1. Scott Dixon, No.9 Target Honda Dallara
2. Dario Franchitti, No.10 Target Honda Dallara
3. Graham Rahal, No.02 Honda Dallara
Dixon Wins, Franchitti Takes Over Point Lead in Target Sweep at Richmond
RICHMOND, Va. (June 28, 2009)-Team Target driver Scott Dixon started second, led 161 laps and won Saturday night’s SunTrust Indy Challenge at Richmond International Raceway, tying him with Sam Hornish Jr. for the most wins in IndyCar Series history with 19. The win marked the 69th overall for Target Chip Ganassi Racing (TCGR) and the fifth in eight IndyCar races this season.
Dixon’s TCGR teammate Dario Franchitti scored his second pole of the season (20th overall), but lost the lead on a Lap 139 pit stop under yellow when the team had to come in for fuel. Franchitti led 65 laps and scored his sixth top five finish of the season with a second-place result.
It was a big night for Team Target in the point standings as Franchitti moved from second to first in IndyCar points with 279, while Dixon jumped from third to second in the standings with 278 (-1) at the halfway point of the season.
The 2009 IndyCar Series season continues July 5 with the Camping World Grand Prix at The Glen at Watkins Glen International. The race will be telecast live in High Definition at 1:00 p.m. (EDT) by ABC. The race will air live on the IMS Radio Network, XM channel 145 and Sirius channel 211. The radio broadcast also will be carried on www.indycar.com.
Notes:
- - Dixon drove to an IndyCar Series-best third win of the season, and his second at Richmond
- - It was Dixon’s 19th career IndyCar win, (20th overall in open wheel racing)
- - In total, Chip Ganassi Racing Teams now has 110 race wins over open wheel, stock car and sports car racing (1990-Present)
TCGR Quoteboard:
Scott Dixon: "Richmond has been a place I've wanted to win at again for quite some time. You know, we won here in 2003. To come through and get the points when we need them and have such a great day points-wise over the Penske cars was very, very big. I definitely hand it to Team Target. The guys definitely had it covered with a 1-2 and almost putting the majority of the field almost a lap down."
Dario Franchitti: "It's a great 1-2 for the Target team. It came down to a yellow. We were very close on fuel and had to come in when the pits are closed. We couldn't pass. We were a second slower when we were in traffic. I have to apologize to the fans because that was an awful, awful race. There's nothing the drivers can do about it. We're trying as hard as we can. It was a terrible race, but the bright spot is a 1-2 for Team Target."
About Target Chip Ganassi Racing
On the strength of eight wins in 17 races, Target Chip Ganassi Racing is the reigning IndyCar Series champion and Indianapolis 500 winner. Chip Ganassi created his own one-car IndyCar team in 1990 and established a partnership with sponsor, Target. Today, Target Chip Ganassi Racing includes two entries in the Indy Racing League for 2008 IndyCar Series champion and Indianapolis 500 winner Scott Dixon, and 2007 IndyCar Series champion and Indianapolis 500 winner Dario Franchitti. Target Chip Ganassi Racing has collected six Championships and 69 wins since 1994 and operates out of a state-of-the-art race shop facility in Indianapolis, Ind., with a corporate office in Pittsburgh, Pa.
For more information log onto www.chipganassiracing.com
