Chip Ganassi looks to win auto racing "triple crown"

Chip Ganassi is a legendary auto racing owner trying to go where no other owner has gone before. Ganassi owns teams in NASCAR, IZOD IndyCar and the Rolex sportscar series.

In February his NASCAR team captured the “Super Bowl” of the sport. Jamie McMurray won the Daytona 500, Ganassi’s first Daytona 500 win. Then, in May, Dario Franchitti won the Indianapolis 500, making Ganassi the first owner in racing history to have both the Indy 500 and Daytona 500 trophies in his trophy case.

“Obviously our drivers get up for big events,” the 52-year-old Ganassi said. “They seem to like those places. Our guys like the places where the big races are held. Fortunately our guys are good at the tracks where they have the big races.”

Ganassi had an unbelievable chance to win the Brickyard 400 last season with Juan Pablo Montoya. Montoya, the 2000 Indy 500 winner, led 116 of the 160 laps, but was caught speeding on pit road with less than 30 laps remaining to end his chances of taking a stock car to victory lane at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Montoya ended up finishing 11th in the race, but coming that close to victory hasn’t deterred Montoya. And his owner certainly has faith in him.

“What makes him so good is that he drives every lap. He races every lap,” Ganassi said. “Having said that, there are certain tracks that guys like…Everybody’s got something they like and Juan gets around Indianapolis well.”

In order for Ganassi to pull off an unprecedented motor sports feat, Ganassi’s NASCAR boys are going to have to get around Indianapolis well starting on Friday afternoon when the Sprint Cup cars head out at 2 p.m. for practice.

“Drivers are always looking for a particular feel in a car and if they get that feel at a particular track, they take off,” Ganassi said. “What does it for Juan at Indianapolis? I don’t know, but he and Jamie both like that place, so I’m excited.”

And given his track record in big-time races this season, it should be a successful Sunday in Speedway, Ind., for Ganassi. If McMurray or Montoya happen to win, their owner knows where Victory Lane is at Indy. He’ll just meet them there to collect his third big trophy of this year.
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