Team Target heads into 2010 poised for another banner year. The dominant IndyCar duo of Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti combined for 10 wins in 17 races last season, tying a Ganassi team record. And Juan Pablo Montoya amassed seven top-five and 18 top-10 finishes, plus two pole positions on his way to his first appearance in the Chase before finishing eighth in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point standings.

 

Chip Ganassi and Target began their partnership in 1990 with the creation of a one-car IndyCar team. Since then, Target Chip Ganassi Racing has collected seven championship titles and 74 wins, including two Indianapolis 500 victories.

 

Headquartered in Indianapolis, the team solidified its place in open-wheel racing history early on. Chip Ganassi became the first owner to lead a team to four consecutive championships from 1996 to 1999. In 2000, Montoya won the Indianapolis 500, claiming the title for his team, which had not raced at the famed Brickyard since 1995.

 

In 2003, following a switch from the CART Series to the Indy Racing League, Ganassi and Team Target driver Scott Dixon proved they could meet the challenge of a new series and new competition by capturing the 2003 IndyCar Series Championship.

 

Dixon had a dream season in 2008, winning a series-record six races en route to the championship, while picking up the team’s second Indianapolis 500 win in the process.

 

Franchitti joined the team last season and promptly walked away with the 2009 IndyCar Series Championship and five overall wins, while Target teammate Dixon finished second in the points after also finishing with five wins.  It was the first time that the Target IndyCar program ever finished 1-2 in the season standings –  and also gave them back-to-back titles. 

 

The Target NASCAR program began in 2002 and made its debut in the Chase for the Sprint Cup last season with Montoya behind the wheel. The Colombian made history by becoming the first Latino, first Formula 1 driver, and Indianapolis 500 winner to ever make the Chase.

 

Montoya’s eighth-place finish for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates in the season point standings was the highest ever for Target in NASCAR.

 

2010 marks the 21^st year of partnership between Target and Chip Ganassi Racing.