CGRFS Adds Sage Karam to Brickyard GP Lineup

Back

Karam Added to Brickyard GP Lineup

Posted: July 23, 2014

Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Adds Sage Karam to Brickyard GP Lineup

INDIANAPOLIS (July 23, 2014) – Seven-time and reigning GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series Champions and five-time Rolex 24 At Daytona Winners Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (CGRFS) announced today that development driver Sage Karam will join Scott Pruett in the driver lineup of the No. 01 Telcel Ford EcoBoost Prototype (P) for the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship (TUSC) Brickyard Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) on July 25. The driver lineup changes after regular co-driver Memo Rojas couldn’t compete this weekend due to a nagging back issue.

NOTES OF INTEREST:

Karam Behind the Wheel: The reigning Indy Lights Champion, 2011 Star Mazda Rookie of the Year and 2010 USF2000 Champion returns to CGRFS after making his debut with the team in Round 1 of the TUSC in his first start in a sports car at the Rolex 24 At Daytona, again with the team in Round 2 at the 12 Hours of Sebring, and most recently in round 7 at the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen. Karam also led the team’s four-car Indianapolis 500 effort in his very first Verizon IndyCar Series start with a ninth-place result at IMS in May.

Indianapolis Successes: The No. 01 car has raced at IMS twice in the team’s 10-year sports car career (2012, 2013) and has placed second both times. The team has completed 198 out of 198 laps at IMS and led 23 of those laps.

Ganassi Driver Development Program: Karam adds to a growing lineup of CGRT development drivers that includes 21-year-old graduate Kyle Larson (No. 42 Target Chevrolet SS in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series) and 19-year-old Dylan Kwasniewski (No. 31 RockStar Chevrolet Camaro in the NASCAR Nationwide Series).

QUOTEBOARD:

Sage Karam, Driver: “I couldn’t have been happier to get the call to come drive again with the team in the No. 01 car in Indianapolis. It’s an unfortunate situation for Memo, and I hope he recovers quickly, but I’m happy to step up and contribute any way I can. I have such great memories of competing at IMS already in the Indianapolis 500 this year with the team, so it almost feels like going home a bit. I know it’s a completely different track, but I feel comfortable there, and I’m hoping I can carry that over into a great result this weekend.”

Memo Rojas, Driver: “I spoke to the team after our last race at Mosport and let them know that I didn’t feel that I was 100%. I discussed the situation with our managing director Mike Hull and we agreed that it would be best for me to rest my back this weekend. I know Sage will do a great job filling in and I’m already looking forward to the race at Road America after a few weekends off.”