Dixon can join elite group of the Florida double

Three-time Verizon IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon can join an elite group of competitors by driving to victory in the 12 Hours of Sebring this weekend.

Dixon co-drove the No. 02 Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Prototype with Tony Kanaan, Kyle Larson and Jamie McMurray to the overall victory in the Rolex 24 At Daytona in January. Only eight times have drivers won at Daytona International Speedway and Sebring International Raceway in the same year.

Indy car racing luminaries A.J. Foyt, Mario Andretti and Lloyd Ruby are on that list.

This weekend, Dixon will join full-season drivers Scott Pruett and Joey Hand in the No. 01 entry.

“Sebring is one of those iconic motor races in the world and I think we’ll have a good chance,” said Dixon, who also won the 24-hour race in 2006. “I’m looking forward to working with Scott and Joey again.”

Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates’ entry won the 2014 12 Hours of Sebring with drivers Marino Franchitti, Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas.

Scott Sharp, who co-drove to the overall victory in the Florida double in 1996 and then went on to share the inaugural Indy Racing League championship, also is entered in the 12 Hours of Sebring in the Prototype class for Tequila Patron ESM.

Also in the Prototype class, Sebastien Bourdais returns to co-drive the No. 5 Action Express Racing and Justin Wilson will co-drive the No. 60 Michael Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian entry. Both are former overall winners of the Rolex 24 At Daytona.

Simon Pagenaud, who earned a podium finish in the 24-hour race in January, returns to co-drive the No. 4 GT Le Mans class entry for Corvette Racing.

Pagenaud and Bourdais will remain in Sebring, Fla., for continued development of the Chevrolet aerodynamic bodywork road/street and short oval kit on the short course March 23-24 in preparation for the Verizon IndyCar Series’ season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 29. Dixon will join Chip Ganassi Racing Teams teammates at NOLA Motorsports Park in Avondale, La., for testing.

Others with Verizon IndyCar Series ties competing in the 12-hour race: Ryan Briscoe, who co-drove the No. 3 Corvette Racing car to the GT Le Mans class victory at Daytona; 2014 Indianapolis 500 competitor Martin Plowman with BAR1 Motorsports in the Prototype Challenge class; Indy car race winner Bruno Junqueira with RSR Racing in PC; 2014 Indianapolis 500 starter Conor Daly with Performance Tech Motorsports in PC; Indianapolis 500 competitor and NBCSN Verizon IndyCar Series analysts Townsend Bell with Scuderia Corsa in the GT Daytona class; and 2014 Indianapolis 500 competitor James Davison  with TRG-AMR in GTD.

Daly drove at Prototype Challenge car in the 2014 Rolex 24 At Daytona and will make his sports car debut at Sebring, though he competed at the track in Star Mazda and Skip Barber. His father, Derek, co-drove to the overall victory at Sebring in 1990 and ’91.

** In 1998, Arie Luyendyk also co-drove to victory in Rolex 24 at Daytona, but did not compete in the 12 Hours of Sebring