Chip Ganassi Racing head into the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season which gets underway this weekend with the Firestone Grand Prix of St Petersburg presented by RP Funding looking to continue they winning ways from 2023.
In 2024, Chip Ganassi Racing will have five full-time cars, including defending series champion Alex Palou, now sponsored by DHL. Looking ahead to the season, Palou said:
“St. Pete will mark a new year with new challenges, but also a new livery and a new partner with DHL. We’re very excited about that and we just rolled it out in Sebring where it looked amazing on track. I’ve never won at St. Pete and this is a great opportunity to start the year strong by winning the opener and checking that racetrack off our list. We’ve worked very hard this offseason and we feel prepared to continue on the path that we started creating in 2023. We want to defend the title and the best way to do it is to start things off by winning this week.”
Six-time series champion Scott Dixon in the No.9 PNC Bank Honda is entering his 24th season in INDYCAR and last season, he scored victories and this was his 21st consecutive season taking at least one win in a season. Dixon finished second in the 2023 championship. The Iceman will make his 20th career start at the Firestone Grand Prix of St Petersburg presented by RP Funding.
Dixon, who has yet to win on the streets of the Sunshine State, is looking forward to the start of the new season, saying:
“I’m really looking forward to the warm weather in St. Pete where we can kick off the season. The race is always fantastic and last year, we had quite a good battle. We made it to the podium then but the goal this year is to get the win. This is a big event for PNC Bank and all of our team partners, and then the Dan Wheldon documentary premiere, as well, so it will be a full weekend.”
Marcus Armstrong in the No.11 Ridgeline Lubricants Honda, the 2023 Rookie of The Year will make his full-time debut with the team this weekend and is looking forward to the start of the season.
“St. Pete is quite special to me, as it is where I made my INDYCAR debut. It is a fantastic city and the circuit is quite enjoyable. It will be a fantastic opportunity to return to a circuit that I am familiar with. I haven’t had the opportunity to have such things lately. I am quite optimistic and think the No. 11 Ridgeline Lubricants crew is in for a big weekend. We will fight hard to get the result that we want.”
Linus Lundqvist will make his debut with Chip Ganassi Racing this weekend, and is classed as a rookie this year despite making a handful of starts in INDYCAR in 2023. Lundqvist takes over the No.8 American Legion Honda and speaking about the upcoming season he said:
“I’m very happy and excited to be heading to St. Pete, as it feels like it’s been a long offseason. It’s my first race with Chip Ganassi Racing so it will be a special one. I know that the team has done a great job; the boys and girls here at the shop have been flat-out in their preparation. Excited to put the No. 8 American Legion Honda on the track and see how competitive we can be.”
Kyffin Simpson, who, for the past two seasons has competed in the INDY NXT presented by Firestone championship will make his NTT INDYCAR SERIES debut this weekend in the No.4 Journie Rewards Honda.
“We’re off to St. Pete, where it will be my first race in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. Obviously, I’m excited to get things underway and to start working with the team under a proper race setting. I felt pretty good on my side at the Sebring test and I think it was a good test for the team, as well. I feel like we’re looking pretty good going into St. Pete. We’ll see how things look in Practice 1 and then look for improvements from there.”