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It was a cold mid-40 degree April day in Indianapolis, so INDYCAR Chevy testing ended up being canceled at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and rescheduled for Sunday, April 2, 2017.
But never fear, we do have TWENTY photos for you!
Verizon IndyCar Series drivers will be participating in a Chevrolet manufacturer testing session on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval on Saturday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Fans can watch testing for free from the Turn 2 viewing mounds, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum parking lot and South Terrace Grandstands.
“We really enjoyed welcoming fans to the test last Friday at IMS and hope even more will come to the track this Saturday,” IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. “It’s a fun time for the entire family and an ideal way to get fired up for the Greatest Month in Racing.”
Via Andretti Autosport:
United Fiber & Data will return to the Andretti Autosport line up for select 2017 races, starting with the April 9 Long Beach Grand Prix.
The rebranding comes as a result of the current issues being faced by hhgregg, leading Andretti Autosport to the decision of transitioning the branding on the No. 27 Indy car piloted by Marco Andretti.
“We’d like to wish Bob (Riesbeck) and the entire hhgregg family luck as they work through the current situation,” said Andretti Autosport CEO Michael Andretti. “We are blessed to have such loyal and dedicated partners; and while this is an unfortunate situation for hhgregg, we are pleased to have such a strong relationship remaining with United Fiber & Data.”
The 2017 venture will mark a fifth year in the relationship between Andretti Autosport and United Fiber & Data, who served as a major associate sponsor with the Indianapolis-based team in 2013 and 2014, and as a full primary sponsor for the No. 27 in 2014. Most recently, United Fiber & Data returned as a season-long associate of the team, and co-primary sponsor in 2016 with both Andretti and Carlos Munoz.
“We are proud of our longstanding partnership with Andretti Autosport, and we are equally pleased to continue this partnership by serving as a primary sponsor for select IndyCar races this season,” said Bill Hynes, Founder & CEO of United Fiber & Data (UFD). “We look forward to once again bringing the signature colors of the UFD livery to IndyCar tracks across the country.”
In celebration of the 40th anniversary of his record-setting fourth Indianapolis 500 win, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum is proud to present a once-in-a-lifetime exhibit honoring auto racing icon A.J. Foyt, opening April 14.
A.J. Foyt: A Legendary Exhibition, presented by ABC Supply is a limited-run celebration that traces the superstar’s rise from the dirt tracks of Texas to the pinnacle of auto racing history.
Nearly three dozen cars that Foyt drove in competition will be on display, including all four of his Indianapolis 500 winning machines, the 1961 Bowes Seal Fast Special, 1964 & 1967 Sheraton-Thompson Specials, and the 1977 Gilmore Coyote.
“Everyone knows that the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is my favorite track and that people wouldn’t know me if it weren’t for the Indy 500, but to have the Museum put on this exhibit there, well I feel truly honored,” said the legendary Foyt. “This exhibit will give people a chance to see my winning Indy cars but also some of the other race cars I drove and won in over the years.”
In addition to several of Foyt’s IndyCars, many incredible machines representing Foyt’s career in NASCAR, USAC and road racing will be on display, many for the first time, and visitors will also have the chance to see rare memorabilia from Foyt’s personal collection.
“Based on the stuff we shipped to Indy, I think the Museum has a lot of personal memorabilia and photos that their visitors will like seeing” Foyt said. “I haven’t seen some of the cars in many, many years so to be truthful, I’m looking forward to the exhibit too!”
“A.J. Foyt is perhaps the most iconic driver in the 108-year history of the Brickyard” said Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum Director & Curator Ellen Bireley. “We are proud to honor this incredible champion with an exhibit of memories and memorabilia that pays tribute to one of the most diverse and successful careers in auto racing history.”
A.J. Foyt: A Legendary Exhibition is presented by ABC Supply, with additional support from Chevrolet and Al-Fe Heat Treating. The exhibit runs until October 31.
SOURCE: Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum
INDYCAR just released new images today of the universal aerodynamic bodywork kit that will be used by all competitors in 2018.
Following along with this year’s INDYCAR theme of “NEXT,” the computer-generated images are the next evolution of the car’s development process and provide more detail than concept sketches released in January.
“While this remains a work in progress, we are encouraged with where the development of the 2018 car stands,” said Jay Frye, INDYCAR president of competition and operations. “The look of the car is bold, the performance data from simulations is meeting targeted goals and safety enhancements built into the design will be substantial.”
Frye said INDYCAR is on target to begin testing the car by mid-summer. Verizon IndyCar Series teams will still choose between Chevrolet and Honda engines for competition next season, but all cars will be outfitted with the universal kit that covers the Dallara IR-12 chassis that has been used since the 2012 season. As with the current aero kits provided by Chevrolet and Honda through the end of this season, the universal car will come in two configurations: one for superspeedway ovals and the other for street courses, road courses and short ovals.
The supplier of the universal kit has yet to be announced, but its look is sleek and reminiscent of past Indy car favorites. Tino Belli, INDYCAR director of aerodynamic development, said the kit has been successfully reverse-designed to start with its desired appearance and build in functionality from there.
“We’ve been working on the aerodynamics to suit the look, rather than the other way around,” Belli said.
A key component of the new car is for it to generate most of its downforce from underneath instead of on top. This will improve racing and passing opportunities by decreasing the turbulent air that the Indy car leaves in its wake.
“We’re working on creating more of the downforce from the underwing,” Belli said. “The hole in the floor (of the undertray on this year’s car) will be sealed for the road courses and short ovals, but will still be open for the superspeedways.”
Belli added that simulations show the new car meets INDYCAR’s aerodynamic targets and additional safety enhancements include side impact structures in the sidepods and repositioned radiators to assist in reducing the severity of side impacts by crushing on impact.
Other noticeable features in the new car images include a lower engine cover that provides “a more traditional Indy car look,” according to Belli. Turbocharger inlets are moving to the inside of the radiator inlet ducts.
The rear wing and front wing main plane are smaller in the new car look and the centerline wicker from the nose of the car to the cockpit is tapered. The rear wing in the road course/short oval configuration is lower and wider. The fins on the leading edge of the sidepods of the current car will be removed or minimized on the 2018 car.
Though there is still work to be done, Belli feels that INDYCAR has achieved “97 percent” of its goals when it set out to create the new car’s look and efficiency.
SOURCE: INDYCAR
Genetic Technologies Limited has announced an agreement with Dale Coyne Racing driver Ms. Pippa Mann to promote BREVAGenplus®, the Company’s first-in-class, clinically validated risk assessment test for sporadic breast cancer. The partnership is reflective of the Company’s continuation of its U.S. focused marketing program for BREVAGenplus, with Mann serving for a second consecutive term as the product’s ambassador and spokesperson.
Mann is one of only nine female athletes to ever compete in the “Indy 500” and the only female driver to start in the race over the past four consecutive years. In addition to her role with Genetic Technologies, Mann is partnering with Susan G. Komen®, the world’s largest breast cancer organization, which funds more breast cancer research than any other non-profit, outside of the U.S. government, while providing screening, education, treatment and psychosocial support programs. In 2016, Mann was honored as one of Komen’s More Than Pink™ heroes in support of the organizations Bold Goal – to reduce the current number of breast cancer deaths in the U.S. by half, by 2026.
“We are excited to continue this outstanding partnership with Pippa. She is truly dedicated to leveraging her platform as a world-class athlete to impact women’s health and shares our passion for the integral role BREVAGenplus can play as a breast cancer risk assessment and preventative treatment management tool,” commented Eutillio Buccilli, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Genetic Technologies.
Key partnership activities this year will include the BREVAGenplus logo represented on Mann’s #63 Dale Coyne Racing car and promotional apparel. Mann will also participate at select BREVAGenplus oriented events and other promotional activities over the course of 2017. The 101st running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 28, 2017, will serve as the official launch of this year’s partnership program. The “Indy 500” is the largest single-day sporting event in the world and offers important promotional opportunities during the month-long lead-up to the race, which includes 12 days of on-track activities and hospitality event participation.
“I’m thrilled to welcome back Genetic Technologies as a partner with Dale Coyne Racing and proud to represent the BREVAGenplus brand. I’m excited to do my part in helping women and healthcare providers learn about the test and highlight how important it can be in determining individual breast healthcare plans and personal medical maintenance,” commented Pippa Mann.
SOURCE: Dale Coyne Racing
Billboard-charting pop group Forever In Your Mind will perform the national anthem before the start of the INDYCAR Grand Prix on Saturday, May 13 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Forever In Your Mind (FIYM), comprised of band members Ricky Garcia, Liam Attridge and Emery Kelly, has amassed more than 30 million video views from its self-titled debut EP released by Hollywood Records in 2016. The stylish trio also has sold out concerts nationwide and has a combined global reach of more than 2 million followers on social media.
“The harmonies of Forever In Your Mind will be on full display during their performance of ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ before the INDYCAR Grand Prix,” said J. Douglas Boles, Indianapolis Motor Speedway president. “Fans of all ages will appreciate and enjoy their rendition, and we look forward to welcoming them to IMS at the start of the Greatest Month in Racing.”
Said FIYM’s Garcia: “We can’t wait to perform the national anthem at the Racing Capital of the World at the start of May. Jumping in an Indy car was seriously epic; these guys go fast and deal with a lot of pressure as they navigate a course. I think we’ll stick to singing for now, but it was awesome being a race car driver for a day!”
SOURCE: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Pippa Mann is returning to Dale Coyne Racing for a fifth consecutive year to pilot the team’s third entry in the 101st Indianapolis 500. Mann will be back behind the wheel of the #63 Dale Coyne Racing Honda as she looks to make her sixth start at the famed 2.5-mile superspeedway.
The British driver will once again be paired with engineer Rob Ridgely. Ridgely was Mann’s engineer when she scored her best IndyCar Series finish in 2015 (13th), as well as her best Indy 500 result (18th) last year.
“I’m very happy to be rejoining Dale Coyne Racing for my fifth consecutive year with the team at the 101st Indy 500,” expressed Mann. “Dale has invested heavily in the team over the winter, and it’s an exciting time to be part of his organization. I’m looking forward to working with the same familiar faces from my 2016 campaign, like my race engineer Rob Ridgely, as well as working with the new members of the team, including my new teammates Sebastien (Bourdais) and Ed (Jones). I’m thrilled to be getting back on the race track this May for my sixth Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”
As she’s done for the past four consecutive years, Mann will continue to raise awareness for the Get Involved Campaign alongside her racing program. This year, the campaign that raises money for Susan G. Komen® is partnering with Auction Cause, a premier cause marketing agency, that will run the auction on eBay for Charity. The campaign will launch May 1 and close the week following the Indy 500. The funds raised will be used to support Komen’s global breast cancer research and community-based programs throughout the U.S.
“I’m also excited about the link up with Auction Cause and eBay for Charity this May,” added Mann. “They have so much experience running online campaigns, I feel like it’s a huge step for me, and for the Get Involved Campaign to partner with them. This new format has allowed me to reach out to more drivers, get them involved with more signed items, and I’m hoping we’re able to reach more race fans, and raise even more money for Susan G. Komen than we have ever done before.”
In the past two years, the campaign has raised over $135, 000. Items available in the 2017 auction will include 1:18 die-casts and artwork signed by various drivers, Mann’s race worn, pink helmet and suit, a karting night at Speedway Indoor Karting, as well as the popular ‘Turn the cockpit pink’ option where names of people are placed in the cockpit to honor the memories of loved ones lost, or those who are fighting or who have fought cancer.
“It’s always a pleasure to have Pippa on board for the Indy 500 and to help promote the Get Involved Campaign, raising funds for Susan G. Komen,” shared Team Owner Dale Coyne. “Pippa works hard every year to put together this program and to race in the Indy 500. With her perseverance and enthusiasm for our sport, it’s only fitting that we continue this relationship that started five years ago.”
SOURCE: Dale Coyne Racing
Conor Daly is the latest Verizon IndyCar Series driver attempting to become an “American Ninja Warrior.”
Following in the athletic footsteps of fellow drivers Helio Castroneves, Tony Kanaan and Josef Newgarden, Daly will venture to San Antonio this weekend to participate in a regional qualifier for the Emmy-nominated NBC obstacle course challenge show that will air its ninth season this summer.
Daly, 25, will make his bid to complete the challenge course sometime after dark Sundaynight. The AJ Foyt Racing driver got a taste of the task ahead when the show held a regional competition last April in Indianapolis that included Castroneves, Kanaan and Newgarden as participants. Daly was permitted to try one of the obstacles, the Circuit Board, for an online segment of “American Ninja Warrior: Crashing the Course.”
While Daly didn’t fare well that day, he is excited to compete in San Antonio. The episode from the San Antonio regional is scheduled to air June 19, the Monday leading in to the KOHLER Grand Prix at Road America (June 25, NBCSN).
“When I got the call saying it was a possibility for me to compete on ‘American Ninja Warrior,’ I was pretty stoked,” Daly said. “After seeing my fellow Verizon IndyCar Series drivers compete last year, it looked like a lot of fun. I haven’t had the chance to do much ninja training yet, but since we are already in season I’m pretty happy with my physical fitness level.
“I certainly was not born a nimble ninja, I’ve always been a bigger guy, so this should definitely be interesting.”
Since he experienced the “American Ninja Warrior” competition in 2016, Castroneves offered some sound advice for Daly.
“Take your time, don’t rush into the next obstacle,” the Team Penske driver said. “Obviously, observe the others that are able to pass through. Don’t focus on only one stage, that was my mistake last year. You should be thinking about the other ones. I was so worried about the first two that I forgot the third one. So if he can see all the stages and look through those things, hopefully he can do really well.”
Schmidt Peterson Motorsports driver James Hinchcliffe hasn’t been through the grueling competition, but as one of Daly’s best friends, felt compelled to offer his advice as well.
“We saw last year with Josef, Helio and TK that it’s no mean feat to do that,” said Hinchcliffe. “Those guys are all good athletes and it certainly highlighted how difficult of a challenge that competing on it is. I wish him all the best and just hope he comes back in one piece.
“One thing I have to say is that he doesn’t get to come back after it and call himself a ninja. No way!”
“American Ninja Warrior” is conducting regional competitions in San Antonio, Los Angeles, Kansas City, Denver, Cleveland and Daytona Beach, Florida, over the next two months. Qualifiers from each of the regionals advance to the Las Vegas finals in late June. There, anyone who can conquer the Mt. Midoriyama course can win $1 million.
Castroneves, who has also represented INDYCAR on “Dancing with the Stars” and “Celebrity Family Feud,” recognizes the importance of Verizon IndyCar Series drivers appearing on popular national TV shows.
“It helps people who are not race fans see not only that drivers are athletes and able to do other things than driving a race car, but they can actually see the personality of each individual,” said the three-time Indianapolis 500 winner. “We all are able to demonstrate that we don’t need to be punching people to get attention.”
PrimeSport and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway announced the launch of the Official Indianapolis Motor Speedway Ticket Exchange. PrimeSport will host and manage the only official resale marketplace where race fans can buy and sell 100-percent guaranteed tickets to the 101st Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil.
The 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 is scheduled for Sunday, May 28 at IMS.
“We’re pleased to offer a safe, secure marketplace for our fans to buy and sell tickets for the 101st Indianapolis 500,” said J. Douglas Boles, Indianapolis Motor Speedway president. “PrimeSport sets the standard for dependable, secure service in the ticket resale marketplace, and the Official IMS Ticket Exchange will provide another fully authorized option for fans seeking official tickets to ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.'”
As the Official IMS Ticket Exchange, PrimeSport has created a secure, approved resale marketplace for fans to buy and sell tickets. Ticket holders unable to attend the Indianapolis 500 can post tickets for sale on PrimeSport’s official exchange site. Fans can feel safe while purchasing tickets, as PrimeSport ensures the security and authenticity of every transaction. Most importantly, fans who use the Official IMS Ticket Exchange will not lose their seniority or the option to renew their tickets during the annual renewal period.
PrimeSport is also the Official Fan Travel Provider for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, offering travel packages to the Indianapolis 500 and other races during the season. Official travel packages typically include hotel accommodations, pre-race hospitality, souvenirs, tickets and more! Each package is customizable and can be fit to specific needs.
“We are excited to expand our partnership with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and help them launch their first ever official ticket exchange in 2017,” said PrimeSport senior vice president Michael Huber. “Our priority is always to help deliver the best possible experience to race fans and now we can help fans buy and sell their tickets in a secure, official environment.”
For more information on the official Indianapolis Motor Speedway Ticket Exchange, visit PrimeSport.com.
SOURCE: Indianapolis Motor Speedway