IndyCar
Chip Ganassi Racing Signs Sara Price As Driver For New Extreme E Team
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (Pittsburgh Racing Now) – Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR) is putting Off-road Truck Champion and X Games Medalist Sara Price behind the wheel of their Extreme E team for the 2021 season.
Price will team with a to-be-determined male co-driver in CGR’s maiden electric racing venture to pilot a 550-horsepower ODYSSEY 21 electric SUV in extreme environments around the world that have been damaged or affected by climate and environmental issues.
Price, 27, is the first-ever female driver for CGR in the team’s 30-year history and is also the first female driver signed in the new series.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for me and something I’ve been working my whole career for,” said Price. “When you think of the name Chip Ganassi, you immediately think about winning. It’s a team I’ve long admired whether it be in INDYCAR, NASCAR, Sportscars or Rallycross. Chip’s teams define winning. As a racer, that’s the type of owner you want to race for. He’s a former driver and I’m honored to represent the team while also becoming the first female driver for CGR and Extreme E.”
“Today’s announcement of Sara Price as a Chip Ganassi Racing driver is significant,” said Mike Hull, Managing Director of CGR. “Yes, she is a female, but first, Sara is an accomplished race driver. She has proven herself in the all-terrain arena on two wheels or four wheels from a young age.”
Price started her career on dirt bikes at just 8-years-old and is a 19-time national Champion. Price became the first factory-supported female under Kawasaki in history. Price medaled in Women’s Super X at the 2010 X Games and holds the record as the winningest female amateur to date. Price is the first-ever woman to win the SCORE International Trophy Truck Spec championship, the first-ever woman to IronWoman the TT Spec class and finish, and the first-ever woman to finish second in the overall SCORE International Championship.
“Her next step represents her craft globally with several firsts,” said Hull. “She makes Chip Ganassi Racing the first to unveil and Extreme E driver; the first female in the series; and the first female driver in our team’s 30-year history.”
“We’re thrilled to welcome Sara Price to Extreme E,” said Alejandro Agag, Founder and CEO of Extreme E. “As a driver she has already achieved so much and with the support of an incredible team like Chip Ganassi Racing, I’m sure she will be a force to be reckoned with behind the wheel. Chip Ganassi Racing has certainly set the bar high with Sara and we look forward to welcoming the rest of our competitor field over the coming weeks.”
Extreme E will see team’s field a male and a female driver in its races who will compete together in every two-lap race with each driver completing one lap behind the wheel with a changeover incorporated into the race format.
“The series promotes a world’s-first gender equality platform,” said Hull. “Equal teammates have always defined Chip Ganassi Racing’s culture. Our drivers will unselfishly share in support of each other to get it done on-track and off-track. Our entire team is excited to have such a quality person in Sara to help stimulate team growth.”
“The 2021 season seems far away but there is much to be done to get ready in a new form of racing and for the challenges the series presents,” said Price. It’s a very exciting time not only for myself, but for this championship and the climate and environmental issues it intends to bring attention to.”
The 2021 Extreme E Season starts January 23-24, 2021 in Lac Rose, Dakar, Senegal.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (Pittsburgh Racing Now) – Jimmie Johnson is adding the full 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule to his racing activities for the upcoming year.
Johnson competed in 12-road and street course events for Chip Ganassi Racing in 2021 and finished the season by testing on the ovals at Texas Motor Speedway and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The 2021 experience and oval tests only served to ignite Johnson’s passion to compete in ‘The Greatest Spectacle In Racing’.
“I’m really excited about this next chapter of my career,” said Johnson. “The safety of these cars has come so far, and after I tested the ovals at Texas and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, I realized this was a challenge I wanted to undertake.”
We're in gear for the full 2022 @INDYCAR season, including the prestigious #INDY500.
Let's go, @JimmieJohnson! 🏎💨 #NoFinishLines pic.twitter.com/fTIYamdWQF
— Carvana Racing (@CarvanaRacing) December 15, 2021
Online automobile retailer Carvana returns to sponsor Johnson and will be on the No. 48 Honda for the Indianapolis 500 and every race except Iowa, where associate sponsor the American Legion will be featured.
“I can’t wait to be part of the Indianapolis 500, it’s a childhood dream come true,” said Johnson. “Last season was so incredible for me and I made a lot of progress, so I know I can be competitive on tracks that I have experience on.”
I’m going #FullTime next year! I can’t wait to get behind the wheel of the @Carvana machine for the full @INDYCAR season, including the #Indy500. #NoFinishLines pic.twitter.com/pCOUno42To
— Jimmie Johnson (@JimmieJohnson) December 15, 2021
Team owner Chip Ganassi is equally fired-up to see Johnson get back behind the wheel of one of his race cars.
“I am looking forward to seeing Jimmie get back on the track after having a year under his belt,” said Ganassi. “With all the experience he has on ovals from his NASCAR career and adding it to his 2021 experience in an Indy car, we think the IndyCar ovals will play right into his strength. I can’t wait for the 2022 season to begin.”
An announcement on the role of Tony Kanaan, who drove the No. 48 Honda in the oval races in 2021, is expected after the Holidays.
LONG BEACH, CA (Pittsburgh Racing Now) – In just his first year with the team Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou is your 2021 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Champion.
Palou’s 4th-place finish in Sunday’s season-ending Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach guaranteed the 24-year-old native of Spain his first INDYCAR Championship in his second season and the Ganassi team their 14th title since 1996.
“This team is amazing,” said Palou. “I’m super proud to be a part of Chip Ganassi Racing, all our partners. I’m super proud to be a champion and for the opportunity these guys gave me. What a race, what a year, what a season.”
“People win Championships,” said team owner Chip Ganassi. “The driver, the team, and especially the people behind the scenes, leaving the shop in the winter when it’s dark out and snowing, that don’t get the notoriety.”
Palou started the race in tenth position in the No. 10 NTT Data Honda. Palou’s closest Championship rival, Arrow McLaren SP’s Pato O’Ward, started the race in eighth position. Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden started on the pole position with Palou’s CGR teammate Scott Dixon alongside in second place in the No. 9 PNC Bank Grow Up Great Honda.
Newgarden took the lead in turn one with Dixon in tow as the field took the green flag. The race wasn’t even 2-laps old when Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser Sullivan’s Ed Jones made an ambitious attempt to pass James Hinchcliffe, but made contact with O’Ward with Palou right behind Jones!
.@PatricioOWard gets hit, but catches a lucky break with a full course caution.@Edjonesracing and @RyanHunterReay were also involved.
WATCH LIVE:
📺: NBCSN
📲: INDYCAR APP – https://t.co/vyuISIyifv#INDYCAR // #AGPLB pic.twitter.com/CG99ZXgmM7
— NTT INDYCAR SERIES (@IndyCar) September 26, 2021
O’Ward brought out the caution flag a short time later on lap 20 when the right rear driveshaft failed on the front stretch.
Early end to his day means an early end to @PatricioOWard and @ArrowMcLarenSP's championship hopes.#INDYCAR // #AGPLB
WATCH LIVE:
📺: NBCSN
📲: INDYCAR APP – https://t.co/vyuISIgHnX pic.twitter.com/I8Pg7HRQ8s— NTT INDYCAR SERIES (@IndyCar) September 26, 2021
The caution flag shuffled the field as some cars went to pit road for service while other cars stayed out to gain track position, giving the lead to Helio Castroneves, who took a turn at the front of the field until he went to pit road on lap 34, giving the lead to Colton Herta.
Herta earned his turn at the front as he was making moves through the field throughout the race and following the last restart, it was Newgarden and Dixon giving chase. Palou was behind Dixon in fourth doing what he needed to get the car to the checkered flag in one piece.
Herta pulled away in the end to a .5883-second victory, his ?? win of 2021. Newgarden finished second to jump O’Ward for second in the Championship, 38-points behind Palou.
Dixon finished third followed by Palou in fourth. Team Penske’s Simon Pagenaud rounded out the Top 5.
Alexander Rossi, Jack Harvey, Sebastian Bourdais, Takuma Sato and Will Power made up spots 6 through 10.
Honda claimed the Engine Manufacturer’s Championship for the fourth straight year.
LONG BEACH, CA (Pittsburgh Racing Now) – Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden is on the pole position for Sunday’s NTT INDYCAR SERIES season-ending Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.
Newgarden’s fast lap of 1-minute, 8.2241-seconds around the 11-turn, 1.968-mile street circuit was .2181-seconds faster than Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon’s best lap in the No. 9 PNC Bank Grow Up Great Honda.
The pole position and valuable Championship point is exactly what Newgarden needs to do to win his third series title. Newgarden enters the race in third position in the standings, 48-points behind leader Alex Palou, and must win, lead the most laps and hope Palou finishes 25th or worse.
“It’s very improbable for us to win this championship,” Newgarden said. “So, our goal is to win the race tomorrow. Let’s finish our season on a high note, and we’ll see what happens. I think it’s pretty unlikely, but you never say never in this sport.”
The only other driver with a shot at the Championship is Arrow McLaren SP’s Pato O’Ward, who will start eighth in the 28-car field. O’Ward also needs to win and hope for Palou to finish 25th or worse.
“Our car has been good,” said O’Ward. “We didn’t roll off the best, but I think we made some really good changes, just kept improving. We had enough for the Fast 6.”
Palou will start 10th in the No. 10 NTT Data Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Palou and O’Ward were on flying laps when they were forced to slow for a local yellow for Will Power, costing both valuable lap time which eventually cost both the ability to advance to the final round of knockout-style qualifying.
“That yellow flag didn’t help us at all,” said Palou. “I think we were going to be easy through, but racing stuff, right? I’m happy because the car’s good, a bit better than yesterday and this morning.”
“Kind of sucks to get hosed by a very odd call,” added O’Ward. “We should have been in the Fast 6.”
Palou must finish 12th or better – or 13th or better if he leads a lap – to clinch his first NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship and CGR’s 14th title since 1996!
Live coverage of the 85-lap race starts at 3 p.m. (ET) Sunday on NBCSN and the INDYCAR Radio Network. A 30-minute warmup starts at noon (ET), live on Peacock Premium.
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