Chip Ganassi Racing have announced that IndyCar Series drivers Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti will drive a Daytona Prototype at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca as part of the Grand-Am Sports Car Series.
The duo will drive the #02 BMW, running alongside the #01 machine of reigning Series champions and Rolex 24 at Daytona winners Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas, the most successful pairing in the history of the series with 27 race wins.
“It is thrilling to have two respected IndyCar drivers competing in the Daytona Prototype class this year,” commented Gill Campbell, CEO and general manager of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. “Dario was here just last week driving exhibition laps with Patrick Dempsey in a Porsche 935 during the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. I guess the four-time IndyCar Series champion just can’t get enough of our scenic Monterey Bay and challenging circuit.”
With just two races remaining in the season, the title fight looks like it will be going right down to the wire, with ten drivers across five teams all within five points of each other at the top of the Daytona Prototype standings.
Ganassi’s Laguna Seca history boasts three victories, two Indy car wins with Alex Zanardi and Jimmy Vasser in 1996 and 1997 respectively, and 2005 Daytona Prototype glory with Pruett and Luis Diaz. Ganassi only raced once at the circuit, taking third place in a CART race in 1983.