“Ask A Pro” to Feature Chip Ganassi Racing Managing Director Mike Hull
Target Chip Ganassi Racing Managing Director Mike Hull is the latest luminary to lend his time and expertise to the SAFEisFAST initiative which has attracted more than 330,000 viewers representing more than 135 countries.
“Proven long-term success in motor racing defines a true team sport – it’s the ultimate people business," said Hull. “It can be a lot of fun but also requires real dedication and an unselfish trust in others. I have been impressed by what the RRDC has been doing with SAFEisFAST.com and am delighted to have been asked to provide some feedback to anyone who is willing to commit themselves to a career in the sport."
Hull has “been there and done that" in the world of auto racing. Hailing originally from Los Angeles, he became involved with the sport in his youth and displayed plenty of ability behind the wheel in the early days of Formula Ford before realizing his calling lay elsewhere. An accomplished mechanic, Hull began plying his trade in a variety of junior open-wheel categories, including Formula Super Vee and Indy Lights, before moving up to the Indy cars and eventually joining Ganassi in 1992.
He was promoted to the role of team manager in 1996, at which point the organization could boast a mere two race wins. Over the course of the next four years, Hull presided over 30 race wins as Ganassi became the first team ever to win four consecutive championship titles – one apiece with Jimmy Vasser and Juan Pablo Montoya sandwiching a pair for Alex Zanardi.
The team has since added five more INDYCAR titles under Hull’s stewardship, two with Scott Dixon (2003 and 2008) and three straight with Dario Franchitti between 2009 and 2011. Its tally of 89 race wins, including four Indianapolis 500 victories, ranks second only to Penske Racing. Hull also has overseen an astonishingly successful foray into sports cars, claiming six Rolex GRAND-AM titles in just nine years.
In addition to a comprehensive Q&A with the most recent online instructor, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Technical Director Jay O’Connell, who covers a wide range of technical topics (which can be found under the “Ask A Pro" tab), this week also sees the debut of a new instructional video entitled “Engineering the Race Car With Jim Hall" in which the legendary designer, constructor and driver of the innovative Chaparral range of race cars explains the importance of aerodynamics.