Target Chip Ganassi Racing will make IndyCar history this weekend at Surfers Paradise when it runs its 2009 driver line-up of Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti for the first time.

The team will become the first to run the drivers who have won the Indy 500 and the IndyCar Series title in the past two season, with 2007 winner Franchitti making his open-wheel comeback alongside the man who took his title in 2008.

"It is surprising that such a feat has not happened before in the Indianapolis 500's long history," Indianapolis 500 and Indianapolis Motor Speedway historian Donald Davidson said. "Former 500 winners Al Unser, Rick Mears and Danny Sullivan were team-mates at Penske in the 1980s, and Graham Hill and Jim Clark were team-mates at Lotus in Formula One, but never before have the two most recent marquee event and series champions been team-mates.

"Given Chip's appreciation for the history of this sport, I'm sure this is something he's quite proud of."

Ganassi himself said he was excited about his driver line-up and said he felt the pair would bring the best out of each other during the 2009 campaign.

"It's going to be a lot of fun to see these two guys as team-mates next season," he said. "I think they'll bring out the best in each other. They are very similar drivers in that they are both, calm, cool and patient and are equally adept on road courses as they are on ovals.

"I know we have had some pretty good duos in our cars over the years like Vasser and Zanardi, Vasser and Montoya and Dixon and Wheldon but I think this one has the chance to be real special."