ON THIS DAY: May 29, 2000, Chip Ganassi’s race team wins Indianapolis 500
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By Matt Simmons
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Floyd “Chip” Ganassi, Jr. is the only racing team owner in history to win all six of the biggest car races in the world. The Pittsburgh native added the Indianapolis 500 to his trophy case on May 29, 2000, where it joined the Daytona 500, Brickyard 400, Rolex 24 at Daytona, 12 Hours of Sebring and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
84th Indianapolis 500 Juan Pablo Montoya of Colombia and team owner Chip Ganassi stand beside the #9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing G-Force GF05a Oldsmobile and the Borg Warner Trophy after winning the 2000 Indy Racing League Northern Lights Series 84th running of the Indianapolis 500 on 29 May 2000 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway,Indiana United States. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images) (Robert Laberge/Getty Images)
Brickyard 400 - Qualifying INDIANAPOLIS, IN - JULY 30: Juan Pablo Montoya (R), driver of the #42 Target Chevrolet, talks with team owner Chip Ganassi during qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 30, 2011 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR) (Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Juan Montoya 2 Jun 2000: Juan Montoya of Columbia who drives a Toyota Lola 2KI for Target/Chip Ganassi Racing is in action during the Miller Lite 225, part of the 2000 CART FedEx Championship Series at the Milwaukee Mile in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.Mandatory Credit: Robert Laberge /Allsport (Robert Laberge/Getty Images)
Juan Montoya 31 Oct 1999: Juan Montoya from the tent with Mo Nunn and Chip Ganassi during the Marlboro 500, a part of the CART FedEx Championship Series at the California Speedway in Fontana, California Mandatory Credit: Jon Ferrey /Allsport (Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)
Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg ST PETERSBURG, FL - MARCH 27: Team Owner Chip Ganassi watches during the IndyCar Series Honda Grand Prix of St Petersburg on March 27, 2011 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
84th Indianapolis 500 Juan Pablo Montoya of Colombia, driver of the #9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing G-Force GF05a Oldsmobile walks down pit lane during practice for the 2000 Indy Racing League Northern Lights Series 84th running of the Indianapolis 500 on 25 May 2000 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway,Indiana United States. (Photo by Jon Ferrey/Getty Images) (Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)
84th Indianapolis 500 Juan Pablo Montoya of Colombia sits aboard the #9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing G-Force GF05a Oldsmobile before the start of the 2000 Indy Racing League Northern Lights Series 84th running of the Indianapolis 500 on 28 May 2000 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway,Indiana United States. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images) (Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)
Juan Montoya 31 Oct 1999: Juan Montoya is hugged by owner Chip Ganassi during the Marlboro 500, part of the FedEx Cart Championship Series, at the California Speedway in Fontana, California (Robert Laberge/Getty Images)
Daytona 500 - Practice DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 22: Team owner Chip Ganassi stands in the garge during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 22, 2012 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Todd Warshaw/Getty Images for NASCAR) (Todd Warshaw/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Target Chip Ganassi driver Juan Montoya BROOKLYN, MI - JULY 24: Target Chip Ganassi driver Juan Montoya of Columbia who drives a Honda Reynard poses before the day's qualifying session in preparation for the 250-lap CART U.S. 500, part of the CART (Championship Auto Racing Teams) Fed Ex Championship Series at the Michigan Speedway Super Oval in Brooklyn, Michigan on July 24, 1999. (Photo by Robert Laberge /Getty Images). (Robert Laberge/Getty Images)
Indianapolis 500 Practice INDIANAPOLIS - MAY 28: Roger Penske (L) owner of Team Penkse and Chip Ganassi owner of Target Chip Ganassi Racing Team pose next to the Harley J. Hearl Daytona 500 Trophy and the Borg Warner Trophy as the two only team owners to have won both trophies, before final practice for the IZOD IndyCar Series 94th running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 28, 2010 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images) (Robert Laberge/Getty Images)
Target Celebrates 50th Anniversary - Arrivals NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 16: Juan Pablo Montoya and Chip Ganassi attend the celebration of Target's 50th Anniversary on October 16, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for Target) (Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for Target)
Juan Montoya 1 Nov 1999: Juan Montoya of Columbia who drives for Target/Chip Ganassi is the 1999 CART FedEx Champion posing for the camera holding the PPG Cup with Chip Ganassi during the CART FedEx Championship Series Banquet in Century City, California. Mandatory Credit: Robert Laberge /Allsport (Robert Laberge/Getty Images)
NASCAR Sprint Media Tour CONCORD, NC - JANUARY 21: NASCAR team owner Chip Ganassi speaks with the media during the NASCAR Sprint Media Tour hosted by Charlotte Motor Speedway, held at Embassy Suites on January 21, 2010 in Concord, North Carolina. (Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images) (Jason Smith/Getty Images)
Target Chip Ganassi Racing Press Conference INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 16: Team owner Chip Ganass fields questions from the media after annoucing the addition of IRL drivers Graham Rahal and Charlie Kimball to a two-team expansion to Chip Ganassi Racing during a press conference at Indianapolis Motorspeedway on December 16, 2010 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Brumos Porsche 250 DAYTONA BEACH, FL - JULY 03: Team owner Chip Ganassi stands in the pit box during the Grand-Am Brumos Porsche 250 at Daytona International Speedway on July 3, 2010 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images for ISC) (Chris Trotman)
Pocono INDYCAR 400 LONG POND, PA - JULY 7 : From left, Charlie Kimball, driver of the #83 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, team owner Chip Ganassi, Scott Dixon of New Zealand, driver of the #9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Honda and Dario Franchitti of Scotland, driver of the #10 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Honda after the teams' sweeping the podium at the Pocono INDYCAR 400 at Pocono Raceway on July 7, 2013 in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images) (Jeff Zelevansky)
Brickyard 400 INDIANAPOLIS - JULY 25: Team co-owner Chip Ganassi of the #1 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Chevrolet, poses with the Borg-Warner Trophy and the Brickyard 400 trophy after driver Jamie McMurray wins the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 25, 2010 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images) (Jason Smith/Getty Images)
NASCAR Cup Series 62nd Annual Daytona 500 DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 16: U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump talks with Chip Ganassi prior to the NASCAR Cup Series 62nd Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 16, 2020 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) (Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
Ganassi started racing right out of high school, and was driving professionally until 1987. During that time, he competed in the Indianapolis 500 five times, finishing eighth in 1983, before a crash in 1984 cut his career short. He would continue racing for another few years, but not as a full-time driver. His last race was the 1987 24 Hours of Le Mans.
In 1988, Ganassi purchased an interest in Patrick Racing. After the team’s Indianapolis 500 victory and championship in 1989, Ganassi launched his own team in 1990 with a then relatively unknown department store called Target as his primary sponsor.
The late 1990s brought the team its first championships, thanks to two well-scouted young drivers: Jimmy Vasser and Alessandro Zanardi.
The 2000 Indianapolis 500 saw Juan Pablo Montoya in Ganassi’s car after an astonishing first season and championship win in 1999.
When Montoya collected the Borg Warner Trophy on May 29, 2000, it was Chip Ganassi Racing’s first Indy 500 win and Ganassi’s second as a team owner.
Ganassi graduated from Duquesne University in 1982 with a degree in finance and currently lives in Fox Chapel. His race teams currently compete in six different series, fielding 14 cars with 18 drivers. Their race shops are located in Indiana and North Carolina, but the company maintains its corporate offices in Pittsburgh, near Blawnox.
Known for his western Pennsylvanian no-nonsense approach, Ganassi is considered by many to be the most successful racing team owner of his generation, rivaled only by Lehigh University alum Roger Penske (who started running race teams 25 years earlier).