far as the announced plans for the recognition of Floyd Ganassi, Sr.'s passing, friends will be received from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. (local time) Tuesday and Wednesday at John A. Freyvogel Sons Inc. funeral home, 4900 Centre Ave., Pittsburgh. Funeral Service will be 10 a.m. Thursday in Fox Chapel Presbyterian Church.

At this time, it is not known if "Chip" ... who was born Floyd Ganassi, Jr., will be in attendance to guide his team's best hope for a 2013 series championship title through Scott Dixon on the 12-turn, 2.385-mile Sonoma road circuit at the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma, but the continuum of life ... continues.

The GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma IZOD IndyCar Series event will be held Aug. 23-25, 2013 and broadcasted on Sunday, Aug. 25 at 4:00pm ET on NBC Sports Channel, SiriusXM Channel 211, and RaceControl.IndyCar.com for live timing and scoring.

We all wish Chip the best though this difficult time of transition.

... notes from The EDJE.