TEAM REPORT (FORTH WORTH) - TOUGH TIMES IN TEXAS FOR TARGET TEAM

Target Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon and Dan Wheldon were running second and third with 31 laps left in the Bombardier Learjet 550K when both were collected in a multi-car pile-up while passing lapped traffic at Texas Motor Speedway. While Wheldon’s night was immediately over, the Target team was able to repair some damage to the no.9 Target car to get it back out to finish the race, gain some valuable spots and points in the standings, and kept Dixon’s streak of running at the finish alive at 23 consecutive races.

Prior to the six car accident, both Target cars battled up front throughout much of the race with Wheldon leading 52 laps and Dixon leading six, while battling eventual race winner Sam Hornish Jr. for the checkered flag. Dixon crossed the finish line in tenth place while Wheldon was credited with a 15th place finish.

After seven races, Scott Dixon retains his third place position in the IndyCar Series Championship standings with 234 points, 19 points behind leader Dario Franchitti (253 points) and seven behind the second place position of Tony Kanaan (241 points). Dan Wheldon (233 points) drops down to fourth place just one point behind his Target teammate. Race winner Sam Hornish Jr. rounds out the top five with 226 points.

The Target team will test the road course at Mid-Ohio this week before preparing for the next IndyCar race, Iowa Corn Growers Indy™ 250 presented by Ethanol at Iowa Speedway on June 22-24

TARGET CHIP GANASSI RACING QUOTEBOARD:

Scott Dixon: “I saw AJ Foyt IV loose a wheel ahead and no one else slowed up and I got collected from behind. It was an average day as the no.9 Target car might not have been strong enough to win but was going to be a top three finish. In the end, the important thing is that the Target crew worked together and got me back out there for a few more spots and some valuable points. The Target guys did a great job and stuck it out.”

Dan Wheldon: “It’s just one of those things. It’s hard to avoid when you are in the middle of it and there’s not too much you can do. It’s a shame for everybody at Target Chip Ganassi Racing. We had a tough weekend and lacked a bit of speed. It wasn’t for lack of trying but we were just a little bit off Sam’s (Hornish Jr.) pace. We’ll just keep working hard I’ve had stuff like this happen to me before and it’s times like this where you need to show how strong you are and bounce back.”