CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) Chip Ganassi is expanding into Global Rally Cross this season with a two-car team that includes 13-time X Games medalist Brian Deegan.
It will be the fourth major American motorsports series for the Ganassi organization. The successful team owner fields cars in IndyCar, NASCAR and the United SportsCar Championship, and has wins in every major American event including the Daytona 500, Indianapolis 500 and Rolex 24 at Daytona.
It's the demographic of GRC, which has a millennial fan base, that attracted Ganassi to the growing series. GRC counts two-thirds of its fan base from the 18-to-29 demographic, which would make the average fan more than 10 years younger than those from other racing series.
''We are a team that relies solely on outside sponsorship, so we need to tap that, and hopefully it's a two-way street with that demographic and our sponsors,'' Ganassi said Wednesday. ''That's the youngest demographic of all motor racing series, and a demographic all series are trying to attract.
''We're trying to grow. All these series are not static. they are growing, shrinking and you never know which way they are going,'' he added. ''To some extent you are hoping to get on a wave. Once you get your surfboard stabilized on a wave, you can start to look at look at other waves.''
Ganassi will field GRC teams for Deegan and dirt racing champion Steve Arpin.
Deegan will compete in seven races in the No. 38 RockStar Energy Drink Ford Fiesta ST. Arpin will run all 12 in the No. 00 ENEOS Ford Fiesta ST.
Both drivers will compete in the X Games in June.
Ganassi has also partnered with energy and construction company Loenbro, which serves clients throughout the Rocky Mountain region and beyond, in the GRC expansion. Founding brothers Paul and Jon Leach are entrepreneurs who built a company on a foundation of strong core values and a tireless effort to exceed clients' expectations, and have had life-long personal interests in the world of motorsports.
''Loenbro is thrilled to partner with Chip Ganassi Racing and to do great things with Steve and Brian behind the wheel,'' said Paul Leach, president. ''My brother and I have had a passion for racing since we were kids, and many Loenbro employees are big fans of the sport.''
The teams will be based out of the Concord, North Carolina, shop that houses Ganassi's NASCAR Sprint Cup and XFINITY Series programs.
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