Seven-Time GRAMMY Winner Taylor Swift Performing in Detroit during Belle Isle Doubleheader

INDIANAPOLIS (May, 28, 2015) – Chip Ganassi Racing Teams (CGRT) announced today that Verizon IndyCar Series Champion and Indianapolis 500 Winner Tony Kanaan will drive the No. 10 Taylor Swift, Big Machine Records car at the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix. The car will promote Seven-time GRAMMY winner TAYLOR SWIFT and Big Machine Record’s recording artist Taylor Swift’s THE 1989 WORLD TOUR that kicked off in Japan in early May, and will come to a close in Australia this December.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the third stop of the North American leg of THE 1989 WORLD TOUR, Taylor will perform in Detroit at Ford Field this Saturday, May 30, the same weekend the Verizon IndyCar Series will run the first and only doubleheader of the season in Detroit. Big Machine Records is the official entertainment partner of Chip Ganassi Racing Teams.

Notes of Interest:

* Big Machine at the Race Track: Although this is the first time that Kanaan has raced a Big Machine Records sponsored car, CGRT and Big Machine Records have enjoyed a solid relationship since 2011 and Big Machine also has a direct sponsorship with the popular Brazilian driver. CGRT previously ran Taylor Swift on their No. 42 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car to promote her RED album. The number one independent record label in the world is also a co-primary sponsor for CGRT rookie Sage Karam and the No. 8 car for the entire 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series season.

* Tony Kanaan On and Off the Track: 2004 Verizon IndyCar Series Champion and 2013 Indianapolis 500 Winner Kanaan is in his second year with CGRT for the 2015 season. Kanaan continues to pilot the No. 10 car, but represents NTT DATA in the 2015 season. The Brazilian has 17 career wins and 15 poles entering Detroit, and seeks to add to his record for consecutive Indy car starts, which is at 239. Only four other active drivers (Scott Dixon, Helio Castroneves, Marco Andretti and Ryan Hunter-Reay) possess a streak of more than 100 consecutive starts. Competing in every race this season will push his career starts to 310 – which would be good enough for seventh on the all-time list. Kanaan is ranked second among active drivers on the all-time top-five finishes list with 118, ranked only behind CGRT teammate Scott Dixon. In early 2015, Kanaan won his first Rolex 24 At Daytona alongside CGRT teammates Scott Dixon, Jamie McMurray and Kyle Larson. Early 2015 also saw the birth of Kanaan’s second child, Deco. Also, noteworthy, when the Brazilian driver moved to the US, he learned to speak English by watching country music videos.

* TK in Belle Isle: Kanaan has nine starts at the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix and he has finished in the top 10 in seven of those attempts. He won the 2007 Detroit Indy Grand Prix Presented by Firestone on the streets of Belle Isle and placed third the following year (2008). Kanaan added another podium finish in Detroit in the first leg of the 2014 doubleheader with a third place finish.

* Rascal Flatts Featured on Karam’s Car: Another Big Machine Records artist will be featured on a CGRT car for the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix. Rascal Flatts will be present on the rear wing of rookie Sage Karam’s No. 8 COMFORT REVOLUTION/Big Machine Records car for both races of the double header. Rascal Flatts will perform in Detroit at the WYCD Hoedown on June 6.

* Five Lucky Winners: Five (5) lucky fans will win a chance to meet both drivers at the track by entering WYCD’s on-air Dual-in-Detroit radio promotion.

Quote Board:

* Scott Borchetta, President, Big Machine Records: “Taylor Swift has become the biggest artist in the world and continues to shatter sales and airplay records as her historic The 1989 World Tour kicks into high gear in Detroit. Indy 500 Champ Tony Kanaan knows a thing or two about high gears and will be racing for the wins this weekend with The 1989 World Tour livery taking over his #10 Chevy Indy Car.”

* Steve Lauletta, President, Chip Ganassi Racing Teams: “The team is thrilled to have Taylor Swift on Tony’s car this weekend in Detroit through our partnership with Scott Borchetta and Big Machine Records. She is a true music icon and so it is only appropriate to promote her 1989 World Tour on the car of an IndyCar Series legend, former champion and Indianapolis 500 winner Tony Kanaan. We hope she will bring the team great luck this weekend.”

* Tony Kanaan, Driver No. 10 Taylor Swift Big Machine Records car: “It’s really cool to have Taylor Swift and Big Machine Records on the No. 10 car in Detroit. Big Machine Records has been a really good partner for both myself and the team, and I think it’s great that we get to promote their biggest stars out on the race track. I’m hoping that some of Taylor’s luck we saw last weekend at the Billboard Music Awards will carry over with me into our doubleheader in Detroit.”