Petersen Automotive Museum Rites Of Spring So. Cal. Motor Culture Experience - Chip Ganassi

Scott Dixon nails down his sixth NTT INDYCAR SERIES season championship during a time when this fabulous exhibit on the successes of Chip Ganassi Racing was placed on hiatus due to health event protocols. Ganassi represents a sporting motor culture one can taste and it is on display at the Petersen Automotive Museum. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2021)  

Petersen Automotive Museum Rites Of Spring So. Cal. Motor Culture Experience - Chip Ganassi

Opening March 25, 2021, after being closed due to the recognition of our nationwide response to the pandemic virus invasion termed COVID-19, The Petersen Automotive Museum continues to pay tribute to the incredible motorsports career of driver and most famously renowned racing team owner through the exhibit, "Chip Ganassi Racing: Fast Tracks To Success | 30th Anniversary Tribute."

This exhibit, that is located on the second floor to one's left, as they exit the elevator, on the right of the center aisle motorcycle display in the Charles Nearburg Family Gallery of the museum, opened mid-December 2019. The exhibit features a video expose displayed on the walls behind some of the most winning cars fielded by this pillar of American Motorsports history. Yes, the exhibit has been updated to reflect the fact Scott Dixon is now a six-time season series champion of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES which happened in the COVID-19 protocol enhanced 2020.

Entrance to "Fast Tracks To Success" and there have been many of them. Here's just a thumbnail sketch (by no means a highlight reel) on Chip Ganassi and its incredible contribution to the American/World arena of motorsports - the only team to win the Indianapolis 500 (four times), the Brickyard 400, the Rolex 24-Hours of Daytona (seven times), the 12 Hours of Sebring, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans - such a winning tradition. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2021)

"The new exhibit tells a visual story of Chip Ganassi Racing’s success over the last 30 years," said Petersen Automotive Museum Executive Director Terry L. Karges at the opening presentation. "Once they step inside the gallery, see the cars and watch the accompanying 180-degree video, visitors will truly be able to feel the excitement and appreciate the history behind each of the vehicles."

When one enters the Charles Nearburg Family Gallery, the display of 10 vehicles include the 1983 Patrick Wildcat MK9B raced by Chip Ganassi to his best finish at the Indianapolis 500; the Lexus-powered 2006 Riley MK XI raced by Scott Dixon at the 24 Hours at Daytona; the 2010 Dallara IR-05 driven to victory at the Indianapolis 500; the 2016 Ford GT that finished first in the LM GTE Pro category 50 years after Ford’s iconic first-, second- and third-place victories in 1966; and the 2019 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 driven by Kurt Busch.

A new NASCAR platform will join the 2001 Coors Light Dodge Intrepid, driven by Sterling Marlin at Michigan International Raceway for Chip Ganassi Racing's first NASCAR victory and the 2010 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet Impala, driven by Jamie McMurry which delivered the Daytona 500 & Brickyard 400 wins in the 3 car NASCAR portion of the exhibit. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2021)

Following a strong career as a driver, Ganassi created his own one-car IndyCar team in 1990. The team’s track record includes 16 championships and 200 victories. It is the only team to win the Indianapolis 500 (four times), the Brickyard 400, 24 Hours at Daytona (seven times), 12 Hours of Sebring and 24 Hours of Le Mans. Adding to the prestige, it is also the only team to win 24 Hours at Daytona three times consecutively and the only team to win 24 Hours at Daytona, the Daytona 500, the Indy 500 and the Brickyard 400 in one 12-month span.

Last year, Los Angeles had to do without its long-standing motor culture "rites-of-spring" experience when the Acura Grand Prix Of Long Beach was cancelled due to this health event originating from Wuhan, China. In 2021, the event isn't cancelled, but moved off to become the season finale of the 2021 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season SEPT. 24-26, 2021. This still leaves quite a void for motor culture enthusiasts needing to feel the year kick off in a proper way since the Long Beach Grand Prix, which was always traditionally run in the March/April timeframe for the better part of 45 years.

Sports Cars may be one of the toughest racing environments to compete in since the vehicles entered are so varied in terms of concept and support from the different manufacturers/privateers. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2021)

Eight special exhibit collections will be there to greet you - “Supercars: A Century of Spectacle and Speed,” which showcases the evolution of the supercar; “Extreme Conditions,” which highlights 11 custom competition, recreational, and utilitarian off-roading vehicles; “Redefining Performance,” which features Porsche’s most innovative road and race vehicles; “Hollywood Dream Machines: Vehicles of Science Fiction and Fantasy,” with repositioned presentations; “Reclaimed Rust: The James Hetfield Collection,” a Petersen Museum donated exclusive; “Building an Electric Future” presented by Volkswagen; and, of course “The Aesthetic of Motoring: 90 Years of Pininfarina,” which will make for a very full and thought provoking visit.

Recommendation? Get a fanny, or a group of fannies, over to the Petersen Automotive Museum where one can spend an easy three hours slowly walking, photographing, and reading about Human transportation devices that add to the expansion of one's living and life experiences.

“Chip Ganassi Racing: Fast Tracks to Success | 30th Anniversary Tribute” was originally set to close January 31, 2021, but since the museum was closed for the pandemic, this wonderful tribute has been extended to the end of 2021. It is the intention of Petersen Automotive Museum to have all current exhibits run through the end of 2021 (check status when reserving your admission). To learn more about the Petersen Automotive Museum, please visit https://www.petersen.org/tickets.

The Petersen Automotive Museum will reopen to the public on Thursday, March 25, 2021 on a new schedule of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Tickets for all visitors must be purchased in advance on the Petersen website, and all guests will be required to wear masks during their visit.

To express its gratitude to all those on the front line during this challenging time, the museum will offer verified health care workers and first responders complimentary admission for themselves and up to three immediate family members for the rest of 2021.

Let the new tradition of Southern California's rites of spring begin with an annual visit (or two) to the Petersen Automotive Museum. Pretty cool.

... notes from The EDJE

TAGS: #petersenmuseum, Building an Electric Future, Extreme Conditions, Hollywood Dream Machines, Reclaimed Rust, Redefining Performance, Supercars, Chip Ganassi, The EDJE

NTT Announced As Title Sponsor Of America's Premiere Racing Series - IndyCar

Title plate for the live stream channel for the North American International Auto Show (Detroit Auto Show). IndyCar announces 2019 Title Sponsor for the racing series. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks via screen grab (2019) 

NTT Announced As Title Sponsor Of America's Premiere Racing Series - IndyCar

Yesterday, via live streaming, the IndyCar open-wheel racing series announced the addition of NTT Data as it's title sponsor for the 2019 season. Welcome to the NTT IndyCar Series.

The presentation was a little tardy, by about 10 minutes, but was worth the wait. The group of people gathered on the stage to usher in the the new sponsor was quite impressive - corporate executives, team owners, engine manufactures, drivers ... about the only moving part not represented was the chassis manufacture, Dallara.

Gathering of open-wheelers - (l to r) Scott Dixon, Jay Frye, Mark Miles, Tony Kanaan, Tsunehisa Okuno, Bobby Rahal, Chip Ganassi, Art St. Cyr, and Jim Campbell. Image Credit: Chris Owens - IndyCar (2019)

This excerpted and edited from IndyCar - a compilation of two articles

INDYCAR Names NTT As Entitlement Sponsor Of IndyCar Series | Addition Of NTT As Title Sponsor Users In New Era For IndyCar Series

INDYCAR announced today during the North American International Auto Show that global information technology and communications leader NTT has signed a multiyear agreement to become the IndyCar Series title partner. In addition, NTT becomes the official technology partner of INDYCAR, the IndyCar Series, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR's Brickyard 400 beginning in 2019.

INDYCAR will partner with NTT to deliver digital innovations that enhance the fan experience. These innovations include the evolution of INDYCAR's mobile application and adoption of NTT's proprietary Smart Platform to support the sport and its venues in delivering better insights into the racing series.

NTT IndyCar Series logo with backdrop, good for use as video title page. Image Credit: IndyCar (2019)

In what was described as a “red-letter day” by Mark Miles, president and CEO of Human & Company, owner of INDYCAR and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, global giant NTT was introduced Tuesday at the North American International Auto Show as the series’ new title partner in a multiyear agreement.

“I think this relationship is perfect,” Miles said. “We are a global brand, and when I think about racing, I think we're international, so you think about the team owners, you think about drivers from all over the world. I'm sure that was part of how NTT saw us, but we see them as a giant technology and communications company. When I think about the future growth of INDYCAR, what's more important than developing technology? It drives our racing, our teams. Everybody in the paddock needs data in usable form to improve.

“We take 50 million data records off the cars in an average two-hour race. To me, that's content. With NTT, we can make that usable and compelling content for fans that will continue to grow the sport and attract younger fans.”

NTT, with headquarters in Tokyo, grosses nearly $110 billion annually and spends $4 billion each year on research and development. The company will also be the official technology partner of INDYCAR, the NTT IndyCar Series, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR’s Brickyard 400.

NTT DATA has been a visible car sponsor and team partner in recent years with Chip Ganassi Racing, including Scott Dixon’s 2017 triumph at Road America. Dixon, a five-time series champion, as well as 2004 champion and 2013 Indianapolis 500 winner Tony Kanaan, joined Miles on the Cobo Center Atrium Stage.

Tsunehisa Okuno, NTT executive vice president, head of global business, excitedly expressed the hope that this partnership would last forever.

“The Indy car racing is getting more popular also in the Japan market, mainly thanks to the Japanese driver, Takuma Sato, who won the championship two years ago, the Indy 500,” Okuno said. “There was a special TV program in Japan, and I clearly remember during the program Mr. Sato, impressed us by saying that he saw something very special, very different after he became the champion of Indy 500.

“So I personally expect to see something very different through the cooperation with INDYCAR and the other partners, and NTT would like to bring something very exciting to the INDYCAR fans.”

INDYCAR President Jay Frye was also on hand with team owners Chip Ganassi and Bobby Rahal, as well as representatives from INDYCAR’s engine manufacturers, Jim Campbell, General Motors’ U.S. vice president, Performance Vehicles and Motorsports, and Art St. Cyr, Honda Performance Development president.

Frye and Mark Sibla, INDYCAR’s chief of staff, initiated talks with NTT to start the process in September. Progress culminated with a November trip to Tokyo to close the deal.

“This is something that affects the entire paddock from the broadcast partners to the promoters to the teams,” Frye said. “We couldn't be more proud to partner with a global brand like NTT. I want to send a big thanks to them for all their hard work.”

NTT IndyCar Series logo revealed at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Image Credit: IndyCar (2019)

"NTT is proud to be associated with INDYCAR and accelerate the future of smart racing. Technological innovations have the potential to change the sport and fan experience drastically," said Jun Sawada, president and CEO of NTT. "NTT, along with our partners, aims to bring the Smart World to life as we have done for Smart City, Smart Entertainment, Smart Mobility and Smart Manufacturing. Based on our lengthy and successful experience, including work in mobile applications, analytics and user experience, we will help INDYCAR create the next generation of fans globally who aspire to enjoy racing through a more digital experience."

NTT replaces Verizon, which Miles has continually praised as a title sponsor for helping grow the series for the past five years [no time assigned to the multi-year NTT agreement].

“I think it was important that NTT DATA had this history with INDYCAR, which will mean that we hit the ground running,” Miles said. “We're in seventh gear already.”

Dixon, the reigning series champion, sees an ideal fit.

“With how the two companies are going to work together, I think it's going to be fantastic for branding, pushing it,” said Dixon. “We have the greatest racing in the world, and we're going to be able to push it together. But it's the perfect marriage, and looking forward to the 2019 NTT IndyCar Series to kick off.”

The NTT IndyCar Series offers what is regarded by experts as the fastest, most diverse and challenging racing program in motorsports. The series competes on permanent road courses, temporary street circuits, short ovals and superspeedway ovals, including the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

"Having a strong technology partner is critically important to INDYCAR's continued growth, so we are thrilled to welcome NTT as our new title sponsor. INDYCAR's rise in popularity is a testament to the fact that we've made the sport as accessible as possible to our fans and we plan to continue in that mission," additionally states Mark Miles. "We have a history with NTT through NTT DATA's involvement in the sport with Chip Ganassi Racing. We know this partnership will help us attract the next generation of fans to what remains the most competitive racing program on the planet."

The 2019 NTT IndyCar Series season consists of 17 races, starting with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 10, including the 103rd Indianapolis 500 on May 26 and concluding with the INDYCAR Grand Prix of Monterey on Sept. 22.
[Reference Here]

The next big opportunity to see the IndyCars sporting the title sponsor series logo, here on the West coast, will be the one-day test at the venue that will act as the season finale, and hasn't had these open-wheel cars on these turns and on the Corkscrew since 2004 - WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Friday, Frbruary 8th, 2019.

... notes from The EDJE




TAGS: NTT, IndyCar, NTT IndyCar Series, Jun Sawada, Mark Miles, Jay Frye, Mark Sibla, Chip Ganassi, Bobby Rahal, Jim Campbell, Art St. Cyr, Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan, Takuma Sato, Tsunehisa Okuno, The EDJE

Dixon/Ganassi Triple-Down & Double-Up To Wrest Control At The GoPro GP of Sonoma

Target Chip Ganassi Racing owner, Chip Ganassi, and Verizon IndyCar Series 2015 season champion, Scott Dixon share some GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma race and 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series season championship winner's circle euphoria before official GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma race trophy presentations begin. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2015)

Dixon/Ganassi Triple-Down & Double-Up To Wrest Control At The GoPro GP of Sonoma

In the media room, around the paddocks, and campgrounds around Sonoma Raceway at Sears Point, there were speculations as to who would win the Verizon IndyCar Series 2015 season finale race and, due to a double-points award, potentially win the season championship.

At no point in the lead up to this final race was there a story line that included Target Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon, who sat at P3, 47 points behind Penske's Juan Pablo Montoya (JPM), not just winning the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma ... but further, the 2015 American open-wheel racing championship.

Almost all of the pre-race chatter centered on "just who" had what it would take to get the most points through qualifications, bonus points, and win the race (obviously, Will Power) ... or who had the charge to grab the championship and maybe the race from Penske Racing and JPM (obviously, Graham Rahal).

Scott Dixon, and the PR Department of Target Chip Ganassi Racing were the consummate ghosts. Little was being speculated about in pre-race press releases and interviews from this organization about their chances at the Sonoma Raceway finale and the IndyCar season.

However, at race's end and at post-race press conferences - the floodgates of strategic possibility thinking opened up ... and a few folks were surprised at the final tie-breaking results.

Target Chip Ganassi's race strategist, Mike Hull in the Winner's Circle with race winner and 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series Astor Cup winner, Scott Dixon. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2015)

Post Race Press Conference:

THE MODERATOR: The mindset going in, [describe] what you needed to accomplish today.

MIKE HULL: I'm sorry, I can only do two things at once. We knew we had to win the race. We knew that before we arrived here. We did get the opportunity to come, IndyCar extended the opportunity with the rule book for us to come here and test two weeks ago. We spent half a day with Scott on the racetrack, and Friday we used all day and we virtually wore the tires out trying to understand what we would need today, and that's what we did today, and we worked on what we call the mechanical balance of the race car to achieve what we achieved today.

It just really is important when you have a driver like Scott as an owner like Chip and people that work for us and a sponsor like Target that you do get the most out of every day, and I think that's what we did today, but it started well before today in terms of having a race-able product.
----
Q. Mike, a couple of drivers told me it's very difficult to overtake here. Was your strategy before the race built on pit stops to bring Scott to the front?

MIKE HULL: [Mike pulls out a sheet of graph paper - and waves it - with three pitstops noted on it] ... Pit on lap 61, that's what ‑‑ well, we came in on 62, so even we make a mistake.

We wanted it to be a three‑stop race, so what we did was we worked really hard from the very beginning of the weekend to create a three‑stop event for us this weekend, and we knew we had to get to 61. If we could get to 61 as everybody thinned out on the racetrack with the track position gained throughout the stops, we thought we had a chance to win the race. We didn't think it would turn out quite the way it did in terms of we thought there would be two or three other guys there trying to make it hard on us, and at the end it was a little easier than what we thought to be honest about it, but it was still very difficult. I think what you do as a race team when you deal with strategy is you look at what you have. If you know you have a driver and car capable of winning the race, then what you simply do is work for the pit windows that you need to have to achieve something at the front.

But the bottom ‑‑ the denominator is we had to win. We had to win the race.
(ht: VICS)

During the race broadcast on NBCSN, Mike Hull was interviewed at the TCGR pit box immediately after the second round of pitstops where Scott Dixon was able to leap-frog pass from P3 (behind P1 - Will Power and P2 - Josef Newgarden) to the lead of the race on a 6 second timed pit stop - (paraphrased) "All I asked from our pit crew before the race was 18 seconds of work. We train for hours and hours for just this circumstance and I needed for them to give me three pitstops at 6 seconds apiece - two down, one to go!"

Now that's a Triple-Down.

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing's Graham Rahal as he follows TCGR's Tony Kanaan up the drag strip straight after exiting the Carousel turn during the early part of the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2015)  

This excerpted and edited from Tribute Racing -

Dixon takes victory and championship after wacky race in Sonoma
By: Josh Farmer - AUGUST 30, 2015

After a two hour Wild West showdown, Scott Dixon eventually emerged as the 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series champion after taking the win in the GoPro Grand Prix at Sonoma Raceway.

Pole sitter Will Power picked up from where he left off in qualifying yesterday as he jumped into an early lead over Josef Newgarden. The drama started early as the leaders made their first pitstops on lap 15. Newgarden came in right behind Power but was blocked by Power’s Team Penske teammate Simon Pagenaud as stopped right in front of Newgarden. Newgarden sped out through Pagenaud’s pit stall and only lost a small amount of time to Power.

Meanwhile, a few teams including Sebastian Saavedra and Marco Andretti, elected to roll the dice on strategy and stretch their fuel longer than the lead contenders before the lead cycled back around to Power on lap 25.

Penske Racing's Juan Pablo Montoya is running P4 on Lap 9 with Target Chip Ganassi's Scott Dixon closing in from P5 to track him down in the Bus Stop complex of turns. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2015)

A yellow flag for Luca Filippi’s throttle failure on lap 33 brought the field down down pit road. At this point, Scott Dixon’s Target Chip Ganassi Racing pit crew saw that it was time to go to put their driver in position to take the championship and performed a trademark Ganassi pitstop to get the Kiwi to the front of the queue.

A number of drivers on an alternate strategy stayed out which put the drivers had been leading the race down the leaderboard. The race would get dramatic as Juan Montoya rear ended Power, damaging his front wing and bringing out a yellow while Tony Kanaan would take the lead.

Kanaan held the lead on the restart but the same strategy that put him in the lead took him out of it when he pitted on lap 51, which handed the lead over to Dixon.

With Montoya burried in the field, Dixon assumed the points lead and would need a clean final pitstop and no mistakes on the track. On lap 63, the crew did exactly that and was perfect while his closest rival Newgarden stalled on pit road, taking him out of contention.

With Dixon up front, Montoya’s efforts were beginning to shrink but drama involving his season long championship rival, Graham Rahal.

Rahal had been struggling to find the handle on his car for much of the day but found himself in seventh place, his hopes still alive.

His hopes came to an end when Sebastien Bourdais rear ended him at the end of the dragstrip and spun him out. With Rahal out if the picture and Bourdais assesed a penalty for avoidable contact, Montoya soon found himself in a tiebreaker scenario with Dixon.

He would still need to pass one more car to get the points lead: Ryan Briscoe.

Montoya’s black tires would seem to prove better than Briscoe’s red tires and he chopped a few tenths a lap off his lead while Dixon was smooth sailing up front.

Dixon crossed the line 6.1115 ahead of Ryan Hunter Reay and it was enough to take the championship as Montoya couldn’t get to Briscoe.
----
Hunter-Reay claimed his second straight podium while Charlie Kimball capped of the season with his third podium of the year.

Tony Kanaan claimed fourth and Ryan Briscoe completed his fill in duties for James Hinchcliffe with a fifth place finish.

Montoya would have to settle for second in the championship, followed by teammate Power and Rahal, who entered the race second in points. Helio Castroneves made it three Penske cars in the top five. A strong end to the season lifted Ryan Hunter-Reay to sixth in the standings while Josef Newgarden’s pit miscue dropped him to seventh in points.
(Reference Here)

The transporter for Penske Racing's Juan Pablo Montoya was located right across from the garage station of Target Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon. Here, Montoya is sitting on the stoop, watching the garage across the way (see reflection in mirrored door behind JPM). Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2015)

Sour grapes flooded the wine country racetrack's paddock area with the talk about the influence of having this race be awarded with twice the number of points given out for the results of the season finale race.

This excerpted and edited from STUFF -

IndyCar runner-up Juan Pablo Montoya questions Scott Dixon's series triumph
By: stuff.co.nz - Last updated 11:20, September 1 2015

IndyCar series runner-up Juan Pablo Montoya has questioned whether Scott Dixon was a deserved winner, saying the Kiwi had a "s**t" season.

Montoya was furious the crucial final race at Sonoma on Monday carried double points.

Dixon won, and his Colombian rival finished sixth at Sonoma, so lost the championship on countback [tie-breaker] after leading all season.

Montoya did not take it in good humour, lashing out at the post-race press conference.

"Dixon had a s**t season all year and had one good race, and we paid the penalty."

Montoya wants the double-points system reconsidered, though he holds little hope that it will be changed.

"We'll see if they [IndyCar] change it, but they like the excitement for the last race," he said.

"Is it fair? No, but we go into the last race of the year knowing it's a double‑points race.

"Is it fair for a normal championship? No, it's not fair, but it's the rules they want to play with, and if you don't like the rules, don't race."
----
"It sucks, but when you make the last race double-points on a road course and you change the tyre and you do everything you did for this weekend and you put so many variables, it doesn't even matter what you do all year."

Dixon, who was one of six drivers still in with a title chance, won the 2003, 2008 and 2013 series.

He has finished runner-up in the series twice and has been third four times in a 13-year IndyCar career.

WHAT DIFFERENCE DID DOUBLE POINTS MAKE?

Actual championship standings

1 Dixon 556
2 Montoya 556
3 Power 493

Standings without double score for Sonoma

1 Montoya 528
2 Dixon 506
3 Rahal 478

Standings with no double scores at all *

1 Montoya 478
2 Dixon 474
3 Rahal 448

* Montoya got double points for winning the Indianapolis 500
(Reference Here)

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing's Graham Rahal had a season for the ages. Driving the troubled Honda-powered and aerodynamically outfitted Steak 'N Shake Dallara, he entered the race just 34 points behind Juan Pablo Montoya in P2 and finished P4 in the season championship after his car was pushed off of the track by four-time champion Sebastien Bourdais. Here, Rahal finishes the Bus Stop complex of turns on his way to finishing P4 in the VICS championship. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2015)

For Graham Rahal's part, he agrees with JPM on the assessment about double points being awarded for any race (from post-race transcript):

Q. Graham, Juan came in here and not a fan of the double points. He was not, at least. But aside from that, how do you think the championship from that standpoint is going?  Should they drop them from Indy or keep them just at Indy and drop them from the end?

GRAHAM RAHAL: I don't think any race should have double points.

Q. What about the double‑header part?

GRAHAM RAHAL: Those are two races. Just like Indy, why there's points for qualifying is stupid. I know what they're trying to do, trying to make it more interesting, trying to get everybody ‑‑ but everybody is already hanging out on the line, and all you're doing is benefiting the big teams. Like for instance, us, it killed us this year. Definitely is not to our advantage.

Obviously there's two sides to me here on this weekend because obviously if it had been single points or normal points, I'd have been in trouble. I think it made it interesting, you know, at the end. If I look, I finished fourth. If I'd finished one more position up, I think I would have tied Power for third and fourth, and obviously the No. 1 and 2 tied, and I think we would have beat Power on a head‑to‑head on a tiebreaker, I think. But it was interesting.

However, I don't think any race should be valued above another. I know people will say the Indy 500 should, but I think every race is equally important if you're looking at a championship. Anyway, just my take.

Just like we tried the double‑file restarts and all that stuff. We don't need gimmicks in this sport to make it exciting I don't think.
(ht: VICS)

The No. 98 Bryan Herta Autosport Honda Dallara driven by soon to be 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series Rookie-Of-The-Year Gabby Chaves as it negotiates the Bus Stop complex of corners (with wheel up) at Sonoma Raceway during the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma season finale race. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2015)

Besides that it was a great day for Scott Dixon and the 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series championship, it was also a great day for Bryan Herta Autosport and their rookie Mazda Ladder Series driver, Gabby Chaves.

Post Race Press Conference:

GABBY CHAVES (No. 98 Bowers & Wilkins / Curb Honda): "It was a very eventful race for us. We barely made it to the start.

Actually we didn't even make the starting grid, so we started about half a lap back. We had a battery problem so that was unfortunate. We think we had the right strategy and had the right pace, but once we started being it was just like we didn't really know where to go and it was hard to get rhythm behind other cars that we were much faster than.

Twice we got caught out by a yellow flag, right as we were pitting and had to bail out from pitting. We obviously lost position trying to do that and screwed up our strategy.

It was just a rough day all around, but I think our pace is good and we have to work on a few things.

I am happy with the way our Bryan Herta Autosport team worked out this year and we couldn't do it without our sponsors, Bowers & Wilkins, Castrol Edge, Deltro Electric, Alarm.com, and of course having Honda in our car. It was a fun season and I look forward to what 2016 has to bring." (ht: VICS)

Scott Dixon signs a hat during the post race - post championship press conference. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2015)

Post Race Press Conference:

Q. You made both championship, first Champ Car and then IndyCar later on when it was founded. Is there anything in those championships from the technology point of view, you're very impressed, aero package, engine, whatever?

CHIP GANASSI: Well, I mean, all of it is. It's a matter of ‑‑ I think from our point of view, we're just the race team. I mean, we look at the rule book, this guy to my right and I, you look at the rule book each year and you figure out what the rules are, and you go out and try to win races with what the sanctioning body gives you, what the drivers give you, what the engine manufacturers give you, what the tires give you. You've got all these sort of inputs and you've got to take all those sort of inputs and you have to make something of it, and whoever makes the best of that package, whatever it is, is going to be the champion at the end of the year. And that's how it's been for every championship.

Each one ‑‑ none are the same. None of the championships are the same because the rules are different, a little different each year. The points systems are different. You know, the technology is different. We've done it with different engine packages, we've done it with different tires, we've done it with different cars and we've done it with different drivers.

My hat's off to Mike here on my right for putting the team together so many times over the years that just takes all these inputs that you have from different constituencies in the sport. In actual fact we have very little control ‑‑ teams have no control over the sanctioning body, we have no control over the rules, we have no control over the engines, we have no control over the tires.

We give our opinion, but I think rarely ‑‑ if we give our opinion, they do the opposite, you know. But it's just a matter of taking all those things that they give you and putting them in a ‑‑ I refer to it as baking the pie.

You put all those ingredients together and you put it in the oven and at the beginning of the season. You hope at the end of the season the pie comes out good, and fortunately it did here today.
(ht: VICS)

What a fitting end to an arguable Top 5 best ever competitive season, in the history of American open-wheel racing championship seasons.

With a "Triple-Down" strategy on 6 second pitstops combined with a "Double-Up" on awarded race points for bonuses and finishing place, we are able to crown and add a rare 4-Time open-wheel series champion through a tie-breaker, based on winning three races, during this 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series championship season.

BRAVO ... that was one great pie!

... notes from The EDJE


TAGS: GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma, Scott Dixon, Sonoma Raceway, Target Chip Ganassi Racing, Mike Hull, Chip Ganassi, Juan Pablo Montoya, Will Power, Graham Rahal, Penske Racing, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, The EDJE, Josh Farmer, STUFF,  

Post MAVTv 500 IndyCar winning statements, miscues, and movements

IndyCar Series Race Director, Beaux Barfield waves to Scott Dixon to begin his qualification run which had his car be placed in P7, first car in Row 3 in a 3-wide rolling start. Target Chip Ganassi Racing decided to change the engine to give Scott's car a fresh machine for the 500 mile race which carries a 10 spot penalty. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2013)

Post MAVTv 500 IndyCar winning statements, miscues, and movements

You know, in this life, it is easy to be critical after the fact. The MAVTv 500 IZOD IndyCar Series season finale held at Auto Club Speedway, upon review, had its share of miscues and confusing statements ... probably way too many to mention in one posting but here are a couple of highlights.

The first one was a statement made by IndyCar's only team owner, driver, and first champion of the MAVTv 500 (2012) Ed Carpenter - No. 20 Fuzzy’s Vodka/Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet, after the MAVTv 500 race last year which provided a key motivation to this year's MAVTv 500 champion, Will Power - No. 12 Verizon/Penske Racing Chevrolet.

Here, Will Power informs owner/driver Ed Carpenter of the level of motivation he provided with his ill thought out assertion. It was the kind of assertion that Dixon and his team were making against Team Penske at Sonoma when the right-rear pitman was accused of unprofessional tactics. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2013)

Will Power pumps his fist with excitement as Ed Carpenter begins to understand the positive nature of the motivation he was able to create with his off-the-cuff-comment about Power crashing out after only a little over 50 laps of the 2012 MAVTv 500. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2013)

This excerpted and edited from Auto Racing Daily -

Q - I heard you mention on television that you had a little extra incentive today to want to win this, make a point of some sort.

WILL POWER:  The incentive?  The incentive was, Ed Carpenter said that Will Power did exactly what everyone expected him to do at the last race last year. I thought that was just such motivation for me to beat him and win at this track and just be good at ovals. I went about it. I thought I’m going to beat Ed. Ed, I really respect him. A very good, fast, clean oval racer. Always good to race. I don’t dislike him, but I told him, I said, Man, your comment last year gave me a lot of motivation. It’s true.

So, yes, that’s right. I like Ed. He’s very good. He’s quick. But that comment definitely got to me in a good way.
[Reference Here]

Second, can we say that 'The Captain' has called better races for Helio Castroneves? Helio Castroneves - No. 3 Auto Club of America/Penske Racing Chevrolet, had set himself up to win. He was mentally prepared, in qualifications he secured the P2 position between Pole winner Will Power and single race team-mate P3 A.J. Allmendinger leaving Scott Dixon further down in the field at P7 with an engine change for both Scott and Helio, a 10 spot penalty was assessed. (Castroneves P12 / Dixon P17).

Three-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves leads four-time ChampCar series season champion Sebastien Bourdais into Turn 2 during the MAVTv 500 IndyCar season finale at Auto Club Speedway. Image Credit: Ken Manfred (2013)

By Lap 5 Helio was running in the top five where he remained for the  most of the race - even leading several times. Then on Lap 210 a YELLOW Flag flew due to Alex Tagliani - No. 10 Target/Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, spinning off of Turn 2 which brought a call over the radio to Helio from Roger Penske to PIT. On Lap 212, Helio Castroneves gives up his position in the field as he enters the pits when they were still classified as closed.

Helio found himself battling for the lead again with Charlie Kimball - No. 83 NovoLog FlexPen/Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, where Helio crowded Charlie running for the lead and damaged the front wing on his No. 3 DW12. On Lap 226 Helio Castroneves replaced his nosecone and was never able to recapture his position in the field finishing one position behind P5 Scott Dixon - No. 9 Target/Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

In a post MAVTv 500 season championship press conference, Scott Dixon stated that his car was a 7th or 8th fastest car in the field at best. Castroneves is left as Power was left the previous three years with a 'should'a, could'a, would'a ending to a strong season.

This infographic found in the Media Room, where all of the post event press conferences take place, pretty much highlights the obvious ... made even more obvious by the win in the 2013 MAVTv 500 ... Target Chip Ganassi Racing is the team to beat in IndyCar. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2013)

Judging by the achievement of season championships - Scott Dixon's being the 10th since 1996, we need to be giving a higher military title to Chip Ganassi ... like 'The Colonel, Chip' or 'The General, Ganassi' because Penske Racing's 5 season championships has to take a back seat to this level of success. It is pretty funny to listen to Target Chip Ganassi's brain trust of Mike Hull and Chip Ganassi talk during the post MAVTv 500 season championship press conference and pay homage to Penske Racing as the best team in present day IndyCar. Let's be clear ... Target Chip Ganassi Racing is the best team in present day IndyCar based solely on performance.

Team Owner and Managing Director Chip Ganassi and Mike Hull revel in the 'hat danc' during victory lane celebrations at Auto Club Speedway. 'Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2013)

Lastly, one has to take issue with a statement made by Target Chip Ganassi Racing's Managing Director, Mike Hull about choosing the Honda engine for their DW12 package and the fact that for 2014, the team has chosen to take a different direction.

Scott Dixon's car was developing heat and was having trouble getting rid of this problem which thretened to end Scott's run to capture his third championship in ten years (2003, 2008, and 2013). On Lap 299 Dixon came into the pits and stayed a little extra time to clear the radiators of debris. The engine ran hot the balance of the race.

MAVTv 500 Post Race Press Conference - Target Chip Ganassi Racing's Managing Director, Mike Hull | Owner Chip Ganassi Audio File HERE >>>

Mike Hull was asked about how this effected their race, Hull stated (starting at 1:14 of the above linked audio file), "I have to say, as hot as the engine got, Honda did what we wanted them to do what they wanted to do ... and that was to build an engine that didn't break under severe conditions" ... which all begs the question asked later to Chip Ganassi by Motor Press Guild and LMR Marketing Communications' Larry Mason on why the jump to Chevrolet next year? Chip's answer leaves one to wonder if there is something more than, "It was a business decision ...", due to the number of season championships (since 1996 - 9 Honda-powered/1 Toyota-powered) the team was able to earn with the Honda engine partnership.

Hat's off to New Zealander Scott Dixon on his third, very well earned, IndyCar Series season championship and the fact this earned honor now sits with the winningest-active driver in the series with 33 wins, and that he remains the longest tenured driver in the Target Chip Ganassi stable since joining the team mid-way through the 2002 CART season.

One additionally wonders if the Chevrolet way (as opposed to the Japanese way) will be compatible with both TCGR and Scott Dixon ... or if the door is now open for Andretti Autosport to outlast and out race the rest of the field with their new Honda-powered - build an engine that didn't break under severe conditions - Dallara DW12s.

... notes from The EDJE

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.

For 2011, It's Still A Chip On Penske's Shoulder In The IRL

Target Chip Ganassi IndyCar Championship Series transporter fleet as it sits proudly in the paddock at the 2010 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2010)

For 2011, It's Still A Chip On Penske's Shoulder In The IRL

Now that open wheel motorsports racing fans have been treated to what could happen when competing factions join and meld together for the last three years, what do they have to look forward to for the Indy Racing League's IndyCar Championship Series 2011 season? Well, more of the same.

Cream always rises to the top, gold dents when one bites into it, angry jihadist Muslims always find a way to put a damper on everyone's party, the sun rises in the East and sets in the West ... just as teams fielded by Chip Ganassi and Roger Penske will always dominate the racing action on oval, street and road courses in premiere American open wheel automobile racing.

Many had hopes that the union of ChampCar and IndyCar 2008 would deliver a chance at diversity where more teams and drivers would have a better shot at creating racing history, but alas ... this hope was as ill fated as Tony George holding down every major executive position in the IRL including running the track the series was named after.

Having the gravitas of this dueling giant pair of immovable forces, when one looks at the path they cut really isn't so bad once one looks at the quality of the results. Just look at the incredible 2010 run a former ChampCar budding star, Will Power, had with Roger Penske just to be reeled in by one of the best racing pairings in modern open wheel racing of Dario Franchitti driving for Chip Ganassi.

In 2011, if past behavior is the best predictor of future results ... we all be uttering "Three-Peat" at seasons end.

Team Penske drivers Ryan Briscoe (P5), Helio Castroneves (P4), and Will Power (P1) as they field questions in the post Firestone Fast Six qualifying press conference. While no Target Chip Ganassi drivers made the "Fast Six" in qualifications, in the race Scott Dixon (qualified in P8) registered a P4, right behind Will Power's P3 ... the only Penske driver to finish in the top six positions. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2010)

This excerpted and edited from SPEED CHANNEL -

INDYCAR: Penske’s Thorn
Looking back on these past 42 years, several people have tried to draft Penske into the fast lane, but there has only been one constant thorn in The Captain’s side.
Robin Miller | Posted December 29, 2010 Indianapolis, IN

Roger Penske began fielding cars at the Indianapolis 500 in 1969 and during this time span The Captain has amassed 153 wins, 12 championships and made a record 15 trips to Victory Lane at Indianapolis.

He also built a template for success and re-shaped the business model for motorsports.

Looking back on these past 42 years, several people have tried to draft Penske into the fast lane. Bobby Hillin and Rick Galles damn near went bust trying to keep up with R.P. in CART and billionaire John Menard threw good money after bad trying to catch The Captain at 16th & Georgetown.
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But, throughout CART’s heydays, The Split and unification; during the engine, car and tire wars; from taking a chance on equipment to being stuck with spec racing, there has only been one constant thorn in The Captain’s side.

That would our boy Chip Ganassi.

And while there’s no denying the Chipster can be a pain in the ass to a lot of people on any given day, he’s accomplished what nobody else has been able to pull off.

His IndyCar team has pulled alongside of Penske’s.

In a horse racing form, they would be coupled: 1 and 1A.

Since 1994, the year Target/Ganassi Racing scored its initial victory, it’s almost a dead heat.

Chip’s drivers have 79 wins, seven championships and three baby Borgs from winning Indianapolis.

Team Penske’s stats are 73 victories, four titles and five Indy 500s.

Ganassi and Target have been partners since 1990, while The Captain had Marlboro for the better part of 20 years.

Helio Castroneves returns for his 12th year with R.P. and Scott Dixon is back in the saddle for his ninth consecutive season at Ganassi’s.

Tim Lombardi, Tom Wertz, Clive Howell and Rick Rinaman are lifers at Penske just like Ricky Davis, Barry Wanser, Julian Robertson, Scott Harner and Mike Hull for Ganassi as both organizations breed loyalty.

If a driver is hired at either place, winning is the only option.

“I don’t know that Chip’s goal was to be like Roger but, let’s face it, Roger is the model for success in this business,” said Hull, the managing director who joined Ganassi in 1992.

“Chip is fueled by the passion of winning and the passion of having comparison. Both of them are from the same competitive mold.”
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There is no denying that The Captain is one of the smartest people on this planet and his work ethic is second to none. He builds up companies, resuscitates others and knows how to keep customers and sponsors satisfied. Racing is how he unwinds.

Ganassi lives and breathes motorsports, from his IndyCar and Grand-Am headquarters in Indy to his NASCAR shop in Charlotte. Pittsburgh is his home but racing is his family.

“The biggest difference between them is that Roger runs his empire from Monday through Thursday and follows his passion from Friday to Sunday,” continued Hull. “Chip is focused on racing from Monday to Sunday.

“I always hear that Chip gives us the resources to succeed but the resource is the mindset and culture we’ve been fortunate enough to develop. Chip is all about building for tomorrow and the future. It’s all about staying power.”

Staying up front with Penske has proved to be almost impossible during the past four decades. But he can’t shake Ganassi.

Nothing better illustrates this like 2010. At Indy, Castroneves and Will Power qualified 1-2 but the Ganassi team never concerned themselves with qualifying, and Franchitti totally dominated the race. Power was the class of the IndyCar season but lost the title in the finale when Dario and Dixon delivered a psychological blow in qualifying before sealing the deal in the race.

It was the second straight season that a Ganassi driver (Franchitti) had overtaken a Penske driver in the last race to win the championship.

While many have grown tired of the same two teams winning everything, and nothing is going to change drastically until those new cars/engines arrive in 2012, Ganassi and Penske have evolved into one of the best rivalries in sports.

Make no mistake: The Captain still casts a long shadow but the ‘ol Chipster is standing right in it.
Reference Here>>

Look for just more of the same in 2011 - but does anyone think it will be different in 2012 with the new choices in chassis, aero body forms, engine, and tire combinations? My bet would be on hearing "Four-Peat" at the awards dinner by the end of the year.

... notes from The EDJE

Dario Franchitti Survives To Land A Championship

Scotland's Dario Franchitti during practice for the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series Peak Antifreeze Indy 300 08 Sept at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois. Franchitti, locked in a battle for the IndyCar Series crown, earned pole position Saturday for the season-ending race. Today, he won the race and the championship on the last lap. Image Credit: AFP/Getty Images/Gavin Lawrence

Dario Franchitti Survives To Land A Championship

In what has to be one of the tightest races in a points championship battled out over 17 races, Dario Franchitti outlasts Scott Dixon on the final lap with enough fuel to scoot past for the outright win and the points championship at Chicagoland Speedway.

Starting the race with only a three point lead over Dixon, Franchitti had to be at least in front of Scott Dixon in order to grab the Indy Racing League championship for 2007 but that was not to be. The whole race Dario not only trailed Scott Dixon of the Target/Chip Ganassi Team, but Dixon's teammate Dan Weldon, along with Helio Castorneves, and Sam Hornish Jr. of Team Penske.

AGR teammates Dario Franchitti and Danica Patrick chat prior to driver introductions. - Image Credit: Chris Jones

In the final laps, Dario Franchitti's Andretti/Green Racing teammate, Danica Patrick entered the pit lane for a final splash of fuel and spun, stalling her car. This brought out a yellow caution flag and slowed the field down allowing the race cars to save fuel. Before the caution flag came out, both Dixon and Franchitti were probably going to have to come in for fuel as well but with the cars slowed ... they used alot less fuel setting up a shootout run to the end with two laps to go.

Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti battle for the lead at Chicagoland. - Image Credit: Jim Haines

Both Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti rolled the dice (by staying out on the track). The green flag drops and on the next to the last turn before the finish line, the checkered flag that would end the race and the season ... Dixon's car sputtered and ran out of fuel. Franchitti poped to the right to miss rear-ending Dixon's car and sped forward to the wave of the checkered flag.

In a season that that featured Dario's car going airborne and flipping in racing accidents with Dario going uninjured through two consecutive races, this year's Indy 500 winner, Dario Franchitti and Andretti/Green Racing proved to be the most deserving of champions for 2007 by earning the championship through the air and on the track.

What a great season and a great racing series.

Dario Franchitti 2007 Championship Photo with team oner Michael Andretti, and Dario's wife, Ashley Judd - Image Credit: Jim Haines

Final ten laps excerpted from the “Commentary” section of the Live Timing & Scoring at the Indy Racing League website –

Dario Franchitti wins the race and championship as Scott Dixon runs out of fuel!
2007-09-09 17:51:50
Lap 199: White flag. #9 Scott Dixon leads #27 Dario Franchitti by 0.0605 sec.
2007-09-09 17:51:17
Lap 198: Dario makes it two wide for the lead.
2007-09-09 17:50:52
Lap 198: A two lap shoot-out for the championship!
2007-09-09 17:50:29
Lap 197: One lap until back to green.
2007-09-09 17:48:49
Lap 196: Dan Wheldon may have lost his gearbox.
2007-09-09 17:48:37
Lap 195: Pits are open.
2007-09-09 17:47:58
Lap 194: Yellow for #7 Danica Patrick spun at pit-in.
2007-09-09 17:47:13
Lap 193: Wheldon is slow in T2. He may be out of fuel.
2007-09-09 17:46:40
Lap 193: #10 Dan Wheldon leads #9 Scott Dixon by 0.1337 sec.
2007-09-09 17:46:25
Lap 192: Marty Roth is slow on the backstretch.
2007-09-09 17:46:11
Lap 192: #10 Dan Wheldon leads #9 Scott Dixon by 0.1896 sec.
2007-09-09 17:46:00
Lap 190: Dan Wheldon takes back the lead.
2007-09-09 17:45:23
Lap 190: Top 5: #9 Dixon, #10 Wheldon, #27 Franchitti, #7 Patrick, #8 Sharp.
2007-09-09 17:45:12
Reference Here (Commentary is live only - direct reference may not be available)>>

Dario celebrating the Chicagoland victory and 2007 Indy Car Championship - Click cursor on photo to send Dario and AGR a message of congratulations! - Image and Link Credit: Indy Racing League

NOTES:

Dario Franchitti finishes the season with 637 points to Scott Dixon's 624 points to capture the title.

Dario's 637 total points this season is a record for the series. The previous high was 628 by Dan Wheldon in the 2007 season. This is Dario's first IndyCar Series Championship. He becomes the third consecutive Indianapolis 500 winner to go on to win the IndyCar Series Championship in the same season.

This is the third IndyCar Series Championship for Andretti Green Racing. The team won the title in 2004 with Tony Kanaan, 2005 with Dan Wheldon. Andretti Green Racing becomes the first team to win three IndyCar Series Championships.

Team Menard, A.J. Foyt Racing and Panther Racing have each won two championships.

The margin for the championship was 13 points. It's the seventh time in 12 seasons that the IndyCar Series Championship point margin has been 20 points or less ...


… notes from The EDJE.

(ht: MAXINE)