It didn't take long for new Chip Ganassi Racing teammates Scott Dixon and Dan Wheldon to find their driving styles mesh quite well.
Joined by Casey Mears, who drives for Ganassi in NASCAR, the two Indy Racing League champions raced to a hard-earned victory on Sunday in the Rolex 24, America's most prestigious sports car endurance race.
"This race is so difficult, so hard to win," said Dixon, the New Zealander. ``I can hardly believe we won it. But Chip gives us a great team and great equipment. Dan and I were also fast in the Phoenix (IRL) test earlier this week and I think there are going to be a lot more wins this year.''
Reigning IRL champion and Indianapolis 500 winner Wheldon, in only his second Rolex start and first since leaving Andretti Green Racing for Ganassi's team, gave all the credit to his teammates.
"Those guys, particularly Scott, did just a great job," said Wheldon, and Englishman. "It's another good win to add to the Indy 500. It's amazing.
"Let's hope this is just the start of a lot of good things for this team,"
All three drivers contributed to the Daytona win in a Lexus Riley, but it appeared Dixon and Wheldon took the lead and were particularly comfortable as teammates.
"We get on pretty good. But we've sort of been teammates for years," said Dixon, noting he was the CART driver for the PacWest team in 2001 while Wheldon drove for the PacWest's Indy Lights team.
Wheldon agreed that the two will be good teammates.
"He's been on a different team the last couple of years, but there is a good rapport in IndyCars," he said. "As close as we drive together, you've got to trust one another.
"Scott won the 2003 series championship and he's just had a serious [engine] power deficit the last couple of years. It will be a good relationship for sure, especially if we continue as quick as we have been."
RSS