The streets of Sao Paulo, Brazil, will roar with the sound of IndyCars this weekend as the opening round of the 2010 season gets underway.
Keen to get started is Target Chip Ganassi Racing particularly after a harsh winter at their home base in Indianapolis. “Our Target group is energized to finally get the 2010 IZOD IndyCar season started with Brazil,” says managing director Mike Hull. “When you spend a Midwest winter like we’re having, it keeps every team member under the roof here in Indianapolis working to make our product better.”
Chief sponsor Target celebrates its 20th anniversary in open wheel racing with Target Chip Ganassi Racing in 2010. Since the formation of this dominant force in motorsports, the Target IndyCar team has amassed seven championship titles and 74 wins, including two Indianapolis 500 victories.. The duo of Scott Dixon (Two-time IndyCar Series Champion and 2008 Indianapolis 500 Winner) and Dario Franchitti (Two-time and reigning IndyCar Series Champion and 2007 Indianapolis 500 Winner) represent Team Target on the track for the second straight season in 2010.
But the makeup of the 2010 season is quite different to previous years and a challenge as Hull comments: “The composition of the series has certainly changed with three street races and a natural terrain road track as the first four events. Unlike the wide-open ovals, it’s tough to pass on road & street tracks so it puts a premium on qualifying and race-craft. The common denominator of Franchitti and Dixon is that they are two of the best in the business, who as teammates have won races by sharing the subtleties of the set-up. When you are comparing every bump on a street circuit - that makes a difference.”
Target Chip Ganassi will field two drivers – Kiwi Scott Dixon and Scotsman Dario Franchitti. Sunday’s race will be Dixon’s first in Brazil and his 114th IndyCar Series race. He has finished first or second in the standings the past three seasons and will seek to finish on top this season. Since the start of the 2007 season, the Kiwi has won 15 races and posted 33 podium finishes in 52 events.
The race is timed to go at 5:30am NZ time Monday 15th March 2010
