TEAM TARGET PREPARES FOR EDMONTON

Target Chip Ganassi Racing Edmonton Advance Notes
Race:  Edmonton Indy on Sunday, July 22 (2:45 p.m. ET, NBC Sports)
Track:  Edmonton City Centre Airport (2.256-mile street/airport course)
Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

NOTES/NEWS

Follow Team Target on Twitter:  Continue to follow @TCGRTeams for official updates from Target Chip Ganassi Racing (TCGR).

Making History Together:  Minneapolis-based Target celebrates its 23rd anniversary in motorsports with Chip Ganassi Racing in 2012.  Since its formation, Target Chip Ganassi Racing (TCGR) has amassed 88 victories and nine titles (1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011), including four Indianapolis 500 victories (2000, 2008, 2010, 2012).  The 2012 season includes two full-time entries in the IZOD IndyCar Series with Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti and a full-time entry in the NASCAR Sprint Car Series (NSCS) for 1999 CART Champion and 2000 Indianapolis 500 Winner Juan Pablo Montoya.  Team Target continues to feature some of the world’s most accomplished race car drivers.

Managing Director Mike Hull on Edmonton:  “Our Target Team heads to another great Canadian IZOD IndyCar race event this weekend in Edmonton.  It’s a street race event held on the eastern runways of the downtown Edmonton City Centre Airport.  Our Target drivers have won in the even numbered years, so Scott and Dario will be focused to continue.  The Airport runways and taxiways are constructed of large concrete sections, so unlike asphalt, the grip level increases quickly as the rubber is put down.  To put it into perspective, imagine working to get it right on your concrete driveway.  There is also a lot of challenge due to the uneven surfaces as your cross the transitions.  You would think that it would simply be 90 degree corners, but it includes a great combination of flowing low, intermediate, and high speed sections which provide great passing zones, with lots of spectator visibility.  See you this Sunday.”

TCGR at Edmonton:  TCGR drivers have made eight starts from the Streets of Edmonton in four races, earning two victories (2008, 2011: Dixon), five podiums, seven top-10 finishes and leading 36 laps.  Team Target drivers have not started outside of the top-10 in any of the eight races at Edmonton.

By the Numbers:  In eight starts at Edmonton, TCGR drivers have an average start and finish position of 4.6 and 5.7, respectively.  With five podium finishes, Team Target drivers have finished in the top-three at Edmonton in 62 percent of their starts.  TCGR has completed 716 of 722 laps run at Edmonton, or 99 percent.

Taking to the Streets:  In 113 races on street circuits, TCGR drivers have made 210 starts, earning 23 wins, 19 poles, 55 podiums and 81 top-five finishes.  Since 1990, Team Target drivers have led 1,761 out of a possible 9,968 laps (17.6 percent) run on street courses.

On Target:  Since becoming Target teammates in 2009, Dixon and Franchitti have participated in 20 races on street circuits, making 40 starts between the two.  In those 40 starts, Dixon and Franchitti have earned six wins, four poles, 14 podiums and have led 422 laps.  Together the pair holds an average start of 5.1 and an average finish of 8.4 on street circuits.

Topping the Charts:  Franchitti and Dixon rank first and second, respectively, in the number of victories among active drivers in the IZOD IndyCar Series.  Franchitti is tied for seventh on the all-time wins list with Sebastien Bourdais and Paul Tracy at 31 victories.  Dixon currently holds sole-possession of 11th on the all-time wins list with 28.

Honda Power:  Honda remains second in the manufacturer point standings with 69 points, -12 markers behind Chevrolet.  Lotus is third with 40 points.

There’s an App for that:  Chip Ganassi Racing Teams (CGRT) and SapientNitro SM recently re-launched an updated mobile application, which is one of the first for the high-velocity world of racing.  The application brings fans updated driver and event information, and exclusive content in one centralized and expansive mobile experience, bringing to life the rich heritage and legendary success of CGRT.  The unique mobile application conveys the high-octane rush of the racing experience for a team that competes at the highest levels in three series – NSCS, IZOD IndyCar Series and GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series.  Click here to visit the iTunes Application store and download the CGRT mobile app.

SCOTT DIXON AND THE NO. 9 TARGET TEAM

Dixon on Twitter:  Catch the latest from the driver of the No. 9 Target Honda by following Dixon’s personal twitter account, @scottdixon9.

Connected:  Fans can check out Dixon’s season-long blog throughout the 2012 campaign on www.Racer.com. 

Toronto Recap:  Dixon lined up fifth on the starting grid and at the drop of the green moved into fourth, where he would run the opening seven laps.  On Lap 8, a mechanical failure in the No. 9 Target Honda forced Dixon to retire from the race, finishing 25th.

Happy Birthday:  The driver of the No. 9 Target Honda celebrates his 32nd birthday this race day, aiming for his third win in Edmonton.  In 2001 Dixon became the then-youngest winner of a major open-wheel event when he won at Nazareth Speedway after starting 23rd.

Light ‘Em Up:  Dixon has 10 starts in races on, or the weekend after his birthday.  In those starts, he has accumulated three wins (Mid-Ohio: 2007; Edmonton: 2008, 2010), four podiums, seven top-10 finishes and led 66 laps.

Career at Edmonton:  In four starts from the Streets of Edmonton, Dixon has two wins, three podiums and has led 34 laps.  He has an average start of 3.5 and an average finish of seventh.  In his four visits to Edmonton, Dixon has never qualified lower than fourth and has finished outside of the top-three only one time.

Edmonton Rewind:  Dixon started the race third and ran inside the top-three throughout the first stint of the race.  After a Lap 26 caution, Dixon found himself fifth before an on-track incident took him out of contention and forced the Target crew to repair the car behind the wall.  After spending five laps off track, Dixon returned and was able to move up three positions to finish 23rd. 

Strong on the Streets:  In 41 career Indy car street circuit starts, Dixon has earned three wins, two poles, 10 podiums, 18 top-10 finishes and led 220 laps.  He has an average start of seventh and an average finish of 11.6.

Leading the way:  Dixon has led the most laps in four races this season (St. Pete: 37; Barber: 38; Detroit: 60; Texas: 133).

In the Points:  Dixon is now fourth in the IZOD IndyCar Series point standings with 281 points, -54 points behind new leader, Ryan Hunter-Reay.

Making History:  Dixon is a two-time IZOD IndyCar Series Champion, earning titles in 2003 and 2008.  Dixon holds sole possession of 11th on the all-time wins list with 28 victories and is tied with Bobby Rahal and Rex Mays for 16th on the all-time poles list with 18. 

DARIO FRANCHITTI AND THE NO. 10 TARGET TEAM

Franchitti on Twitter:  Catch the latest from the driver of the No. 10 Target Honda by following Franchitti’s personal twitter account, @dariofranchitti.

Starting a Streak:  Franchitti’s pole in the Honda Indy Toronto from the Streets of Toronto extended his consecutive pole streak to three, which is the longest of his career.  After starting second in Texas and sitting on the pole in Milwaukee, Iowa and Toronto, the No. 10 Target Honda now has four consecutive front row starts.

Toronto Recap:  For the third consecutive race this season, Franchitti started from the pole – which marked the longest such streak of his Indy car racing career.  With a strong initial start, the No. 10 Target Honda held the lead for the first five laps of the 85-lap race.  He ran in second until making his first pit-stop of the day under caution on Lap 20.  There was a delay in fueling the car, which dropped them back to 20th in the running order.  Franchitti gradually worked his way back up through the field until being involved in a late-race incident, finishing 17th.

Oh Canada:  In 20 career starts in Canada, Franchitti has tallied six wins, six poles, 10 podiums, 11 top-fives and led 414 laps.  His average start is 4.1 and his average finish is 8.9 in the Great White North.  Franchitti’s six career wins in Canada have come at Vancouver: 1998, 2002; Montreal: 2002 and Toronto: 1999, 2009, 2011.
 
Career at Edmonton:  In three career starts at Edmonton, Franchitti has earned two podiums, three top-five finishes and completed all 270 laps.  He has qualified fourth twice and in his three starts has never started lower than sixth.  He has an average start and finish of 4.7 and 3.7, respectively.

Edmonton Rewind:  Franchitti started the afternoon fourth and kept the No. 10 Target Honda inside the top-four for much of the early part of the race.  Following a restart on Lap 30, Franchitti avoided an accident in front of him and rebounded in 10th.  He worked his way back into the top-five by Lap 50 of the 80-lap event.  Following the team’s final green flag stop, Franchitti moved into the top-three and stayed there for the remainder of the race.  The No. 10 Target Honda took the checkered-flag third.

King of the Streets:  In his Indy car career, Franchitti has participated in 65 races on street circuits, earning 11 wins, 10 poles, 26 podiums and leading 767 laps.  He has an average start of 5.8 and an average finish of 8.5.