Chip Ganassi Racing Teams and Kennametal renew partnership with new multi-year contract

Kennametal Inc. has announced a multi-year renewal of its machining technology partnership with Chip Ganassi Teams (CGRT). Kennametal began its relationship with CGRT in 1993. This renewed relationship occurs in the wake of Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon’s dramatic first and second-place finish at the 2012 Indianapolis 500.

With cars competing in multiple series —the IZOD Indy Car Series, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and the Rolex GRAND-AM Series — Chip Ganassi Racing holds a record of 15 championships and more than 140 victories, including four Indianapolis 500 wins. This year marks Franchitti’s third win, (one of only 10 drivers in the history of the race to do so), a Daytona 500, a Brickyard 400, and four Rolex 24 at Daytona victories. RACER Magazine named them its 2010 “Team of the Year.”

Kennametal has expanded the 19-year metalcutting partnership by providing Ganassi’s Indy machine shop with proprietary Precision Surface Management Technology by Kennametal Extrude Hone. Kennametal’s advanced surface finishing solutions deliver uniform, repeatable, predictable results by removing the rough cast surfaces that restrict the efficiency of critical engine components and performance competence.

"As this year’s Indianapolis 500 showed, winning consistently isn’t just about the fastest car. It’s about precision team performance at top speeds,” says Kennametal Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer John Jacko. “We’re proud Kennametal technology will continue to be part of CGRT’s winning combination."

“We have been in business for 23 years and for 19 of those, Kennametal has been a partner,” said Chip Ganassi, owner of Chip Ganassi Racing Teams. “Their logo is on every one of our cars across all our teams and series. But what really makes the partnership even more important to the race team is how their expertise even helps us on race day. They come to us with many solutions for different mechanical challenges we face. It is great when you have a partner that can do that.”

Kennametal's advanced tooling systems are used in turning, milling and holemaking operations to machine cast irons, steels, stainless steels and aluminum, as well as more exotic metals and alloys, including titanium, magnesium and Inconel.