CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Target will leave IndyCar at the end of this season after 27 years with Chip Ganassi Racing that included 11 championships and four Indianapolis 500 victories.The exit comes as Target is examining all of its marketing platforms under new chairman Brian Cornell. Target is also the primary sponsor of Kyle Larson in NASCARs top Sprint Cup Series and will return to his car in 2017.Targets relationship with Ganassi is one of the longest in any racing series, and the retail giant was a key player in helping Ganassi build his organization. Target not only sponsored Ganassis first car as a team owner, it eventually became a partner as the Ganassi team grew to one of the top two players in open wheel racing.In discussing the decision to leave IndyCar, senior vice president Scott Nygaard rattled off a list of highlights from Targets run: Jimmy Vasser winning Ganassis first championship, Alex Zanardi adding another two, Juan Pablo Montoya winning Ganassis first Indianapolis 500 and domination over the last decade by Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon.It was a really difficult decision that we made -- weve been with Chip Ganassi Racing for 27 years and we are ridiculously proud of the success, Nygaard said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. But the Target brand is about being fresh and new, so we felt like this was the time to make the difficult decision and expand our sports marketing platform.About the NASCAR sponsorship, Nygaard said only that Target is excited for the 2017 season with Larson. Targets contract with Ganassi runs through next year.Chip Ganassi raved about his partnership with Target while noting he understood the company made a business decision after nearly three full decades together in IndyCar.Its the greatest sponsor in racing, ever, Ganassi said. Theyve been nothing but good to me. They developed me personally and professionally. Ive developed lifelong friends and relationships. I understand things change and people have different marketing efforts, and the way they want to stamp their name on things.But its one of the longest running sponsors in racing and they delivered for me and the team, and the team delivered for them.Target walks away from an enormous investment it made in IndyCar and aligning itself with Ganassi drivers as its brand ambassadors. That includes Dixon, who has been sponsored by Target for 15 years and is one of the greatest open wheel drivers in history. Ganassi said Dixon is not a tough sell at all to sponsors, and he expected to announce a replacement on the Target car within the next two months.Dixon is a four-time IndyCar champion and his 39 career victories include the 2008 Indianapolis 500.I cant thank Target enough for their partnership on and off the track over the years, Dixon said. They have been with the IndyCar team for an amazing 27 years, which is unheard of in professional sports, and on the car Ive driven for the past 15 seasons. I have nothing but great memories and much thanks for Target being great partners for so long.Nygaard praised Dixon as a longtime Target ambassador.He is a true class act, a gentleman on and off the track, Nygaard said of the New Zealand driver. Hes always stood tall for the values of Target and the Target brand. Hes done more than we could ever ask for.Nygaard did not reveal if Target will replace its IndyCar sponsorship with another platform, only saying the company is going through what that evolution of our sports marketing will be in the future. Clearance College Basketball Jerseys . Aaron Harrison scored a 22 points for Kentucky (6-1), which has won four in a row following a Nov. 12 loss to current No. 1 Michigan State. Julius Randle overcame a scoreless first half and added his sixth double-double in as many games with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Cheap College Jerseys . Schenn scored the game-winning goal and added two assists to lead the Philadelphia Flyers to a 4-1 win over the Calgary Flames at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Tuesday. http://www.cheapcollegejerseys.net/ . 1, meaning problems for the doping controls at both major international sports events next year. 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Kershaw came away from that outing with continued back discomfort that originally surfaced June 26 following a start at Pittsburgh.Its significant that he played catch, manager Dave Roberts said. Were all excited about it. And when Clayton is ready hell be back. But the guys that are active, were focused on the guys we have active. And when Clayton comes back, were going to be that much better for it.While no target date was given for a potential Kershaw return, it did not sound like the left-hander would be back until around mid-September at the earliest. Roberts mentioned that instead of minor league rehab starts, Kershaw would throw in bullpens and live batting practice sessions to get back into game shape.That preparation route would be needed because Triple-A Oklahoma City, Double-A Tulsa and Singlle-A Rancho Cucamonga all end their regular seasons on Sept.dddddddddddd 5.Kershaw threw from about 60 to 65 feet in the outfield in left. He worked mostly out of the stretch at a deliberate pitch and was throwing about 70 percent of full velocity.[The next step] will be just a little further out, Roberts said. Just continue to get his intensity up and stretch him out a little more. Like Ive said all along, Clayton is not a guy we worry about in regard to the intensity, the intent to get back. Hell be back as soon as he possibly can.Kershaw is 11-2 with a 1.79 ERA in 16 starts this season. He has 145 strikeouts, a number that still leads the Dodgers, even though he hasnt pitched in five weeks. He has just nine walks in 121 innings.Even after the original injury, the setback and the dwindling timetable, Roberts has never lost hope that Kershaw would pitch again this season.Yeah, you know what, I think all along we have expected, and a little is being hopeful, but we expect him to make starts for us in September, Roberts said. ' ' '