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Ganassi downsizes IndyCar program to two entries

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Scott Dixon, No. 9 NTT Data Honda (gold trim), Texas

Chris Jones-IMS/IndyCar Photo

Chip Ganassi Racing has officially confirmed a rumored reduction to two entries for the Verizon IndyCar Series in 2018. The team increased its fleet to four full-time entries in 2011 and, save for one year (2013), in which the fourth entry was a one-off Indianapolis 500 effort with driver Ryan Briscoe, the team has fielded four full-time entries ever since.

In a statement released earlier today, team owner Chip Ganassi confirmed the long-rumored news. He also added that while Scott Dixon will remain in the No. 9 entry, a driver for the No. 10, piloted by Tony Kanaan since 2014, has not yet been determined.

“We will be returning to a two car team beginning in 2018 with Scott Dixon in the No. 9 and a yet to be determined second driver in the No. 10,” said Ganassi. “This decision was based on the fact that we felt we needed to get back to our core business of running TWO championship caliber teams.”

Ganassi added, “It was a tough decision to make as it affects a lot of people. With news like this comes contraction and as such we had to let a number of good people go. The decision was not taken lightly but we felt it was best for our business. It is one of the toughest things you experience as a business owner – especially because I am all too aware that it is the people that make any company tick. We will be back in 2018 and ready to compete for our 12th INDYCAR championship.”

As previously described, the downsizing of the team has been rumored for several weeks, with drivers Charlie Kimball and Max Chilton linked to other teams for next year.

The team’s original expansion to four cars included both Kimball and Graham Rahal in 2011, with Kimball piloting the No. 83 machine while Rahal was at the helm of the No. 38. The latter effort was reduced to an Indy 500 entry and renumbered as No. 8 in 2013 after Rahal left for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.

The aforementioned Ryan Briscoe served as its driver for that one-off effort in 2013 before once again becoming a full-season entry for 2014, still with Briscoe at the helm. Sage Karam and Sebastian Saavedra shared the car in 2015, with Max Chilton taking over in 2016.

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