Ganassi lauds 27-year Target sponsorship

Winning Indy in 2012 with Dario Franchitti

Through the years there have been some really solid relationships between IndyCar owners, drivers and sponsors. Roger Penske had a 21-year-run with Marlboro and Phillip Morris that produced 63 wins, four championships and seven Indianapolis 500 victories. Kmart sponsored Newman/Haas, the Andretti family, Nigel Mansell and Cristiano da Matta through 13 years, 50 wins and three titles, sharing space with Texaco/Havoline for 10 of those seasons. Copenhagen funded A.J. Foyt for 12 years and Miller Brewing backed Bobby Rahal's team for 10 years. ABC Supply has been with Foyt since 2005, which is a lifetime nowadays writes Robin Miller of racer.com.

But the longest and one of the most successful sponsorships in IndyCar history also launched a neophyte owner into the rarified air that only The Captain breathed.

The 27-year-run of Target with Chip Ganassi garnered 101 victories, 11 championships and four trips to Victory Lane at Indianapolis and was a partnership that likely will never be seen again.

"They were the greatest sponsor ever," Ganassi said on Wednesday afternoon, a few hours after it was revealed that Target was ending its IndyCar association after five more races. "And they were with us for all these years because it made sense for their business and because it was good for their company. They changed my life."

It all started in 1990, when Ganassi started his team after buying Patrick Racing. "A girl that Danny Sullivan knew worked for Target and they expressed some interest in IndyCar racing," he recalled. "That's how it all started and nobody could have imagined we'd be together for almost three decades."

What people might not remember is that it was an overnight success story in terms of the on-track product. The Target/Ganassi colors didn't fly in the winner's circle until the fifth year, when Michael Andretti won twice.

But those were the beginnings of CART's golden years in terms of attendance, awareness, television ratings, manufacturers and prestige, and Target, which made the most of using its vendors, was delighted with the exposure.

"It was a way for Target to enhance its marketing through vendor participation," Ganassi said. "It enhanced good relationships with good partners and the vendors found a lot of value."

Beginning in 1996, Ganassi Racing found its groove and Target found its red Reynard/Hondas with lightning bolts getting maximum exposure as Jimmy Vasser took the CART championship and newcomer Alex Zanardi took people's breath away with his aggressive driving.

It only got better as Zanardi claimed back-to-back CART crowns in 1997 and 1998 (on the strength of 12 wins) only to head to Formula One and be replaced by a rookie that was even more breathtaking: Juan Montoya, who rang up seven wins and Ganassi's fourth consecutive championship.

Target was good for Ganassi, but even better for CART because it produced clever national TV commercials using Vasser, Zanardi and Montoya in addition to running full-page ads in USA Today and other publications.

It was the first time since the glory days of Foyt, Andretti, Parnelli Jones and the Unsers that open-wheel racers had a national presence – and that was without the Indy 500 because of the split in 1996.

Dixon winning IndyCar title at Sonoma in 2015

But that all changed in 2000 when Chip crossed the picket line during May and Montoya mopped up the Indy Racing League regulars with a masterful triumph at IMS. Target blanketed newspapers and magazines with its celebration ads.

Scott Dixon has been the face of the No. 9 Target car since 2002, scoring 38 wins, four IndyCar titles and one Indy 500, while Dario Franchitti delivered 14 wins, three championships and a pair of Indy 500s in the No. 10 Target car.

Only Penske's 32 years with Miller Brewing (28 in NASCAR and four in IndyCar) can top the era that will end Sept. 18th in Sonoma.

"It was a helluva run for Chip," said Don "The Snake" Prudhomme, drag racing icon and one of Ganassi's best friends. "I had Skoal for 20 years and that was an eternity, but 27 years is just hard to fathom."

Of course, all the experts are claiming poor TV ratings, the disastrous attempt to expand in Canada and the security breach of credit cards as the reasons Target is leaving, but let's get serious here, folks. Maybe after 27 years it was simply time.

Ganassi is humbled by the amazing partnership, but sounds prepared for what's next.

"It's been so much bigger than just a sponsor and I've developed so many great relationships through the years," he said. "I've still got Target in NASCAR (for Kyle Larson) and I still plan on running four cars in IndyCar. We'll be fine."

And, as long as they've got Dixon, Ganassi Racing will still have a target on its back – just not on the sidepods. Robin Miller/Racer.com