Probst Joins Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates as Head of Engineering
CONCORD, N.C. (Sept. 30, 2011) – Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates announced today John Probst has accepted the role of technical director to oversee all engineering for the organization’s NASCAR operation. In his new role, Probst will work closely with the team’s competition director Steve Hmiel.
“As a race team owner, you owe it to your team, partners and the fans to bring in good people whenever you have the opportunity,” said Team Owner Chip Ganassi. “So when John became available we jumped at the opportunity to bring him on board. We think he will be a great addition to this team.”
Probst previously spent five years with Team Red Bull, also as technical director, of their two-car NASCAR Sprint Cup Series operation. Prior to his time at Red Bull, he spent over a decade at Ford Motor Company predominately in their motor sports division. His final role at Ford was as a vehicle dynamics supervisor for Ford Racing Technology, overseeing all of Ford’s chassis development, setup engineering, software and simulations. He also held posts at Ford Electronics Racing, Jackie Stewart’s Formula One program, as program manager of Ford Racing Technology’s Champ Car operation and as an engineer on the Jaguar F1 team.
The native of Pennsylvania earned a physics and mechanical engineering degree from Penn State University. Probst, his wife Karen and their sons Logan and Connor reside in Sherrills Ford, N.C.
About Chip Ganassi Racing Teams: Chip Ganassi created his own one-car IndyCar team in 1990 and established a partnership with sponsor, Target. Today, Chip Ganassi Racing Teams includes two entries in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, four in the IZOD IndyCar Series, and one Daytona Prototype in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Cars Series. Overall his teams have 13 championships and 145 victories, including three Indianapolis 500s, a Daytona 500, a Brickyard 400 and four Rolex 24 At Daytonas. Ganassi boasts state-of-the-art race shop facilities in Indianapolis, Brownsburg, Ind. and Concord, N.C., with a corporate office in Pittsburgh, Penn.