2008 Riley Mk XI Chip Ganassi Racing Prototype

The CGRFS No.01 TELMEX Lexus-Riley is owned by Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates. The drivers are Scott Pruett and memo Rojas. The monocoque chassis is by Riley and the engine is a 4.3-liter Lexus V8. Primary sponsorship is through Telmex.About Chip Ganssi
Chip Ganassi has been a fixture in the auto racing industry for over 25 years and is considered one of the most successful as well as innovative owners the sport has anywhere in the world. His racing empire includes 11 drivers that represent six different countries and seven series championships, three Indianapolis 500 championships, five Rolex 24 At Daytona overall championships and over 130 wins. Today his teams include two cars in the Indy Racing League, three in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, one Daytona Prototype in the world of Grand American Sports Car racing, two entries in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and regular entries in the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA). Overall, that is at least 10 cars covering no less than five different touring divisions.




The 2007 season saw his teams compile a combined 13 wins, the most in team's 18-year history. They were led by IndyCar Series runner-up Scott Dixon who compiled four wins and an IndyCar series record-tying three consecutive at one point. NASCAR newcomer Juan Pablo Montoya and veteran Grand Am driver Scott Pruett each picked up three while Dan Wheldon made it to victory lane twice. In addition, his Grand Am team picked up its second consecutive overall win of the prestigious 24 At Daytona with Juan Pablo Montoya, Scott Pruett and Salvador Duran in the No. 01 Lexus-Riley.

After the success of Montoya's Raybestos Rookie of the Year NASCAR debut, Ganassi again surprised the racing community. He threw conventional wisdom out the window and found the best driver he could no matter the series and signed 2007 Indy 500 and IndyCar Series champion Dario Franchitti to drive the team's No. 40 Dodge full-time beginning in 2008. Franchitti will become the first European to drive full-time in the series whereby further expanding the ever-growing global reach of Ganassi and his racing operation.



Ganassi solidified his place in open wheel racing history, becoming the first owner to lead his team to four consecutive championships with Jimmy Vasser (1996), Alex Zanardi (1997-98) and then with rookie Juan Pablo Montoya's championship in 1999. In 2000, Target Chip Ganassi Racing's Montoya blew away the competition in the Indianapolis 500, claiming the title for his team which had not raced at the famed Brickyard since 1995. In 2003, following a switch from the CART Series to the Indy Racing League, Ganassi and Team Target driver Scott Dixon proved they could meet the challenge of a new series and new competition by capturing the 2003 Indy Racing League Championship.

After Ganassi's majority acquisition of Team SABCO from Felix Sabates and beginning his involvement with NASCAR in 2001, Sterling Marlin and the No. 40 team gave Ganassi his first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup victory, and the team remained in the top 10 in driver points all season long to finish third in the standings.

In 2003, Ganassi became the first owner to have three drivers claim 'Rookie of the Year' honors in stock car racing in the same season with McMurray in the NEXTEL Cup Series, David Stremme in the NASCAR Busch Series and Reed Sorenson in the ASA Series.

Ganassi made his foray into the NASCAR Busch Series in 2004 with Sorenson, Mears and McMurray running in eight races. The trio collected one win, two poles and six top-10 finishes. Their success led the way for a full-time Busch Series entry in 2005 with rookie Sorenson behind the wheel. Sorenson finished fourth in the championship standings while racking up impressive numbers: two wins, two poles, 12 top-five and 19 top-10 finishes.

That season also saw Ganassi expand his racing team to include two Lexus/Riley Daytona Prototype entries in the Grand American Sports Car Series and four more talented drivers. In keeping with Ganassi Racing's tradition of excellence, veteran drivers Scott Pruett and Max Papis won the Rolex Series Championship with 11 pole positions and four wins in 12 races to their credit.

With Franchitti, Montoya and Sorenson running the full '08 Sprint Cup Series schedule, the year is sure to have its share of highlights. That, coupled with returning IndyCar champs Dixon and Wheldon, the return of Pruett and Memo Rojas in a Daytona prototype, Chip Ganassi Racing is sure to be a contender on all fronts.

Ganassi's interests do not lie solely in auto racing. He has expanded his horizons to include several other sporting and business pursuits. The 1982 Duquesne Úniversity graduate was formerly part owner of his hometown Pittsburgh Pirates and is currently vice president of the FRG Group, a Pittsburgh holding company with interests in telecommunications and manufacturing. Ganassi is also a supporter and promoter of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, to which his team has donated nearly half a million dollars over the years.

About Felix Sabates
For decades Felix Sabates has been a trusted community leader throughout the Charlotte region for a myriad of reasons but most notably because of his business, civic and philanthropic endeavors. If the city of Charlotte had a Mount Rushmore, Felix's likeness might be found on it as he has been active in promoting the community for over 40 years. This fun-loving Cuban American is also one of the most widely known and respected team owners in the NASCAR garage – a result of his over 20 years in the sport, his keen business sense, his close relationship with the France family and most of all because he is simply a 'good guy.'

Sabates first entered the world of stock car racing as an owner in 1987, when he purchased a research and development team from then-owner and popular Charlotte businessman, Rick Hendrick. SABCO Racing was founded and a new NASCAR Cup competitor entered the scene. For Sabates, it was just the beginning of a long, successful career on the NASCAR circuit.

For the first three seasons, SABCO Racing ran a limited schedule until 1990 when driver Kyle Petty embarked on SABCO Racing's first full season of Cup competition. Petty earned the team's first pole position and checkered flag in the Goodwrench 500 at North Carolina Speedway during that inaugural full season.

In his 11 seasons running full-time Cup teams, Sabates and Team Sabco picked up seven wins, 33 top-fives, 104 top-10s and 15 poles in nearly 600 starts. His teams finished in the top five in points in two different seasons – both by Kyle Petty.

During the 2000 season Sabates and then CART owner Chip Ganassi announced a partnership that would form Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (CGRFS) beginning in 2001 along with a new partnership with Dodge Motorsports.

The two-car operation that Sabates and Ganassi initially started with has now grown to be three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series entries, two NASCAR Nationwide entries and one in the Daytona prototype in the world of Grand American Sports Car Racing. In addition, his Grand Am team picked up its third consecutive overall win in the prestigious Rolex 24 At Daytona as Juan Pablo Montoya, Scott Pruett, Dario Franchitti and Memo Rojas hit the checkered flag first in the No. 01 Lexus-Riley.

Sabates has had as much success off the track as he had has on. He left his native Cuba when he was just 16-years-old and worked odd jobs until he was able to get what he considers his first real job – selling cars at City Chevrolet in the early 1960s. He soon accepted a position as a manufacturer's representative for Top Sales Company (TSC) and in 1973 at the age of 32 was able to parlay his sales success into the purchase of the company. At its peak, TSC became the largest, most successful manufacturer's representative company in the Únited States with over six billion dollars in Sales. In a 2000 move that shocked the business world, Felix Sabates sold Top Sales Company to his employees at what was considered a well below market rate to 'reward the people that helped him build the business.' The goodwill gesture gave all employees a once in a lifetime opportunity - to become owners of the company. In 2000, the father of three and grandfather of six bought the number one custom yacht builders in the world, Trinity Yachts. He also owns IYC, one of the largest yacht management, charter, brokerage and new construction yachts companies in the world, with offices in Monaco. the Bahamas, Saint Martees and the Ú.S. He owns two Infinity, a Hyundai, a Mercedes Benz auto dealership and also owns a Smart Car Franchise. Felix is also the president and CEO of FSS Holdings, Inc., a North Carolina based company with holdings in several Ú.S. and international companies.

Sabates, who has been a Charlotte resident since 1963, has always had a soft spot in his heart for sports. In 1988 he became an original owner of the Charlotte Hornets basketball team and played a key role in negotiating with the NBA to grant Charlotte a franchise. He is also the only person that had ownership in the Hornets to now also have ownership in the Charlotte Bobcats. He has also been an owner of the East Coast Hockey League's Charlotte Checkers, who won the Rally Cup representing the league championship in 1995. In addition, in the early 1980s he started the first indoor professional soccer team and was one of the first investors of the World Football League.

Sabates is also well known for his many philanthropic contributions and has received several honors and awards for his generosity. Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina has named its dining hall after him, Elon College bestowed upon him an Honorary Doctorate and he received a 'Special Blessing' in writing from Pope John Paul II. He serves on the Board of Directors for Carolinas Health Care Systems, the Úniversity of North Carolina Charlotte, the Applica Corporation (Black & Decker), Simpson Products, the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce and the North Carolina Institute of Medicine. Additionally, Sabates became a member of the philanthropic Dream Makers Society of the Boys and Girls Club of Broward County, Fla., in recognition of his 12-year commitment to and support of special fund raising events. In his honor, the Felix Sabates Athletic Center was dedicated in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in November 2000. The facility is the largest Boys and Girls Club in the state. He is also a large contributor to the Levine Children Hospital, where a special plaque in his honor is in the main lobby.

About Scott Pruett
Having raced and won in nearly every form of motorsport in North America and overseas, veteran road racer Scott Pruett returns to the wheel of the No.01 TELMEX Lexus-Riley in his fifth season of Rolex Sports Car Series racing for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates in 2008.

The Sacramento, Calif. native continues his assault on the sports car record books this season with returning co-driver Memo Rojas from Mexico City. Pruett is the most successful Daytona Prototype pilot ever holding career records for wins (14), pole positions (21) and podium finishes (34). After a mid-season victory at Iowa Speedway in 2007, Pruett became the winningest driver in Rolex series history.

The two-time Rolex Series Champion (2004, 2006) and 2007 Rolex 24 At Daytona winner has never finished outside of the top-two in the season championship, but his Grand-Am experience is just the latest in a career filled will countless titles and trips to Victory Lane.

Pruett's racing resume boasts nearly every major racing series including NASCAR, CART, IMSA GTO/GTÚ/GTP, SCCA Trans Am and IROC, where he's accumulated nine major championships over the past 26 seasons. From his first title in 1981 at the World Karting Championship to his latest Rolex 24 At Datyona victory, Pruett is still a force to be reckoned with in world of racing.

Closing the 2007 season in Útah, the No.01 TELMEX Lexus-Riley achieved high team marks with 15 career wins and 54 consecutive Grand-Am starts. Pruett and Rojas's victory at Iowa Speedway in 2007 landed CGRFS the distinction as the winningest team in Rolex series' record books. Pruett lead the team to eight podium-finishes throughout the 14-race Grand-Am schedule.

The six-time Rolex 24 At Daytona winner (1987-GTO, 1988-GTO, 1992-GTP, 1994-Overall, 2002-GTS, 2007-Overall) recently tallied his last victory at the 2007 race as he paired with CGRFS NASCAR teammate Juan Pablo Montoya and TELMEX newcomer Salvador Duran.

The 47-year-old Pruett is showing no signs of slowing down, and remains one of the men to beat as the 2008 racing seasons open up. The former Indianapolis 500 Co-Rookie of the Year (1989) and Olympic Torchbearer (2002) resides in Auburn, Calif. with wife Judy and their three children.

Source - Chip Ganassi Racing

Pruett and Rojas' Six-Hour Endurance Win Start to Another Big Weekend

Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas endured unseasonably warm weather at Watkins Glen International (WGI) in the No.01 TELMEX Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (CGRFS) Lexus to score their fourth victory in six races. As a result of a shortened qualifying session the TELMEX team started from pit lane and relied on a flexible race strategy to lead 39 of the final 64 laps in the six-hour event.
Pruett started the race and maneuvered the No.01 TELMEX Daytona Prototype up to fourth place before a driver change at the end of the first hour. With a short rain during his stint, Rojas focused on working his way through traffic and consistently remained in the top-five through the half-way mark (hour three). With the final three hours remaining Pruett resumed the helm and capitalized on fast lap times and set the quickest lap of the race (1:43.151) to build his lead in the final 50 minutes of the race.




Pruett continues to extend his record Rolex Series career victories (18). Saturday's dual win denotes CGR's 96th and 97th career wins. The No.01 TELMEX team has now scored top-10 finishing positions and completed every lap for nearly two years (since June 29, 2006).

Pruett and Rojas currently lead the Rolex series driver and team championship race with 202 points, 36 points over the No.91 Goossens/Matthews car (166).



CGRFS Quoteboard:

Scott Pruett: 'Today was really a testament to how well the TELMEX team works together. Yesterday (qualifying) was very upsetting because we knew we had a car capable of sitting on pole, but we weren't able to achieve that. We all knew the race was going to be long and we had to be smart, yet aggressive enough to make our way to the front. The last stint wasn't that bad – I feel good right now. The heat has never been something that bothers me very much, so I knew what the job was at hand and we had a strong Lexus engine and Pirelli tires that held up well through the race. Today was a great win for the TELMEX Chip Ganassi with Felix Sabates team and we couldn't be more proud of our current points situation.'

Memo Rojas: 'Wow, today was great. I mean Scott just did a heck of a job by being in the car for the final three hours. At times I got a bit warm, but the cautions allowed me to catch my breath and drive hard for the remainder of the race. I enjoy racing at Watkins Glen and was glad to be on top of the podium here. We definitely faced some difficult times early in the weekend, but the race result shows how well the TELMEX and Ganassi team works to give us the best car possible every race.'

Source - Chip Ganassi Racing