DETROIT—During the past three decades, Chip Ganasi Racing (CGR) has successfully competed in many forms of motorsport, including Indy cars, NASCAR and sports cars, with wins in iconic events such as the Indianapolis 500, the Daytona 500 and the 24 Hours of LeMans. Now, it plans to tackle the inaugural season of an offroad racing series called Extreme E. The CGR team will use GMC’s new Hummer EV pickup truck.
Extreme E will consist of five races in some of the world’s most remote locations, starting in early April. Events will include the Desert X Prix in Al Ula, Saudi Arabia; the Ocean X Prix in Lac Rose, Senegal; the Arctic X Prix in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland; the Amazon X Prix in Para, Brazil; and the Glacier X Prix in Patagonia, Argentina.
In addition to CGR, teams will be fielded by other big names in U.S. auto racing, such as Andretti Autosport and United Autosports. Extreme E will also feature teams organized by Formula One world champions such as Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.
Teams will be composed of a male and a female driver who will compete together in every two-lap race as driver and co-driver. Each will complete one lap behind the wheel of an electric vehicle, with a changeover incorporated into the race format.
“I can’t think of a better fit than showcasing the look of GMC’s Hummer EV in Extreme E with Chip Ganassi Racing,” says Jim Campbell, U.S. vice president of performance and motorsports at General Motors. “The Extreme E series [is] designed to be revolutionary; [it will] challenge perceptions of electric vehicles and showcase their true capability.”