Chip Ganassi Racing is on track to equal its best season to date, and possibly even surpass it, as the team's two drivers attempt to win at least 10 races this season.
CGR teammates Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon have combined to win eight of the season's 14 races so far. There are three remaining, and both drivers are aiming for victory lane as they also attempt to win the IndyCar Series championship.
"I think between Dario and I we've got cars in the Target team that can win all those last three races," Dixon said. "That's the attitude. We have to go out there and try and dominate and hopefully we can win another championship."
CGR's winningest open wheel season on record came in the 19-race CART season in 1998 with drivers Alex Zanardi and Jimmy Vasser. Zanardi won seven races that year, while Vasser won three.
This season, Franchitti and Dixon have each won four races, including each winning one of the last two races. With Franchitti's victory last weekend in Sonoma, CGR celebrated its second consecutive year with eight victories.
Both are within striking distance of the points lead, with Franchitti down by four points and Dixon 20 behind leader Ryan Briscoe. Dixon is the defending champion. He won his second series champion last year on the strength of six victories.
Franchitti raced in NASCAR last year instead of opting to defend his only series championship from 2007. He captured four victories en route to his title driving for Andretti-Green Racing.
He isn't as optimistic as Dixon about making it to victory lane during the last three races.
"Right now we have three oval races to focus on. It's going to be a challenge," Franchitti said. "Scott is the reigning champion, I know how good he is and he's got the same equipment as me."
Franchitti doesn't have a very strong record on the tracks left on the schedule. Only one of his victories this season came on an oval track. He's captured eight oval wins out of a career win total of 12, including a victory at Chicagoland Speedway in 2007.
But, that victory is his only one on the three tracks left and came with Andretti-Green Racing. Franchitti's average finish at Chicagoland Speedway is 11.0 with three starts; 11.6 at Homestead-Miami Speedway with five starts; and 9.5 at the Twin Ring Motegi in Japan in four starts.
Dixon, on the other hand, may bring CGR its winningest season single handedly. He has won three races on ovals this season and 13 in his career. He is the defending winner at HMS, after winning his second race there in the season opener last season.
At Chicagoland, Dixon is especially hungry for victory lane. In six starts, he's been the runner-up four times. He's only had one finish outside of the top 10 there, a DNF in 2005 due to a gearbox issue.
Dixon has three top fives in six races at Motegi with an average finish of 9.5.
The teammates will take to the track for this weekend's activities beginning with the first practice Friday at 10:30 a.m. (ET). Qualifying is set for 2:30 p.m. later that day and precedes the ARCA RE/MAX Series/NASCAR Camping World Truck Series double header.
The PEAK Antifreeze Indy 300 takes the green flag Saturday, Aug. 29 at 10 p.m. (ET).
