Ganassi honored at 'The Amelia' Concours D'Elegance

Chip Ganassi, the legendary INDYCAR SERIES team owner and partner with The American Legion’s INDYCAR program, was honored at “The Amelia” Concours D’Elegance March 3-6 at Amelia Island, Fla.

The 63-year-old Ganassi was the Honoree at “The Amelia,” an award-winning car show that was formerly known as the “Amelia Island Concours D’Elegance.” Ganassi was the 26th Honoree.

The Amelia is a classic and luxury car show experience held at The Golf Club and The Ritz-Carlton of Amelia Island. Ganassi joins an impressive list of past honorees chosen by distinguished car enthusiasts. Those include, among others, Roger Penske, Bobby Rahal, Sam Posey, Johnny Rutherford, Bobby Unser, Hurley Haywood, David Hobbs, Brian Redman, Emerson Fittipaldi and Jochen Mass.

“That’s pretty exciting,” Ganassi said. “That’s a big deal. I thought that was for famous guys in racing. What am I doing there?”

Ganassi is the famed INDYCAR team owner that is involved in The American Legion’s efforts with seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and second year INDYCAR driver Jimmie Johnson in creating awareness for The Legion. Also involved in that program is reigning NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Alex Palou and 2004 INDYCAR champion and 2013 Indianapolis 500 winner Tony Kanaan.

“I had never even been there, so I was excited just about that,” Ganassi said. “It was a first-class event, which is very exciting to me.”

In addition to his efforts in support of The American Legion, Ganassi is also heavily involved in fundraising for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.

Ganassi estimates the team has generated over $1 million to St. Jude’s over the course of his career in racing.

“I was introduced through Target way back when,” Ganassi said of his previous longtime sponsor. “There were children I knew there who needed care. I think it’s a national platform and important platform. Through our foundation and the team, we’ve given away a lot of money, most to St. Jude’s, but other local things. In terms of national involvement, that’s probably our biggest by far.”

The Amelia Island Concours D’Elegance was founded by car collector and businessman Bill Warner in 1996, who launched his career as a photographer and writer for Road & Track magazine in the early 1970s.

The event’s economic impact on Florida is estimated at nearly $30 million a year and has donated over $4 million to various charities since its inception.

 “To be selected as the Honoree at The Amelia this year, it certainly ranks among the highpoints of my career,” Ganassi said. “I’m truly honored to be respected by my peers in this way and join the likes of so many legends I’ve long admired. I’ve been fortunate enough to make this a career, and I still feel that I have as much passion for the sport as I did 40 years ago, qualifying for the Indianapolis 500 as a rookie.”

 The Amelia Island Concours D’Elegance was recently acquired by Hagerty, an American automotive lifestyle and membership company and the world's largest provider of specialty insurance for classic vehicles. Hagerty rebranded the Florida collector car event as “The Amelia,” in 2021. Showcased throughout the event weekend are some of the rarest and most unusual collector automobiles from all over the world.

 As Honoree, a select fleet of Ganassi’s legendary race cars were featured as part of the show. 

The collection included champion cars that have special meaning to the 14-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion team owner, including a 2010 Daytona 500 winning Chevrolet Impala, a Dallara IndyCar that won the 2010 Indianapolis 500, and a 2022 Cadillac DPi, which recently competed in the 24 Hours of Daytona.

There were also one of the four Ford GTs that were part of the Ganassi fleet that raced during the 2016–2019 seasons in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Chassis 007 earned four victories over the course of the program: in 2017, Rolex 24 at Daytona and Road America; and in 2018, Watkins Glen and Lime Rock.

Ganassi has had an incredibly successful career as a team owner with 14 NTT INDYCAR SERIES championships and eight IMSA Sports Car titles.

Overall, his teams have 22 championships with more than 230 victories, including four Indianapolis 500s, a Daytona 500, a Brickyard 400, eight Rolex 24 at Daytona events, the 12 Hours of Sebring and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Ganassi’s four-driver INDYCAR lineup that includes six-time series champion Scott Dixon, defending series champion Palou, emerging star Marcus Ericsson and Johnson returns to action in the March 20 XPEL 375 at Texas Motor Speedway.

It will be Johnson’s first-ever oval race in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. He will be racing the No. 48 Carvana/American Legion Honda.