IndyCar News

Road Course Rivals

IndyCar.com

September 22, 2009

Target Chip Ganassi Racing teammates Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti are headed for an Oct. 10 showdown at Homestead-Miami Speedway to crown the IndyCar Series champion. This weekend in the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta, they'll attempt to put two American Le Mans Series teams on their way to a title.

Franchitti, the 2007 IndyCar Series champion who is five points behind front-runner Dixon through 16 of 17 rounds, will join Patron Highcroft Racing at the 1,000-mile/10-hour endurance race for the second consecutive year. The team, of which 2006 IndyCar Series co-champion Scott Sharp is a driver, has a 17-point lead in the LMP1 title chase.

Its closest pursuer is de Ferran Motorsports, which will welcome Dixon into its stable for the second year. Both teams are factory-backed Acura ARX-02a outfits.

Franchitti also joined Sharp and co-driver David Brabham at Sebring earlier this year.

"In watching the job that the Patron Highcroft guys have done over the season and talking to the team about the development of the car, it appears the car has come a long way since I first drove it back at Sebring," said Franchitti, who on Sept. 25 will interrupt the sports car weekend to test in the No. 10 Target Chip Ganassi Racing car on the Homestead-Miami Speedway oval.

"The long-distance element is a lot of fun. You really have to concentrate very hard on the traffic situation and plan your passing attempts very carefully. It brings a whole new dimension to your driving. The Patron Highcroft boys have been doing a great job all season and I would love to help them in some small way to achieve their championship goal. I'm very much aware of what my job is going to be at Petit."

Added Brabham: "Having Dario back onboard will be great and, compared to his last drive at Sebring, we should see significant improvements - both from the Acura and Dario himself. The last time he drove the car he was coming off a NASCAR season, but now he is in the middle of a very successful IndyCar year and I think that should help quite a bit.

"The car was very new at Sebring and we have developed it quite a bit so I think he'll notice a significant improvement at Petit Le Mans and it will give him a lot of confidence."

Dixon gave de Ferran Motorsports, competing in its first full year in the series, the overall pole position at Sebring. He'll also excuse himself to test at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

"I've always enjoyed the chances I've gotten in the past to join (2003 Indianapolis 500 winner Gil de Ferran) and Simon (Pagenaud) in the ALMS and, specifically, at Petit Le Mans," Dixon said. "I know that de Ferran Motorsports always assembles a strong team and I'm looking forward to doing my part to hopefully put us in a position to be in contention."