Long Beach To Honor Vasser And Target Chip Ganassi Racing

Long Beach, Apr. 2, 2011: The City of Long Beach and the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach will honor Jimmy Vasser and Target Chip Ganassi Racing at the sixth Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame induction ceremony April 14.

Both honorees have won the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach during their careers.

"Jimmy Vasser and the Target Chip Ganassi Racing team have made legendary contributions to the field of motorsports, and I am delighted that they are being honored in the Motorsports Walk of Fame," said Mayor Bob Foster, who will be presenting the medallions to the honorees. "Every year the Walk of Fame ceremony kicks off a great week of Grand Prix events that bring thousands to Long Beach."

The event is part of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach weekend, featuring the IZOD IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights races.

Vasser won the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach in 1996, which helped him earn the CART PPG Cup Championship that year. In 2010, he took another checkered flag in Long Beach when he won the Pro category of the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race. He also holds the record for most consecutive starts - 211 - and finished in the top 10 in 136 of his 238 starts.

Overall, he has 10 wins, 33 podiums and nine poles. He is currently co-owner of the KV Racing Technology - Lotus team in the IZOD IndyCar Series.

Target Chip Ganassi Racing has five wins at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach (1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2009) and a total of 81 Indy car victories, including three Indianapolis 500 wins (2000, 2008, 2010). Its most recent victory was in the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg this past weekend.

Team owner Chip Ganassi is the only owner to win the Daytona 500, Indianapolis 500, Brickyard 400 and Rolex 24 at Daytona within a 12-month period. Vasser is among one of his former drivers.