Chip Ganassi Racing And Ford Announce Their IMSA GT Driver Line-Up

left to right – Dirk Muller, Joey Hand, Chip Ganassi, Paul Westbrook and Ryan Briscoe. [Joe Jennings Photo]

Homestead, Fla. – Chip Ganassi Racing and Ford Performance announced their driver line-up for the newly developed Ford GT, which will debut at the Rolex 24 in Daytona in January. Two Ford GTs will be campaigned in the IMSA Series and the 24 Hours of LeMans. America’s Joey Hand and Germany’s Dirk Muller will drive the No. 66 entry and Australia’s Ryan Briscoe and Brit Richard Westbrook will race the No. 67 car.

The significance of the numbers is that in 1966 went to LeMans with the Ford GT and finished 1-2-3 and won again the next four years. “This is the 50th anniversary of that win, and we really wanted to do something very special to commemorate that, so we announced the return of Ford to GT racing,” said Raj Nair, Group VP and Chief Technical Officer, Global Product Development, Ford Motor Co., said. “It’s a proud moment for the company.”

Beaming car owner Chip Ganassi said, ““Let me start by saying what an honor it is to be chosen by Ford to take them back 50 years later to Le Mans. When word snuck out that we were involved in this program, I think between myself and Mike Hull we had about 40 drivers contact us and I think it goes without saying, as you all know, at this level of motorsport you now that all drivers have a lot of talent and a lot of drivers have the tools that are necessary to take them into a program like this. They have the experience. They have the tools. They have the will. They have the talent. I think Mike and I have had the pleasure over the years of working with a lot of great drivers and I think when you look at the guys behind me one of the first things I look for, as many of you know already, in drivers is if you take the fact that they have the talent and all the tools necessary, I kind of go to heart. I want to know what kind of heart they have, and I think in a program like this, and obviously in endurance racing, you want to hand the car off like you want it handed to you, and you have to perform day in and day out in a very unselfish manner. I don’t think we could have picked four better drivers to do that. “

Ganassi said that he and Mike Hull spent countless hours addressing driver selection. Missing from the Ganassi line-up is perennial champion Scott Pruett, who surprised Ganassi when he elected to pursue other opportunities. “He did have an opportunity to be part of the program, but he took the opportunity to do something else. I was a little surprised.”

Said Hand, “I’m very proud to be part of this program. I always wanted to drive for Chip and I got the opportunity last year and now to be with Ford Chip Ganassi Racing is a big deal. Clearly, this is a big deal. This GT car is a great-looking car. Everybody seems to love it and I think it’s cool to see how Ford has kind of honored the history of the old GT40 and now bringing the new technology of today. When you see the car it’s cool-looking. It’s got a great shape and great aerodynamic lines.

“As soon as you get in the car everybody asks, ‘What does it feel like?’ It feels like a race car. It feels good. The car doesn’t do anything weird, which is a very good start for a brand new car.”

Muller commented, “Just talking about it makes me feel really, really honored. I’m having goosebumps just thinking about it and it’s a great, great program. Its 50 years of the great win in ’66 next year, and I’m still learning all the names from Ford and Chip Ganassi Racing, and at the same time I’m already home. It’s such a great family to work with and that makes me really feel great.”

Noted Westbrook, “I think, for me, the chance to repeat the success the Ford GT had in the sixties is absolutely huge. Going into one of the most competitive classes in motorsport is a massive, massive task, but the work that Ford Performance has done already is just incredible. It’s just such an exciting project to be part of and, as I said, I feel very, very proud and can’t wait to go green flag racing in Daytona.”

Said the multi-talented Briscoe, “It’s just such a huge honor and to echo what these guys said it’s a massive deal. I’m so proud to be a part of the program. I’ve got a lot of familiar faces at Chip Ganassi Racing. It really is like family. We’ve known each other for 10 years now, so Chip’s a great man. It’s great to be part of Ford now and going racing next year at Le Mans is gonna be huge.”

Briscoe isn’t certain of his IndyCar plans but he hopes to run the Indianapolis 500. “The Ford GT program is my number one priority,” he noted, going on to say he wouldn’t mind running a Ganassi car in the 500 if offered.

Testing has been ongoing for several weeks with stops here at Homestead, Daytona, and Sebring, the latter of which was a grueling 12-hour run.

For the longer races, additional drivers will be engaged but their names weren’t divulged.

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