Ganassi Racing Teams Complete Historic Day With Three Victories In Three Different Series
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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.
GANASSI WINS TRIPLE CROWN: Earlier this month Chip Ganassi also made history by becoming the first owner to win what has become known as the American Racing Triple Crown. Ganassi's NASCAR team picked up wins in the 52nd running of the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400 with Jamie McMurray behind the wheel of the No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet and the Indianapolis 500 with Dario Franchitti in the cockpit of the No. 10 Target Honda. It was also the first time in one season that an owner has won both of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's marquee events.
OVERALL: With 14 wins already in 2010, Chip Ganassi Racing Teams continues to add to their tally of 129 trips to victory lane. Ganassi's teams now include two IZOD IndyCar Series entries, and along with Felix Sabates and Teresa Earnhardt he has two cars in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and a Daytona Prototype in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series. Ganassi's IndyCar teams have amassed seven Championships and 78 wins; his NASCAR teams have 15 wins, a trip to the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and two Rookie-of-the-Year titles; and the GRAND-AM team has won three Rolex Series Daytona Prototype Championships and are an unprecedented three-time winners of the Rolex 24 At Daytona.