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Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing St. Petersburg Advance Notes

Race: Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on Sunday, March 27 (12:30 PM ET, ABC)

Track: Streets of St. Petersburg (1.8-mile street circuit)

Location: St. Petersburg, Fla.

NOTES / NEWS

Follow CGR on Twitter: Follow @CGRTeams for official updates from Chip Ganassi Racing’s INDYCAR and GRAND-AM teams.

Team Manager Mitch Davis on St. Pete: “After a productive Open Test at Barber Motorsports Park, we’re in a great spot heading into the IZOD IndyCar Series season-opener on the streets of St. Petersburg. Graham did a great job and Charlie learned a lot. We’re looking forward to getting the No. 38 Service Central Honda Dallara and the No. 83 Levemir and NovoLog FlexPen Honda Dallara to the track.”

Sports Business Award Nominee: Ganassi and Chip Ganassi Racing Teams have been nominated for two Sports Business Awards. Ganassi is a nominee in the Sports Executive of the Year category and Chip Ganassi Racing Teams received a nomination in the Professional Sports Team of the Year category. The winners will be announced at the Sports Business Awards Ceremony on May 18th.

Starting 2011 Strong: Chip Ganassi Racing Teams kicked off the 2011 season on a high-note, sweeping the top-two positions in the 2011 Rolex 24 At Daytona in January. Defending GRAND-AM Daytona Prototype Champion and now four-time Rolex 24 At Daytona winner Scott Pruett (with co-drivers Memo Rojas, Graham Rahal and Joey Hand) crossed the finish line at the 24-hour mark ahead of teammate Scott Dixon (with co-drivers Dario Franchitti, Jamie McMurray and Juan Pablo Montoya) to give the team a record fourth Rolex 24 At Daytona victory (2006, 2007, 2008, 2011). It marked the first time a team has reached the four-win mark since Brumos Porsche (1973, 1975, 1978, and 2009), and the quickest to do so in the race’s 50-year history.

‘Chip Slam’: Ganassi, who in 2010 was responsible for the motorsport ‘Triple Crown’ (Daytona 500, Indianapolis 500 and Brickyard 400 wins), added the first ever ‘Chip Slam’ of motorsports to his resume with a victory in the Rolex 24 At Daytona on Jan 30 (all four major wins in a 12-month period).

Award Winning: Ganassi has won a whole slew of post season awards for his team’s incredible 2010 season. Among the awards that he has won are: the Autosport Lifetime Achievement Award, the NSSN Champion of Champions Award, Pittsburgh’s Dapper Dan Athletic Award, International Motorsports Industry Show Achievement Award, as well as being named the honorary chairman of the Motor Sports Hall of Fame inductions early last year in Detroit. In addition, Ganassi was honored on the field by his hometown Pittsburgh Steelers prior to the game on Dec. 12 for his many contributions to the “City of Champions”. He was presented with a Steelers jersey by Art Rooney II.

Charlie Kimball and the No. 83 Novo Nordisk Team

Drive the Switch: Kimball kicks off Drive the Switch, a national campaign for Novo Nordisk on options for insulin delivery. He’ll be at USF’s Morsani Center for Advanced Healthcare in Tampa on Wednesday, March 23rd from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., with Dr. Henry Rodriguez, medical director of the USF Diabetes Center. Fans can meet Kimball and sign a replica of the No. 83 Levemir and NovoLog FlexPen Honda Dallara.

Barber Open Test Recap: Day one of testing at Barber Motorsports Park, Kimball turned 45 laps in the No. 83 Levemir and NovoLog FlexPen Honda Dallara with a best time of 1:13:48. Day two of testing, Kimball turned 44 laps with a best time of 1:13:33.

Kimball on Barber Open Test: “It was another productive day for Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing. We ran a lot of miles, made a lot of changes today and continued to make progress in the No. 83 Levemir and NovoLog FlexPen Honda. We’re ready to head to St. Pete.”

Charlie Kimball, the Rookie: Kimball enters the 2011 IZOD IndyCar Series season as a Rookie with Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing. He will drive the No. 83 Levemir and NovoLog FlexPen Honda Dallara.

Firsts for Kimball: Kimball is the first driver in the history in INDYCAR with Type 1 Diabetes and will make his debut in the IICS with a new team, Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing.

Kimball at St. Pete: Kimball will start his IZOD IndyCar Series career at the Honda Grand Prix of St. Pete.

- Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing Press Release