Reigning Indianapolis 500 Champion to Run Fourth Car with NTT DATA Partnership
Chip Ganassi Racing Teams (CGRT) confirm an agreement has been reached with reigning Indianapolis 500 Winner, 2004 Series Champion and 16-time race winner Tony Kanaan on a multi-year deal to pilot a fourth entry for the full 2014 IndyCar Series season with sponsorship from NTT DATA, a leading global IT services provider,
Kanaan will join CGRT in the NTT DATA Indy car alongside four-time Series Champion and three-time Indianapolis 500 Winner Dario Franchitti, two-time Series Champion and Indianapolis 500 Winner Scott Dixon, and race winner Charlie Kimball.
Kanaan competed with Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (CGRFS) and NTT DATA earlier this season in a second Daytona Prototype (DP) fielded in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series’ Brickyard Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) along with driver Joey Hand. Kanaan and Hand drove the No. 02 NTT DATA BMW to a second place finish.
NOTES OF INTEREST:
• About Tony Kanaan: Brazilian Tony Kanaan began his Indy car racing career in 1998 and is a 16-time race winner as well as the 2004 Series Champion. He is the active leader in consecutive starts, with 212 consecutive Indy car starts, and has started every race since the Portland CART event in 2001.
• NTT DATA and Ganassi: NTT DATA began its relationship with CGRT earlier this season at the Indianapolis 500 partnering with Ganassi on the No. 8 NTT DATA Indy car. Following the Indianapolis 500, NTT DATA maintained an associate partnership with Ganassi on the No. 83 Indy car of Charlie Kimball and fielded a second Daytona Prototype in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series’ Brickyard Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) with Kanaan at the helm of the No. 02 NTT DATA Dinan-Prepared BMW Daytona Prototype. NTT DATA is also the official IT services partner to Chip Ganassi Racing Teams.
• By the Numbers: In 15 seasons of Indy car Series racing, Kanaan has 273 starts, 16 wins, 15 poles and over 3,336 laps led.
QUOTEBOARD:
Tony Kannan, Driver: “I couldn’t be happier to join this organization. They are the gold standard that all IndyCar teams measure themselves against. Chip has created a fantastic organization that judges success by just one thing – WINNING, both races and championships. I can’t wait for next year to get here. This is a very big day for me.”
John McCain, President and CEO, NTT DATA, Inc.: “Expanding our relationship with the Ganassi Racing Team was only natural given the success we’ve had together during the 2013 season. Their focus and dedication to put a winning team on the track each and every race is a great example for our clients and our employees. And now with the experience and energy that Tony brings to the program, we can’t wait for the 2014 season to begin.”
Chip Ganassi, Owner, Chip Ganassi Racing Teams, Inc.: “It is not all the time that you can find yourself as an owner with drivers that represent seven championships, five Indianapolis 500 victories and over 75 wins. That feels pretty good. I think TK will add a lot to this organization, not only from his talent behind the wheel but also from his leadership skills off the track. I am very exciting to add TK to an already talented group of drivers. We couldn’t ask for a better partner than NTT DATA and we’re thrilled to extend our relationship.
About NTT DATA
NTT DATA is your Innovation Partner anywhere around the world, with operations in more than 35 countries. NTT DATA emphasizes long-term commitment and combines global reach and local intimacy to provide premier professional services from consulting, application services, business process and IT outsourcing to cloud-based solutions.
Photo by Chris Owens/INDYCAR
