Target/Chip Ganassi Racing Aid Charitable Cause

Target/Chip Ganassi Racing, with PPG Cup champion Jimmy Vasser and Rookie of the Year Alex Zanardi, announced Wednesday that the team will pledge a portion of its 1997 earnings in PPG Cup events to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Through Target Store’s partnership with St. Jude, Target/Chip Ganassi Racing will donate $5,000 for each victory, $1,000 for each pole and $25 for every lap led during next season. The contributions from Target/Chip Ganassi Racing will be earmarked for the construction of a room at the Target House in Memphis, Tenn., which will be a place for the families of St. Jude patients to stay while their child is receiving treatment. Also, Vasser and Zanardi will entertain St. Jude patients at the races and occasionally visit children and families at Target House.

"The entire Target/Chip Ganassi Racing team is proud to contribute to Target House," team owner Chip Ganassi said. "Knowing that the success of our team can directly impact the lives of sick children gives us additional motivation to perform at our very best."

Based on the performance of Vasser (Target Reynard Honda) and Zanardi (Target Reynard Honda) last season, Target/Chip Ganassi Racing would have generated $64,300 for the project.

High On The Hogs

Marlboro Team Penske driver Paul Tracy and team advisor Rick Mears were part of a 24,000-motorcycle contingent that participated in Love Ride 13 to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Tracy (Marlboro Penske Mercedes) rode his ’96 Ron Simms Custom Harley-Davidson softail and Mears a ’94 Harley-Davidson FXLR on the 50-mile caravan from Glendale, Calif. to the Castaic Lake Recreation Center. The caravan, led by Grand Marshal Jay Leno, culminated its ride with a trade show, barbecue and concert by Crosby, Stills and Nash.

"I really had a great time on Love Ride 13," Tracy said. "It’s one of the largest rides in the country and I’ve heard about it for years, so it was good to be a part of it. I love to ride, and it was a lot of fun to be with so many fellow bikers and raise funds for a worthy cause."

For Mears, it was the second time he joined the charity caravan. He also participated in the event in 1994."This is the second year I’ve participated in the Love Ride and it’s amazed me both times how many people and bikes turn out for this event," Mears said. "It’s a great way for everyone who has a common interest in biking to have a lot of fun and, more importantly, to raise money for Muscular Dystrophy."

Homestead's New Look

Vasser, Al Unser Jr. (Marlboro Penske Mercedes), Scott Pruett (Brahma Sports Team Lola Ford), Christian Fittipaldi (Kmart/Budweiser Lola Ford) and rookie Gualter Salles (Reynard Ford) have been testing this week at the Metro-Dade Homestead Motorsports Complex.

The 1.527-mile oval will have a new look this season with the corners being 24 feet wider at the apex of each compared to the layout at last season’s IndyCar race. The 1997 cars also will be fitted with front and rear speedway wings, which will cause drivers to brake in corners and ultimately reduce speeds.

"With the new rules IndyCar has, the wider corners were needed. It was a necessary change," said Unser Jr., who was part of the initial Homestead test in late October with the speedway wings. "It is a good change. It is going to make for a better race."

English Lessons

Bobby Rahal (Miller Reynard Ford), Bryan Herta (Shell Reynard Ford) and several other members of Team Rahal toured four racing operations last week in England. The group, which also included team manager Tim Cindric, general manager Scott Roembke and team engineers Tim Reiter and Ray Leto, visited the factories of Reynard and Ford-Cosworth. Also, the contingent ventured to the Formula One operations of series champion Williams and Stewart Racing. The team members also made promotional stops for sponsors Miller Brewing and Hewlett-Packard.

Built For Speed

Impressive progress continues to be made at The California Speedway, which currently has about 50 percent of its construction completed. Infield buildings for 71 pit-road hospitality suites and three garages consisting of 102 stalls have been erected and are close to completion at the Penske-owned speedway in Fontana, Calif. About half of the structural framework is up for the initial 71,000-seat grandstand, and the track construction also is moving along. The retaining walls and perimeter safety lane are completed, and the banking has been graded. The race surface is set for paving in mid-November. The speedway is scheduled for completion by April. A PPG Cup event will be run Sept. 28, 1997.

From The Home Office

David Letterman, minority-interest owner in Team Rahal, was unable to attend last week’s IndyCar Awards Banquet, but he did provide a comical, self-penned Top 10 List of "The Top 10 Questions I, Me Dave, Have After My First Year As A Minority Owner Of Team Rahal."