CHIP GANASSI RACING'S 17th TITLE: A RECORD-BREAKING JOURNEY

Vasser started a winning streak that kicked off a span of four consecutive titles: Alex Zanardi won backto-back titles in 1997 and '98 and Juan Pablo Montoya won the fourth championship in 1999....

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Chip Ganassi has only one business — he's not a car dealer, he's not backed by private equity money — the Pittsburgh native focuses only on racing. And in 35 years, he's proved to be good at his chosen profession. Alex Palou closed the IndyCar season with his fourth championship — the first driver since Dario Franchitti to win three in a row, he actually won four titles in five seasons — to give Chip Ganassi Racing its 17th championship.

The 17 titles tie Ganassi with Team Penske for the series record. But for statistical purposes, Ganassi did it in his 35th anniversary season and Roger Penske has been racing for nearly two decades longer. And, since Jimmy Vasser in 1996 gave Ganassi his first title, no IndyCar team has won more championships over the past 30 seasons.

The CGR success rate tops that of nearly every North American sports franchise, including the Los Angeles Lakers and New England Patriots (six championships apiece), New York Yankees (five), and in NASCAR, Hendrick Motorsports, which has won 13 titles in the same span.

Vasser started a winning streak that kicked off a span of four consecutive titles: Alex Zanardi won back-to-back titles in 1997 and '98 and Juan Pablo Montoya won the fourth championship in 1999.

Scott Dixon added six more titles beginning in 2003, and Franchitti won his three straight from 2009 through 2011.