The American teenager that Chip Ganassi hired for his NASCAR program is working out quite well as Kyle Larson has driven the Target team right to the front. And, while his IndyCar team has been in the lead pack for the past 20 years, it appears Ganassi is banking on another bright young talent from the USA to help carry on that tradition.
Although not confirmed, it’s believed Ganassi is working to make 19-year-old Sage Karam the fourth wheel of his 2015 Verizon IndyCar series squad that includes Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan and Charlie Kimball. The 2013 Indy Lights champ from Nazareth, Pa. is under contract to Ganassi and only made one start in 2014 but it was impressive as he charged from 31st to ninth at the Indianapolis 500 (LEFT).
“He was just a fun, goofy kid until he put that helmet on and then he was all business,” said Mark Weida, the longtime team manager/chief mechanic who along with Jeff Britton ran Karam’s operation last May for Ganassi through Dennis Reinbold and Davey Hamilton. “I was really impressed with his feedback and his professionalism.
“He got all the way up to seventh, lost a lap and fell back to 18th when we got caught out by a caution. But Sage never got excited, he was as cool as could be, and stormed all the way back to ninth. You had no idea it was his first Indy car race.”
Ganassi usually prefers to go with veterans in IndyCar as Dario Franchitti, the late Dan Wheldon, Kanaan and Briscoe have paired with Dixon during the past decade. Californian Kimball, 29, recently completed his fourth season with the Indy-based team that has captured five of seven championships since the merger of IRL and Champ Car in 2008.
Kanaan, the 2013 Indianapolis 500 winner who drives the No. 10 Target Dallara-Chevrolet, turns 40 in December while Dixon is 34 and Briscoe, who drove the No. 8 car this past season, just turned 33.
Wayne Taylor, the sports car team owner who also serves as Briscoe’s manager, said Monday night he was still working on trying to find the former Roger Penske driver a good ride in IndyCar or sports cars.
With rival Penske just hiring 30-year-old Simon Pagenaud to support his aging lineup and look to the future, Ganassi is looking to go even younger.
“It would be great for IndyCar and great for Sage if Chip promotes him,” said Weida. “He’s ready.”
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