Target to leave IndyCar after 2016

  • Published on 27 Jul 2016 17:48
  • comments 0
  • By: Dominik Wilde

American discount retailer Target have announced they will be ending their iconic partnership with Chip Ganassi racing at the end of 2016 after 27 seasons together.

The Minneapolis firm has been with Ganassi since 1990, backing legendary drivers including Eddie Cheever, Jimmy Vassr, Alex Zanardi, Juan Pablo Montoya, Dan Wheldon, Dario Franchitti, and current champion Scott Dixon, winning four Indianapolis 500s and 11 championship titles - including six of the last eight.

Dixon will see out the year in the red of Target while the team search for a replacement primary sponsor.

"It's the greatest sponsor in racing, ever," Chip Ganassi said. "They've been nothing but good to me. They developed me personally and professionally. I've developed lifelong friends and relationships. I understand things change and people have different marketing efforts, and the way they want to stamp their name on things."

"But it's one of the longest running sponsors in racing and they delivered for me and the team, and the team delivered for them."

Speculation of Target's departure has been rife for some time, with the company scaling back their involvement from two cars to just one prior to last season. Paddock speculation picked up in recent weeks to the point where rival teams were faced with convincing their own sponsors to stay in the wake of the impending departure of arguable the biggest backer in the series.

"It was a really difficult decision that we made — we've been with Chip Ganassi Racing for 27 years and we are ridiculously proud of the success," said Target senior vice president of merchandising Scott Nygaard. "But the Target brand is about being fresh and new, so we felt like this was the time to make the difficult decision and expand our sports marketing platform."

Target will remain the primary sponsor of Ganassi's #42 NASCAR Sprint Cup entry driven by Kyle Larson.

Replies (0)

Login to reply

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 21:13

BEGrand Prix of Belgium

Local time 21:13

World Championship standings 2025

Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2025

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
14 - Mar 16
Australia
21 - Mar 23
China
4 - Apr 6
Japan
11 - Apr 13
Bahrain
18 - Apr 20
Saudi Arabia
2 - May 4
United States of America
16 - May 18
Italy
23 - May 25
Monaco
30 - Jun 1
Spain
13 - Jun 15
Canada
27 - Jun 29
Austria
4 - Jul 6
United Kingdom
25 - Jul 27
Belgium
1 - Aug 3
Hungary
29 - Aug 31
Netherlands
5 - Sep 7
Italy
19 - Sep 21
Azerbaijan
3 - Oct 5
Singapore
17 - Oct 19
United States of America
24 - Oct 26
Mexico
7 - Nov 9
Brazil
21 - Nov 23
United States of America
28 - Nov 30
Qatar
5 - Dec 7
United Arab Emirates
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2025

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
14 - Mar 16
Australia Albert Park
21 - Mar 23
4 - Apr 6
11 - Apr 13
18 - Apr 20
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
2 - May 4
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
16 - May 18
23 - May 25
Monaco Monte Carlo
30 - Jun 1
13 - Jun 15
27 - Jun 29
Austria Red Bull Ring
4 - Jul 6
United Kingdom Silverstone
25 - Jul 27
1 - Aug 3
Hungary Hungaroring
29 - Aug 31
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
5 - Sep 7
Italy Monza
19 - Sep 21
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
3 - Oct 5
17 - Oct 19
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
24 - Oct 26
7 - Nov 9
Brazil Interlagos
21 - Nov 23
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
28 - Nov 30
5 - Dec 7
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule
show sidebar