Longtime NTT IndyCar Series team owner Chip Ganassi, whose career includes driving Indy cars, will be honored beginning next month with an exhibit at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.
The exhibit titled “Chip Ganassi Racing: Fast Tracks to Success -- 30th Anniversary Tribute” will present significant vehicles, trophies and more items that exemplify the success of Ganassi's race teams. Ganassi will formally be honored April 15, 2020 at the Petersen’s Annual Racers Night before the Long Beach Grand Prix.
Located in the Charles Nearburg Family Gallery, the 10 key vehicles on display will include the 1983 Patrick Wildcat MK9B raced by Ganassi to his best finish in the Indianapolis 500; the Lexus-powered 2006 Riley MK XI raced by Scott Dixon at the Rolex 24 At Daytona; the 2010 Dallara IR-05 driven to victory by Dario Franchitti in the Indianapolis 500; the 2016 Ford GT that finished first at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the LM GTE Pro category 50 years after Ford’s iconic first-, second- and third-place victories in 1966; and the 2019 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 driven by Kurt Busch in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.
“Chip Ganassi is an influential member of the automotive community, and his team’s penchant for success is a reflection of his raw skill and passion for the sport,” Petersen Automotive Museum Executive Director Terry L. Karges said. “Complemented by a visually dynamic and compelling 180-degree video, ‘Chip Ganassi Racing’will celebrate the team’s victories and tell its story while taking visitors on a trip down memory lane.”
A fixture in the auto racing industry for more than 30 years, Ganassi is considered one of the most successful and innovative team owners the sport has ever seen. Following a strong career as a driver, Ganassi created his own one-car INDYCAR team in 1990. The team’s track record includes 19 championships and over 220 victories. It is the only team to win the Indianapolis 500 (four times), the Brickyard 400, the Rolex 24 At Daytona (eight times), the 12 Hours of Sebring and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Adding to the prestige, it is also the only team to win the Rolex 24 At Daytona three times consecutively and the only team to win the Rolex 24 At Daytona, the Daytona 500, the Indianapolis 500 and the Brickyard 400 in one 12-month span.
“Chip Ganassi Racing: Fast Tracks to Success -- 30th Anniversary Tribute” will run through January 31, 2021. The museum will host a ticketed preview and opening reception Dec. 13. To learn more about the Petersen Automotive Museum, visit www.Petersen.org.
The Petersen Automotive Museum Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charity. The museum is located at 6060 Wilshire Blvd. (at Fairfax) in Los Angeles, 90036. Admission prices are $16 for general admission adults, $14 for seniors and $11 for children ages 4 to 17. Active military with ID, personal care attendants and children under age 4 are admitted free. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. For general information, call 323-930-CARS or visit www.Petersen.org.