Chip Ganassi

Chip Ganassi

Ganassi at a race in 2006
Born Floyd Ganassi, Jr
May 24, 1958(1958-05-24)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Residence Fox Chapel, Pennsylvania
Nationality  United States
Other names Chip Ganassi
Citizenship  United States
Education B.A. Finance
Alma mater Duquesne University
Occupation Owner and President, Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates
Years active 1990-present
Employer Earnhardt Ganassi (co-owner, NASCAR)
Target Chip Ganassi (co-owner, IRL)
Home town Pittsburgh
Website
ChipGanassiRacing.com

Floyd "Chip" Ganassi, Jr (born May 24, 1958) is a former American racecar driver and current racecar owner.

He is currently the owner and president of Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates which operates teams on the IndyCar, NASCAR and Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series circuit. His NASCAR operation is under the banner Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, after a merger with Dale Earnhardt, Inc.

His Indy team has won multiple Indianapolis 500 races and the CART championship.

On February 14, 2010, Jamie McMurray won the Daytona 500 in a Ganassi-owned car, and on May 30, 2010, Dario Franchitti won the Indianapolis 500 in one of Ganassi's cars, making him the first owner to win both races in the same year and joining Penske Racing as the only owners to win both races all time. On July 25, 2010, Jamie McMurray won the Brickyard 400, making Chip Ganassi the first team owner to win the "Triple Crown" of American auto racing.In January 30, 2011 his Grand-am time won the 24 Hours at Daytona, making Ganassi the first owner ever to win the Daytona 500, the Indy 500, the Brickyard 400, and the 24 Hours at Daytona inside a 12 moths period.

Contents

IndyCar driver and race team owner

Ganassi began his CART (Champ Car) racing career in 1981 and competed in the Indianapolis 500 five times, with a best finish of 8th in 1983. His career was cut by a big crash that injured him at Michigan in 1984,[1] although he returned to race briefly in CART and IMSA in 1986,[1] Ganassi purchased an interest in Patrick Racing in 1988[1] -- a team he had raced with before in 1984 -- and was part of the team that won the 1989 Indianapolis 500. In 1990, he split off and formed his own team, Chip Ganassi Racing, with Target as the principal sponsor. He also became active in the NASCAR circuit.

He currently operates two cars in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, four cars in the Indy Racing League, and two cars in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Prototype class.

His CART/IRL drivers have included Michael Andretti, Jimmy Vasser, Alex Zanardi, Scott Dixon, Bruno Junqueira, Juan Pablo Montoya, Tony Renna, Jeff Ward, Bryan Herta, Robby Gordon, Ryan Briscoe, Kenny Bräck, Tomas Scheckter, Darren Manning, Jacques Lazier, Nicolas Minassian, Tony Stewart, Memo Gidley, Dario Franchitti, Giorgio Pantano, Alex Lloyd, and Dan Wheldon. His NASCAR drivers have included Sterling Marlin, Jason Leffler, Dorsey Schroeder, Scott Pruett, Aric Almirola, Bryan Clauson, Kevin Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr., Reed Sorenson, Jamie McMurray, Casey Mears, Jimmy Spencer, David Stremme, Montoya, and Franchitti.

Ganassi teams have won Champ Car titles in 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999 and the IRL championship in 2003, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011. His teams have also won the 2000 Indianapolis 500 with Juan Pablo Montoya, the 2008 Indianapolis 500 with Scott Dixon and the 2010 Indianapolis 500 with Franchitti, as well as 50 Champ Car and IRL races. His NASCAR race team is based in Concord, North Carolina. The IRL team is located in Indianapolis, Indiana.

1984 Michigan 500

In the 1984 Michigan 500, Ganassi cut a tire and got into Al Unser Jr. on the backstretch. They drifted into the infield. Unser hit the inside guardrail nose-first, while Ganassi's car got airborne and slammed top-first into the guardrail with Ganassi's head hitting the rail. Ganassi's car literally disentigrated in midair. Ganassi suffered smoke inhalation, a concussion, a broken sternum and collarbone and many contusions. This effectively ended Ganassi's driving career.

Personal life

In addition to his racing interests, he is also a former minority owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates major league baseball team.

He graduated with a degree in finance from Duquesne University in 1982.[2]

He received an Honorary Doctorate from Carnegie Mellon University in 2011.

He currently resides in the Pittsburgh suburb of Fox Chapel, Pennsylvania.

Racing record

American open–wheel racing results

(key)

CART

Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Rank Points
1981 Brayton Racing
PHX1
MIL1
ATL1
ATL2
MIS
RIV
MIL2
MIS2
WGL
MEX
PHX2
DNQ		 NC -
1982 Rhoades Racing
PHX1
Ret
ATL
MIL1
CLE
Ret
MIS1
Ret
MIL2
POC
Ret
RIV
ROA
MIS2
16
PHX2		 34th 10
1983 Patrick Racing
ATL
INDY
8
MIL
CLE
Ret
MIS1
8
ROA
Ret
POC
Ret
RIV
MDO
Ret
MIS2
6
LVG
3
LS
3
PHX
5		 9th 56
1984 Patrick Racing
LBH
Ret
PHX1
11
INDY
Ret
MIL
11
POR
Ret
MEA
9
CLE
2
MIS1
Ret
ROA
POC
MDO
SAN
MIS2
PHX2
LS
LVG		 20th 24
1985 A.J. Foyt Enterprises
LBH
INDY
Ret
MIL
POR
MEA
CLE		 51st 0
Machinists Union
MIS1
Ret
ROA
POC
MDO
SAN
MIS2
LS
PHX
MIA
1986 Machinists Union
PHX1
14
LBH
INDY
Ret
MIL
POR
MEA
CLE
TOR
MIS1
POC
MDO
SAN
MIS2
ROA
LS
PHX2
MIA		 43rd 0

Indianapolis 500

Year Car Start Qual Rank Finish Laps Led Retired
1982 12 11 197.705 13 15 147 0 Engine
1983 60 16 197.608 24 8 195 0 Running
1984 40 22 201.612 28 28 61 0 Engine
1985 84 25 206.104 25 22 121 0 Fuel Line
1986 31 26 207.590 31 29 70 0 Head Gasket
Totals 594 0
Starts 5
Poles 0
Front Row 0
Wins 0
Top 5 0
Top 10 1
Retired 4

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

Year Class No Tyres Car Team Co-Drivers Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
1987 C1 62 M Sauber C9
Mercedes-Benz M117 5.0L Turbo V8		 Kouros Racing Johnny Dumfries
Mike Thackwell		 37 DNF DNF

References

  1. ^ a b c Wicker, Ned. IndyCar Champion - A Season with Target/Chip Ganassi Racing, Motorbooks International, 1997, page 10
  2. ^ Wicker, Ned. IndyCar Champion - A Season with Target/Chip Ganassi Racing, Motorbooks International, 1997, page 9

External links

IndyCar Drivers Scott Dixon (#9) | Dario Franchitti (#10) | Graham Rahal (#38) | Charlie Kimball (#83)
Grand-Am Telmex #01 team drivers Scott Pruett | Memo Rojas
Other Chip Ganassi | Felix Sabates | Earnhardt Ganassi Racing | Target Corporation
Sprint Cup drivers Jamie McMurray (#1) | Juan Pablo Montoya (#42)
Development drivers Jeffrey Earnhardt | Jesus Hernandez
Partnerships and affiliations Chip Ganassi Racing | Richard Childress Racing | Tommy Baldwin Racing
Owners/Related info Teresa Earnhardt | Dale Earnhardt | Chip Ganassi | Felix Sabates