Ganassi confirms Kanaan, NTT Data return in 2016

Chip Ganassi Racing confirmed today that Tony Kanaan and NTT Data will return to the No. 10 car for the 2016 Verizon IndyCar Series season.

It will mark the third straight year in which the 2004 IndyCar champion and 2013 Indianapolis 500 winner competes for Ganassi, for whom he scored three podium finishes and finished eighth in the championship in 2015. Kanaan took over the No. 10 car at the start of the 2014 season following the enforced retirement of his friend Dario Franchitti.

Kanaan, who is the all-time leader in Indy car consecutive Indy car starts (249), commented: “It feels really great to be back with NTT DATA Chip Ganassi Racing. 2015 was kind of a rollercoaster of a season with some really solid results throughout the year, but our top-five finish and Scott Dixon’s championship in Sonoma was a really positive way to go into the offseason for the whole team.

“I feel very good about the 2016 season and I want nothing more than to get NTT DATA Chip Ganassi Racing their first of many wins.”

Kanaan won the 2014 finale at Fontana for Ganassi but in Target colors. NTT Data then switched from Ganassi's No. 8 entry (which had been campaigned all season by Ryan Briscoe) to the No. 10 for 2015. 

The Brazilian veteran, who will turn 41 on New Year’s Eve, was also part of Ganassi’s winning Rolex 24 at Daytona team this year, partnering IndyCar teammate Scott Dixon and CGR’s NASCAR drivers Kyle Larson and Jamie McMurray.