Tag: Chip Ganassi Racing

Good Morning from St. Pete

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Greetings from cool, cloudy, foggy St. Petersburg as activity is already underway for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. USF 200 just completed qualifying, and Mazda MX-5 Cup cars will qualify in about 15 minutes.

As you can see from the photo, the fog has not completely left,m but the sky is getting brighter, but still cloudy. IndyCar is still scheduled for a 1:35 practice session.

The morning began with some major news. Chip Ganassi and McLaren have reached an unspecified settlement in thel awsuit in which McLaren was awarded $12 million dollars. Ganassi said he and Zak Brown had “a good conversation.”

Chip Ganassi Racing and A;ex Palou each issued statements about the settlement>

I am glad that this matter is closed. It has been a lingering cloud over the series, and I’m sure it was on Palou’s mind as well.

10 Titles

It was a treat this morning when four time series champion Dario Franchitti and six time series champ Scott Dixon mad an appearance. Dixon is looking for his first win at St. pete and his 60th career victory this season. Franchitti, retired from IndyCar since 2013, will be driving in the NASCAR Truck series race tomorrow.

Dario said he wasn’t nervous yet, but might be once he gets in the truck. Dixon was relieved that Franchitti isn’t coming back to IndyCar.

Both drivers expressed a desire to try out the Mazda MX-5 cup series some day.

Sorting

These photos are to help me mostly, but I hope it helps you keep these two cars straight starting Sunday.

Will Power is in this car:

David Malukas is in this car:

I hope this helps.

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing announced a sponsor for rookie Mick Schumacher this morning.

Looking Around

As I walked around the track this morning, I noticed what seemed to be a significant increase in concessions, especially behind the first turn grandstands. It wasn’t too long ago that you mostly saw the grandstand structures and some port a potties. The area has become quite dense.

New and more numerous video boards are in place. There is one closer to turn 1, so the fans there don’t have to fight the glare of the sun to see the board just past the start/finish line across from the pits.

I will be back after IndyCar practice with a wrap up of the day.

Sunoco Returns with Ganassi, Simpson

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Fans wanting a throwback livery will get their wis…kind of. Sunoco returns to IndyCar with a multiyear fulltime primary sponsorship of Chip Ganassi Racing’s car 8 driven by Kyffin Simpson.

Kyffin Simpson

While not a true replication of Mark Donohue’s winning 1972 Indianapolis 500 car, the dark blue and yellow car will pop at IMS and at the night races.

The Donohue winning car set a couple milestones. It was the first Indianapolis 500 win for Roger Penske, and it was the first winning car to have wings.

Donohue’s 500 car:

The car at Pocono.

2026 marks the first Sunoco sponsored car since 1973.

Kyffin Simpson has completed two full IndyCar seasons before reaching the age of 21. Simpson made great strides in the 2025 season, earning his first podium at Toronto and participating in his first Fast Six at Mid Ohio. Simpson earned three top fives and six top 10s in 2025.

Palou To Unveil Image on Borg-Warner Trophy Nov. 19 in Indianapolis

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From IMS:

 Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing, winner of the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge and four-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion, will unveil his likeness on the coveted Borg-Warner Trophy on Wednesday, Nov. 19 in downtown Indianapolis.
The event takes place from 4-6 p.m. ET at The Above Event Center at Commission Row, 125 S. Pennsylvania St. in Indianapolis. The trophy unveiling is scheduled for approximately 5:15 p.m.
Palou, Global Director of Marketing and Public Relations for BorgWarner Michelle Collins and INDYCAR and Indianapolis Motor Speedway President J. Douglas Boles will be available for interviews following the unveil.
After the event concludes, Palou and the Borg-Warner Trophy will make their way to the Indiana Pacers’ game at Gainbridge Life Fieldhouse, which starts at 7 p.m. The Borg-Warner Trophy will be on display in the fan pavilion for photo opportunities with fans before the game.
Fans can view the unveil live on the IMS YouTube channel
.WHAT: 2025 Borg-Warner Trophy Unveil
WHO: Alex Palou, Driver, Chip Ganassi Racing, J. Douglas Boles, President, INDYCAR and Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Michelle Collins, Global Director of Marketing and Public Relations, BorgWarner
WHEN: 4-6 p.m. ET Wednesday, Nov. 19
WHERE: The Above Event Center, 125 S. Pennsylvania St., Indianapolis 

INDYCAR Announces Streets of Toronto Grid Penalty

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 INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, July 18, 2025) – INDYCAR has announced a six-position starting grid penalty for the entry of No. 9 Chip Ganassi Racing for an unapproved engine change following the Sunday, July 13 race at Iowa Speedway.
The entry was in violation of:Rule 16.1.2.3.2. A fifth (5th) Engine is eligible to earn Engine Manufacturer points if a Full Season Entrant has completed the Full Season Entrant Engine Mileage with its first four (4) Engines. Otherwise, a fifth (5th) or more Engine does not earn Engine Manufacturer points and will be considered an Unapproved Engine change-out.
According to Rule 16.1.6.1.2., the penalty is a six-position starting grid penalty on road and street course events and nine positions at oval events and will be served at the series’ next event, which is the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto Sunday, July 20 on the Streets of Toronto.

Simpson Confirmed at Ganassi; Browne, Koolen Fill CGR Indy NXT Seats

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Chip Ganassi Racing today confirmed Kyffin Simpson as driver of the number 8 car for the 2025 IndyCar season. The move was long anticipated. Simpson, 19, from the Caymen Islands, drove car 4 for Ganassi in 2024, finishing 21st in the standings. Simpson finished 21st on the lead lap in the Indianapolis 500, leading three laps.

Ganassi Indy NXT

Neils Koolen and Jonathan Browne will drive for Ganassi’s new Indy NXT team. Both drivers have some Indy NXT experience, driving for HMD in 2024.

Koolen (l), Browne (r)

Koolen, 23 years old from the Netherlands,, finished 10th in the Indy NXT race at IMS last May. He also spent time in the European le Mans Series in 2024.

Browne, 24, ran the entire season for HMD, finishing 13th in the standings. The Irish driver earned eight Top 10 finishes.

Champions Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Honored Again at Victory Lap Celebration

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From Indycar:

Foster Celebrated for INDY NXT by Firestone Title

INDIANAPOLIS (Monday, Sept. 30, 2024) – Alex Palou was honored for his third NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship in the past four years during the Victory Lap Celebration on Sept. 30, the headline of an incomparable 2024 season for Chip Ganassi Racing.
Palou won two races in the No. 10 DHL Honda and scored 13 top-five finishes in 17 races to become just the 13th driver in history to earn at least three INDYCAR SERIES championships. He is just the seventh driver to win three titles in four years and first since Dario Franchitti won three straight from 2009-11 – also for Chip Ganassi Racing.
Spanish driver Palou won the Astor Challenge Cup for the title by 31 points over Andretti Global with Curb-Agajanian’s Colton Herta, earning the 16th INDYCAR SERIES championship for Chip Ganassi Racing and the organization’s fourth in the last five seasons.
Palou was one of four members of Chip Ganassi Racing to receive special honors at the ceremony, which took place in the Gallagher Pavilion at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Linus Lundqvist of Sweden received the Rookie of the Year Award as the top-finishing first-year driver in the standings. The 2022 INDY NXT by Firestone champion recorded a pole, two podiums and four top-10 finishes in the No. 8 The American Legion Honda to surpass Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Kyffin Simpson by 97 points in the standings.
Team owner Chip Ganassi accepted the Championship Owner Award, and Palou’s chief mechanic, Ricky Davis, was presented the Pennzoil Chief Mechanic Award. Additional season honors for the Ganassi team included the NTT INDYCAR SERIES Team Manager award to Blair Julian and Mike LeGallic.
The awards haul was a reward for a dominant year by Indianapolis-based Chip Ganassi Racing. The team took the top spot in the driver standings and the Rookie of the Year title in the same season for the second straight year.
Much like the NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship and Rookie of the Year, the Manufacturers Award race had a familiar result. Chevrolet edged Honda by just 132 points to win its third consecutive engine manufacturer title and ninth overall since it returned to the series in 2012.
Eric Warren, General Motors executive director of global motorsports competition, accepted the award on behalf of the Chevrolet team. Team Penske took home a pair of end-of-season awards. Scott McLaughlin claimed the season-long NTT P1 Award, while Will Power accepted the Firestone Pit Performance Award on behalf of his No. 12 Team Penske crew.
INDYCAR’s development series was also recognized at the Victory Lap Celebration, as Louis Foster of Andretti Global was honored as 2024 INDY NXT by Firestone champion, capping a dominant season.
Foster won a series-high eight of the 14 races this season in the No. 26 Copart / Novara Technologies entry. He led the series in wins, poles, podiums, laps led and completed every lap of competition to beat Abel Motorsports’ Jacob Abel to the title by 122 points.HMD Motorsports’ Caio Collet was named INDY NXT by Firestone Rookie of the Year. Collet, from Sao Palou, Brazil, finished third in the series standings with a victory. 

Shank Aligns with Ganassi; Lee Replaces Diffey in NBC Booth

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Kyle McInnes photo

Some long rumored changes in the Indycar landscape have become official.

Meyer Shank racing will form a technical alliance with Chip Ganassi Racing beginning in 2025, ending a multi year partnership with Andretti Global. Mike Shank told Marshall Pruet of RACER magazine that the new association was a matter of alignment with both the Indycar and IMSA side of his operation. Shank heaped praise on his team’s affiliation with Andretti Global, and he had no issues with anything during their partnership.

Meyer Shank has one open seat for 2025, the 66 currently driven by David Malukas, who has signed with A. J. Foyt for next season. The car has become more attractive to free agents with the new partnership with Ganassi.

Diffey Heads to NASCAR; Lee Takes Over

As expected, long time Indycar booth anchor will move to NBC’s NASCAR coverage as the lead booth announcer. Diffey has called Indycar races on television for more than a decade. While some fans don’t care for his style, I was fine with him. Thanks, Leigh, for all you’ve done for Indycar.

Veteran Kevin Lee will assume the anchor duties for the rest of the season. Lee does a fine job in the times he has filled in for Diffey, and I hope Fox picks him up as the lead when they take over Indycar broadcasts in 2025. Keeping him will make me dread the switch a bit less.

DHL, Ganassi Sign Multi-Year Agreement

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Chip Ganassi Racing and DHL today announced a multi-year agreement to sponsor Alex Palou in car10. DHL had been a long-time sponsor of car 28 for Andretti Global driven for several years by Ryan Hunter-Reay and in 2022 and 2023 by Romain Grosjean.

The official announcement:

Chip Ganassi Racing and DHL Express today announced a new multi-year partnership, establishing DHL as the primary partner of the No. 10 Honda driven by two-time and reigning NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Alex Palou. The new agreement sees the 15-time INDYCAR SERIES champions joining forces with the world’s leading global shipping and logistics company.

Palou and the No. 10 team will kick off their 2024 championship-defending season at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in March, just a few hundred miles away from the DHL Regional Headquarters in Plantation, Florida.

“I am extremely proud to welcome DHL to the Chip Ganassi Racing family,” said Chip Ganassi. “It is an honor to partner with an organization that shares our fundamental values of teamwork, growth, responsibility, and the pursuit of excellence. Together, we are committed to embodying those values both on and off the racetrack. I am looking forward to Alex and the No. 10 team defending their 2023 title with DHL on board. The road ahead holds great promise and potential, and I can’t wait to get started.”

Founded in 1969, DHL was established as a courier service that delivered clearance documents between San Francisco and Honolulu by air, so they would arrive at Customs before the freight itself. Today, DHL is the leading global brand in the logistics industry and one of the most international companies, with about 395,000 employees in more than 220 countries and territories worldwide.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Chip Ganassi Racing, an organization that has a rich history of success, deeply rooted in principles shared by DHL, such as a commitment to supporting the communities we call home, and the relentless pursuit of excellence by investing in our people who embody speed, passion, and dedication,” said Mike Parra, CEO of DHL Express Americas and Head of Global Sponsorships. “As we sponsor this winning motorsports team with Alex Palou behind the wheel, we look forward to many winning moments both on and off the track in the months and years to come.”

“It’s super exciting to announce our new partnership with DHL, a global leader in logistics. Representing such a successful and widely recognized brand is a true honor,” said Palou. “Their iconic yellow and red colors not only stand out, but they also remind me of my native Spain’s colors. As our team looks back at our remarkable success last year, we are eager to carry that momentum forward and aim for a third title with the support of DHL. I am especially thrilled to hit the ground running alongside the dedicated men and women of our 10-car crew in 2024.”

Palou’s 2023 season was one for the record books, as he became just the sixth driver in the 100-plus-year history of the sport to win multiple championships at 26 or younger (Mario Andretti, Sebastien Bourdais, A.J. Foyt, Sam Hornish Jr., Louis Meyer). He also became the first driver to clinch the championship prior to the season finale since 2007. 

The Barcelona, Spain, native will now be looking to secure a third career championship, something no driver has achieved since his teammate and six-time champion Scott Dixon in 2013 and Chip Ganassi Racing’s Advisor Dario Franchitti in 2010.

Champions Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Take Spotlight at Victory Lap Celebration ; Rasmussen Saluted for INDY NXT by Firestone Title

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INDIANAPOLIS (Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023) – Alex Palou was honored for his second NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship during the Victory Lap Celebration on Sept. 21, the headline of an incomparable 2023 season for Chip Ganassi Racing.
Palou dominated this season to earn another title to join his 2021 championship for Chip Ganassi Racing. He won a series-high five races in the No. 10 The American Legion Honda, with a total of 10 podium finishes in 17 races. Palou finished eighth or better in all 17 races this season and became the first INDYCAR SERIES driver to clinch the championship at least one race early since Sebastien Bourdais in 2007.
Spanish driver Palou won the Astor Challenge Cup for the title by 78 points over teammate and six-time series champion Scott Dixon, earning the 15th INDYCAR SERIES championship for Chip Ganassi Racing and the organization’s third in the last four seasons.
Palou was one of six members of Chip Ganassi Racing to receive special honors at the ceremony, which took place at the Gallagher Pavilion at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Marcus Armstrong of New Zealand received the Rookie of the Year Award as the top-finishing first-year driver in the standings. Armstrong scored five top-10 finishes in just 12 starts in the No. 11 Ridgeline Lubricants Honda to surpass full-time rookie Agustin Canapino of Juncos Hollinger Racing by 34 points in the standings.
Team owner Chip Ganassi accepted the Championship Owner Award, and Palou’s chief mechanic, Ricky Davis, was presented the Pennzoil Chief Mechanic Award. Additional season honors for the Ganassi team included the NTT INDYCAR SERIES Team Manager award to Barry Wanser and Blair Julian.
The awards haul was a reward for a dominant year by Indianapolis-based Chip Ganassi Racing. The team achieved the unprecedented feat of taking the top two spots in the driver standings and winning the Rookie of the Year title in one season.
While Palou’s winning margin in the driver standings was the largest since 2016, the Manufacturers Award race came down to the final laps at the season finale Sept. 10 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Chevrolet edged Honda by just 16 points to win its second consecutive engine manufacturer title and eighth overall since it returned to the series in 2012.
Mark Stielow, General Motors director of motorsport competition engineering, accepted the award on behalf of the Chevrolet team.
A successful first season with a rebrand and Firestone sponsorship for INDYCAR’s development series also was recognized at the Victory Lap Celebration, as Christian Rasmussen of HMD Motorsports was honored as 2023 INDY NXT by Firestone champion.
Rasmussen won a series-high five of the 14 races this season in the No. 6 HMD Motorsports with DCR entry. He beat Andretti Autosport’s Hunter McElrea to the title by 65 points.
Danish driver Rasmussen’s HMD teammate, Nolan Siegel, was named INDY NXT by Firestone Rookie of the Year. Siegel, from Palo Alto, California, finished third in the series standings with two victories.