HOUSTON -- Tony Kanaan will drive for the "team he was destined to join" in the 2014 IndyCar Series and will continue to drive a Chevrolet-powered car.
The reigning Indianapolis 500 Mile Race champion joined Chip Ganassi Racing Teams principal Chip Ganassi in confirming the multi-year deal for the driver. Jim Campbell, Chevrolet's vice president of Performance Vehicles and Motorsports, joined them to announce the switch from Honda during a news conference at the Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston.
Kanaan, the 2004 series champion who earned his first Indianapolis 500 victory in May, is completing his third season with KV Racing Technology, which also fields a car for Simona De Silvestro. He'll drive the Chevrolet-powered car with primary sponsorship from NTT DATA. The global IT services provider was the primary sponsor of the fourth Chip Ganassi Racing Teams car for driver Ryan Briscoe in the 97th Indianapolis 500.
Kanaan, a native of Brazil who turns 39 on Dec. 31, signed a contract extension with then-Andretti Green Racing in August 2008, turning down an offer from the Ganassi team. Target Chip Ganassi Racing instead welcomed Dario Franchitti, who was competing for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates in NASCAR, back to the series. Franchitti went on to win his second series championship in the '09 season.
Kanaan will join Franchitti, a longtime friend and teammate at Andretti Green Racing, two-time series champion Scott Dixon and Charlie Kimball to comprise a four-car lineup for 2014. They have a combined 80 Indy car victories, with Kimball among the four first-time winners (Mid-Ohio) this season.
“I couldn’t be happier to join this organization," said Kanaan, who has 16 Indy car victories and will add to his 212 Indy car-record consecutive start streak this weekend. "It's definitely a good day. We've been trying to put this thing together for a long time. Coming back to be with Dario again and Dixon and Charlie will be a blast.
"I've been with a four-car team organization in the past, and it was extremely successful. I'm looking forward to the future, and it's great news for INDYCAR. We'll have a hell of a battle next year."
Kanaan co-drove a Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Daytona Prototype with NTT DATA sponsorship in July to a runner-up finish in the Brickyard Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
“It is not all the time that you can find yourself as an owner with drivers that represent seven championships, five Indianapolis 500 victories and over 75 wins," Ganassi said. "I think TK will add a lot to this organization, not only from his talent behind the wheel but also from his leadership skills off the track.
"Tony is the type of driver we like to have behind the wheel. He digs in."
KV Racing Technology co-owners Jimmy Vasser and Kevin Kalkhoven said in a statement: "Tony Kanaan is an outstanding driver, a great teammate and a good friend. Over the last three years he has demonstrated his professionalism and more importantly, this year brought KV Racing Technology-SH Racing its first Indianapolis 500 victory. The entire organization wishes him the best as he moves forward with his career. KV -SH Racing is and will continue to pursue negotiations with several top drivers and looks forward to competing for race wins and championships in the coming years."
Chevrolet and Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates has been partners in stock car racing since 2009. For 2014, both Chevrolet and Honda will employ a 2.2-liter, twin-turbocharged V6 engine. They are tied in the manufacturer championship with three races left.
"We have tremendous amount of respect for Chip, (team director) Mike Hull and the entire team for the way they've organized themselves, the way they conduct themselves and the way they deliver results," Campbell said. "This is a proud moment."
Target Chip Ganassi Racing switched from Toyota for the 2006 IndyCar Series season, when Honda became the sole engine provider. Engine manufacturer competition between Honda and Chevrolet resumed for the 2012 season.
"This decision makes a lot of sense for use for a number of reasons," Ganassi said. "We feel Chevrolet has done a great job in their return to the IndyCar Series and because of our existing relationship in NASCAR. There are a lot of synergies that we will be able to realize in working with the same manufacturer."
In a statement, Honda Performance Development president Art St. Cyr said: “On behalf of everyone at Honda, I’d like to thank Chip Ganassi and the entire Ganassi Racing organization for their efforts in our very successful, eight-year partnership in the Indy Racing League and INDYCAR, which included four driver’s championships, three Indianapolis 500 victories and more than 40 individual race wins since 2006.
“It may be worth noting that when our previous – and also very successful – association with the Ganassi organization in Championship Auto Racing Teams competition ended after the 1999 season, Honda went on to win 15 races over the next two seasons, including both the 2000 and 2001 driver’s championship, and the 2001 Manufacturers’ Championship.
“While this partnership is coming to an end, Honda and Honda Performance Development remain committed to achieving even greater INDYCAR success in the future with our continuing and new partner teams. While Honda and the Ganassi organization are going our separate ways, we remain committed to winning the 2013 driver's and manufacturer championships, and our collective efforts for the final three races will be entirely focused on accomplishing those objectives.”