INDY 500: Stewart, Vasser to drive for Ganassi this month at Indy
Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
May 8, 2001INDIANAPOLIS - 1996-97 Indy Racing League champion Tony Stewart and 1996 CART champion Jimmy Vasser will defend the Indianapolis 500 title this year for Target Chip Ganassi Racing, team owner Chip Ganassi announced May 7.
The 85th Indianapolis 500 is scheduled for May 27. Juan Montoya won last year at Indy in Ganassi's first entry at the Brickyard since 1995.
Stewart, now a NASCAR Winston Cup star, and Vasser replace Ganassi CART rookies Bruno Junqueira and Nicolas Minassian at Indy only.
"Tony and Jimmy are talented drivers who know their way around the Brickyard, and I'm confident they give Team Target a great chance to win back-to-back Indy 500 titles," Ganassi said. "Bruno and Nicolas are great drivers, and they'll get their chance to race at Indy, but they've lost some valuable experience - especially on ovals - with this year's two canceled CART races (in Rio de Janeiro and Fort Worth, Texas).
"Winning the Indy 500 is also a goal this year, and I believe Tony and Jimmy give us the best shot at doing that."
Stewart, from Rushville, Ind., started from the pole and won Bank One Rookie of the Year honors at Indy in 1996. He will attempt to make his fifth Indianapolis 500 start this year in the No. 33 Target Chip Ganassi Racing G Force/Oldsmobile/Firestone. Stewart's last Indianapolis 500 start came in 1999, when he finished ninth.
"I knew that if I was going to race at Indy again that it would be with a talented team that would give me a great opportunity to win," said Stewart, who will also compete in NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600 on May 27 in Charlotte, N.C. "Driving in the Indy 500 for a top-notch organization like Target Racing is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I'm very appreciative of Home Depot and Joe Gibbs for giving me this chance."
"I grew up in Indianapolis, so winning this race was obviously one of my dreams. Team Target dominated here last year, and I'm planning to start up where they left off in 2000."
Vasser, who drives in the CART series for Patrick Racing, led five laps during last year's Indianapolis 500 and finished seventh. He will attempt to make his sixth Indianapolis 500 start in the No. 44 Target Chip Ganassi Racing G Force/Oldsmobile/Firestone. Vasser, from Las Vegas, drove for Ganassi from 1995-2000, winning the CART title in 1996.
"Returning to the Indy 500 last year was one of the highlights of my career, so it will feel great to drive for Team Target again and try to give them two in a row," Vasser said. "I've had some nice wins throughout my career, but winning at Indy has always been a goal, and I'm thrilled Chip, Target and Patrick Racing are giving me another chance to compete here."
Text provided by Paul Kelly
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