Chip Ganassi Racing weekend report 2010-08-09

Chip Ganassi Racing Teams Complete Historic Day with Three Victories Across Three Different Series

Ganassi's Teams Capture Rare Hat Trick with Wins in Rolex GRAND-AM Series and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in Watkins Glen and in the IZOD IndyCar Series in Mid-Ohio

CONCORD, N.C. (Aug. 9, 2010) - Chip Ganassi Racing Teams, Inc. celebrated a historic weekend by picking up three wins across three different series. It marked the first time Ganassi's teams have won in all three of the series in the same weekend. Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas started things off when they won the Rolex GRAND-AM Series event at Watkins Glen International on Saturday night. Then, Juan Pablo Montoya picked up a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) victory by also winning at Watkins Glen on Sunday afternoon. That win was immediately followed by Dario Franchitti completing the hat-trick with an IZOD IndyCar Series win at Mid-Ohio.

The win by Juan Pablo Montoya in the No. 42 Target Chevrolet marked Target's first NSCS win and their first-ever two-win day. The two wins were Team Target's 84th and 85th overall wins.

* ROLEX GRAND-AM SERIES: The weekend began with Rojas and Pruett starting their No. 01 TELMEX BMW Powered Riley from the pole and then going on to pick up their fourth win in the last five races. Rojas and Pruett have dominated the series thus far in 2010 winning seven of 10 races and finishing second in two of the other three. They lead the series point standings with just two races remaining on the schedule.

* NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES: On Sunday, Montoya drove his No. 42 Target Chevrolet to a dominating victory in the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at the Glen. It was Montoya's second career NSCS win in 131 starts - both coming on road courses. The win marked the first NSCS win for Target who has been a full-time sponsor in the series since 2002. Montoya started in the third position and quickly made his way to the front and would ultimately lead 74 of the 90 laps. The win was the third of the season for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates after Jamie McMurray won both the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400.

* IZOD INDYCAR SERIES: The historic day was capped off with Dario Franchitti picking up his first win since winning the 2010 Indianapolis 500 and moved closer to first place in the IZOD IndyCar Series standings, in second place just 41 points behind leader Will Power. The win marked the 78th for Team Target in Indy Car racing since their relationship began with Chip Ganassi in 1990. The victory was also Franchitti's 25th in his career and the fourth of the season for Target Chip Ganassi Racing.

* AN INTERNATIONAL FEEL: Between Pruett, Rojas, Montoya and Franchitti, they represent six championships, three Indy 500 wins, seven Rolex 24 At Daytona wins and over 100 professional victories. In addition, they represent four different countries - Pruett (United States), Rojas (Mexico), Montoya (Colombia) and Franchitti (Scotland).

* MCMURRAY CONTINUES CLIMB TOWARDS THE CHASE: With his sixth-place finish at Watkins Glen on Sunday, the 2010 Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 Winner continued his climb towards the coveted 12th position in the NSCS points standings. McMurray entered Watkins Glen in the 17th position, 172 points outside of the top 12. But, with his impressive sixth-place finish at Watkins Glen, McMurray moved up two positions to 15th, just 94 back from 12th - the cutoff for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

-source: cgr