Category: NTT Indy

CHEVROLET RACING IN THE NTT INDYCAR SERIES
PRESEASON ZOOM CONFERENCE
TEAM PENSKE TEAM CHEVY INDYCAR DRIVERS
JANUARY 26, 2021

JOSEF NEWGARDEN, NO. 2 HITACHI TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET:
YOU HAD A GREAT YEAR IN 2020. YOU HAVE A PRETTY SPECIAL RACE COMING IN AUGUST ON THE INDYCAR SCHEDULE WITH RACING ON THE STREETS OF YOUR HOMETOWN IN NASHVILLE. TALK ABOUT THAT A BIT.
“Yeah, I’m extremely excited about Nashville. I think the NASCAR guys are, too. Obviously, they are different tracks but it’s certainly a city that supports events I think almost better than anywhere. It’s growing in population and popularity among sports fans and it’s a perfect destination as far as visiting a city for tourism and to see an event like INDYCAR and NASCAR for that matter, I think it’s just the best destination. So, I’m very excited about INDYCAR coming back. I would never have dreamed of that happening when I was a kid, growing up in the northside of Nashville, that we would one day have a street course race in the downtown streets of Nashville. So, it’s going to be fun. I think it has big potential to become one of the marquis events on our calendar and certainly a blockbuster for a street course race.”

YOU’VE BEEN WORKING A LOT WITH GAVIN WARD RECENTLY. IS HE GOING TO BE YOUR RACE ENGINEER AGAIN THIS YEAR? AND HOW MUCH CONFIDENCE DOES THAT BRING YOU GOING INTO THE SEASON GIVEN YOUR STRONG YEAR LAST YEAR?
“Yes, confidence is big. I agree with Ryan (Blaney) in saying you’ve got to feel good about your ability in the car and the people around you. Gavin Ward is stellar. I’m such a fan of Gavin. He’s brought a lot to our team specifically being in the Formula 1 world. In a lot of ways, INDYCAR and Formula 1 are very similar and in other ways they’re very different. They approach a race car a little different than we do. They’re both open-wheel cars, so a lot of it transfers, but they may be focusing on one area of the car that we would never look at.
“So, for me, that’s brought a lot of confidence to our team to try and open up our scope in how we’re developing the cars in the off-season and what we’re thinking about over race weekends. And when it just comes to race day execution, he’s really good. He’s a great collaborator for me, to figure out what we need on the car specifically for each session and then maximizing race day. So yeah, he’s going to stick around. We’ll have the same program as last year and obviously just trying to up our game in all areas. That’s the goal every season. I’m hoping we can find that extra that we need.”

YOU’VE TALKED ABOUT SMALL DETAILS IN THE OFF-SEASON AND THERE’S NO ONE THING YOU CAN DO TO FIX EVERYTHING. BUT IS THERE A PARTICULAR AREA YOU HAVE FOCUSED ON WHERE YOU FEEL YOU CAN IMPROVE DURING THE OFF-SEASON?
“Yes, we definitely have. We’ve put a ton of emphasis on the Indianapolis 500 as far as the way we build the cars, what we’re looking for in qualifying; I think we’ve definitely marked that even as we always do, even if we won the race by a mile, I think you’d be looking at how to be even better at Indy. I think after last year we really want to up our game. When it comes to qualifying, we want to be up higher. We know we can do that. We know that we have people to make it happen. So, we’ve spent a tremendous amount of time on that, which I think is very encouraging. I’m really excited to get to the month of May, to be honest with you. So, that’s number one.

“Then with myself, I think the biggest area that I can improve is qualifying. There are some places where maybe we were just a little behind as a team and ultimately, we got what we got out of a particular qualifying session. But then there’s other times I think that I can still contribute a little bit more. And I can still maximize those starting placements just a bit better. It’s not that we were bad in 2020, but if there’s an area to improve I think that’s the place to push forward. I think our race performances were very strong. Circumstances didn’t always fall in our favor, but if we can just give ourselves a little better starting spot every single weekend, I think that’s going to go a long way in helping our cause for the championship.”

ALONG WITH YOUR TWO INDYCAR CHAMPIONSHIP VICTORIES IN YOUR CAREER, YOU HAVE BEEN SEMI-CLOSE SOME OTHER TIMES, BUT HAD NEVER FINISHED SECOND PLACE AND BEEN QUITE AS CLOSE AS YOU WERE AS RUNNER-UP IN 2020. AFTER HAVING SOME TIME TO REFLECT OVER THESE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, HAS THE REFLECTION AND DRIVE YOU’VE GOTTEN ANY DIFFERENT THAN WHERE YOU FINISHED?
“I think for me, if anything, in all honesty, I was really just disappointed. I felt like we had a championship performance last year. Circumstances didn’t always fall our way. It was one too many times that circumstances went against us. And I think ultimately that’s what kind of decided our fate with the title. But we fought all the way. We got pretty close. We fought our way back every time. It was just too big of a deficit at the end of the day to make up, especially with a competitor like Scott (Dixon). I think if you give him too much of a window sometimes you dig a hole that’s too big to claw your way out of. But yeah, I was disappointed. For me, as a competitor, it would have been nice to knock off the third championship and then this year I would like to be working on the fourth. And so now you’ve got to re-set. We didn’t win the third; we’ve got to try and win the third this year. And that’s the way my mind works.

“For me I want to figure out how we can win as many championships as possible. And the Indy 500 is still on that list. I have not been able to personally knock that race off and get one on the board. So, I’m focused on that, but I’m definitely focused on us trying to find this third championship. I thought we had the performance for it last year and we’ve just got to maintain that and continue to up our game. That’s the mentality ever season. So, I’m just more determined and more focused after the disappointment of falling short last year.”

SCOTT MCCLAUGHLIN, NO. 3 PPG TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET:
TALK ABOUT COMING TO INDYCAR WITH A PENSKE LEGACY PARTNER SUCH AS PPG:
“I think it is fantastic that we were able to announce that PPG will join us for 10 out of 17 races in 2021. For me, to race car No. 3 was very special from what Rick and Helio have done for the team, but also to carry on a 37 year legacy with PPG and be a part of that in some way is going to be very cool, and hopefully I can add to what has already been achieved in the P, PG INDYCAR with people before me. We went though video on the announcement which I thought was very cool. It brought back some goosebumps. Danny Sullivan then Al Unser, Jr., Rick Mears , Juan Montoya, Josef (Newgarden) who have run these colors. To be a part of this legacy is very cool for me and it is starting in my rookie season. I appreciate the trust that PItPG put in me and my program.”

WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING ON IN THE OFF SEASON TO GET READY FOR INDYCAR?
“A lot of things. Trust in the car and what it does. Trust the aerodynamics. It’s the first race car I have ever driven that relies on the aerodynamics and trusting within the car. The grip level you get. It can also bite pretty quick so learning that and learning the limit is quite difficult, but I’ve had some good analysis with my engineers and working a few things out. Making sure I am comfortable in the car. Another thing as well, and I noticed this in St. Petersburg, learning the tire in qualifying conditions, it takes time for the tire to come up to temp and it is a very short window where you can get the ultimate grip for the fastest laps. That is something I think I am going to have to learn over the race period, over the journey. We only get to run the red tires in qualifying or at the race track at the race meeting so I am going to have to learn that over time and test in them. I think our learning develop[ment has been going okay but time will tell and we will try to learn as much as w can.”

WHAT ARE Y0UR EXPECTTIONS?
“It’s one of those of those deals to say exactly what my expectations until we get on track and see where we are at. Like Will said, I think we are going to have a real strong race car and three strong teammates to push me. I think that will accelerate my process. If I get to the end of the year and I’m in the top-10 of the championship or the top-eight in the championship that would almost be a win for me. I am realistic about my expectations. But I am impatient. I’m competitive and I want to make sure we get to the front as quick as we can. I’ve got a massive amount of expectations from the sponsors that partner with us including PPG and some to be announced. It’s an exciting period but there is a pressure there and I am excited to take that on board and move forward with it.”

WILL POWER, NO. 12 VERIZON TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET:
ON HIS RECORD SETTING CAREER SO FAR BEING LISTED ALONG SOME OF THE GREATS IN THIS SPORT: “It’s amazing. It’s something that I would have never thought when I first started my career. To be five poles away from equaling Mario Andretti for all-time poles. Up there with Michael Andretti-three wins away from him to be fourth on the list. It’s reall cool-the Andretti name is such a legendary name in the sport. I’m still as motivated as ever. Love it as much as I ever have. So I expect to keep going here and have a real shot at the championship this year. Planning on having a good start to the season I think that is what has made it difficult for us the last few years. I have a very good crew. Obviousuy being with my engineer (Dave Faustino) for over a decade, we know each other so well. I have three very good teammate. Three very strong guys so I expect the team to be very strong this year as a whole.”

WHAT IS THE BEST ADVICE YOU’VE GIVEN SCOTT? “I told him when he was initially getting into it was just to creep up on it all. Because there is nothing worse than going into the wall, having a crash and losing your confidence. That certainly puts you back a few steps. He’s driven in a very high-profile series at a very professional level for a number of years so he knows all that. I think he knows the process he needs to take. There’s not really much you can give him. He’s got to really take from real-life experiences from here out honestly.”

WITH THE NEW ENGINE WHAT WILL CHANGE WITH PUSH TO PASS. HAS INDYCAR TOLD YOU IF YOU CAN DO IT DEFENSIVELY AS WELL OFFENSIVELY?
“No, I don’t think they know how that is going to work until we get around the engine to see how it all going to work when it is actually physically on the track. I’m guessing-I expect them to use the electric motor for the curves for push-to-pass. Not the engine, not the boost. Because I think you will have plenty of options for push-to-pass in two different ways obviously amounts of horsepower. What I’ve been for is when we go to a track like Mid-Ohio or St. Pete where there are short straights to me you should have a no reply system. Maybe on some of the bigger tracks where it is easy to get around. Them you could tailor that to the amount of horsepower you get. Because you don’t want to make it a brainless pass where it is easy like DRS in Formula One. I think you want to make it where it is still difficult but you can get a legitimate run on someone.”

HAVE YOU ALREADY BEEN TOLD THAT THEY AREN’T GOING TO USE THE ENGINE POWER TURBO BOOST FOR PUSH TO PASS ANYMORE? “No, I haven’t been told that. I expect them to use the electrical engine for push-to-pass for practical reasons and it has to make sense to the manufacturers. If they are talkimg about the electrical side being used as a device during the race, its good for the manufacturers.”

WHEN WE HAVE SUCH A CONDENSED AT BEGINNING OF THE YEAR. WHAT ARE SOME THINGS TO PREPARE FOR THE SEASON EARLY ON? “After reviewing the previous seasons, we’ve made adjustments. Obviously we struggled in the pit quite a bit. I’ve reviewed the mistakes I’ve made as well and I have a slightly different crew this year. I think the cars will be better as well. I’m pretty confident in that, the team has done very good development in the off season. The first three tracks, I feel like they are difficult tracks for us. The are strong Honda tracks. It’s going to be a very tight first three races. I think, as we do every year to win the championship and for me personally, I just have to make sure we are in the hunt. Properly in the hunt. Not clawing my way back from a terrible start to the season. For one reason or another, you can’t really pinpoint the same reason we have lost too many points in the first four races. That is a big focus.”

IS THE BROAD AGE BAND IN INDYCAR WITH TALENT YOUNG AND OLD,. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? “I think it is a sign of the times, If you look at football, Tom Brady is going to the Super Bowl at 43 years old. I feel like you can be as competitive and strong until you are 45 or so. I’ve been there so I know but certainly in your early 40s. But also drivers starting so young now. There are kids getting in cars when they are 12 or 13 years old. It’s crazy. So by the time they are 18 it’s a matter of experience of racing cars as we have seen with Colton Herta. Yes, it is a huge spread in age, but not in competitiveness as far as the level of skill. It is a very competitive series over a 20 year or more age group. Which bodes very well for those young guys. They can have a really long career. It certainly put us in pretty big numbers if you look at Colton Herta starting where he is.”

SIMON PAGENAUD, NO. 22 MENARDS CHEVROLET:
YOU ARE BUSY GETTING READY FOR DAYTONA FOR THE ROLEX 24. YOU ARE A BIG PHYSICAL FITNESS GUY. DO YOU FIND IT AN ADVANTAGE TO START YOUR SEASON WITH AN ENDURANCE RACE. DO YOU SEE AN ADVANTAGE TO THAT?
“Yes, I think it’s mostly just having a calendar in place and being able to have deadlines and knowing when you’re going to be in the car. It’s an assessment, Daytona is for me. It’s really an assessment of my work that I’ve done over the winter mentally, and also physically. It’s also, you’re kicking off a new season and it’s exciting. New car. New gears. New everything. You just get going. I’m very excited for 2021. I feel very refreshed. Obviously, the only advantage of COVID is really to stay home and really rest and focus on training. So, I really feel ready for 2021.”

HOW BENEFICIAL IS IT FOR YOU, OBVIOUSLY YOU’RE RACING THIS WEEKEND LIKE A KANAAN SEASON IN INDYCAR?
“Yes, anytime you’re in the race car it is beneficial. The sports cars, the prototypes, the way they are these days, they’re pretty close to an INDYCAR. The braking power and downforce level are similar. Obviously different tires and a bit of a different feel, but the driving is very close. And the fact that you’re passing people really allows you to work on those details. At the end of the day, I think the work of a race car driver is all about working on the little crafts, the little details for your craft. So, the more you think about it and practice it, the better. I really enjoy doing it. You know, my roots originally, came from sports cars. So, it’s good to go back and forth and keep me current in sports cars.”

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT APPROACHING THE SEASON NOW WITH YOUR WORK DURING THE OFF-SEASON? ARE YOU CONFIDENT MOVING FORWARD?
“Yes, it’s been an interesting off-season, for sure. I think as a team we were able to re-center on the No. 22 car. I’m pretty excited about this season coming up, really. There’s a big focus on Indianapolis. Personally, I want to go back there and try to go for another win. We know its Team Penske’s number one goal and the whole team has put a lot of effort into it. So, let’s cross fingers and hope that we get the speed that we want out of the cars. Certainly, on the road course, we just need to find some speed in qualifying for us. We’ve been working hard on that with my engineer, Ben Bretzman. We can’t wait to go to Sebring and get to test the car. We’ve got a few items that we want to try and see if that gives me feel that I want from the car to just extract the best out of it every time we go out on track. I think St. Pete was pretty good for us. We improved the car massively, so I think we’re on the right path. We just need to get going quite frankly. It’s been a long off-season and I just hate not driving. So as soon as we get to Sebring we’ll have a better understanding.”

AS YOU LOOK AT THE INDYCAR SERIES DRIVER LINE-UP FOR THIS YEAR, WHAT STANDS OUT TO YOU MORE? THE YOUTH AND TALENT OF THE DRIVERS OR THE NUMBER OF GUYS STILL RACING AT LATE 30’S EARLY 40’S CONTINUING TO RACE AT A HIGH LEVEL?
“Straight answer is I don’t care. I’m focused on myself (laughs). That’s it.”

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 75 countries with nearly 4 million cars and trucks sold in 2019. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found www.chevrolet.com.

New Zealand Driver Will Compete in the No. 3 PPG Chevrolet for 10 Races in 2021

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (January 25, 2021) – Team Penske announced today that PPG (NYSE: PPG) – a global manufacturer of paints, coatings, and specialty materials – will be featured as the primary sponsor on the No. 3 Team Penske Dallara/Chevrolet driven by Scott McLaughlin for 10 races during the 2021 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season.

McLaughlin, the reigning and three-time Australian Supercars champion, made his NTT INDYCAR SERIES debut when he raced for Team Penske in the 2020 season finale on the streets of St. Petersburg. The 27-year-old native of Christchurch, New Zealand, will embark on a new challenge this season as he transitions to open-wheel racing with a full-season INDYCAR program. For his rookie season in 2021, McLaughlin will represent one of Team Penske’s longest-active partners as the team celebrates its 37^th season with PPG, a Fortune 200 company with headquarters in Pittsburgh, Penn., and operations in nearly 70 countries around the world.

“PPG is a global, industry-leading brand that has been a terrific partner with Team Penske for more than three decades,” said Roger Penske. “Our relationship with PPG has continued to grow and reach across all areas of our business. We are excited about the newest racing opportunity in our partnership as PPG teams up with the No. 3 team and Scott for his first full season competing in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.”

McLaughlin enjoyed an incredibly successful four-year run with the DJR Team Penske Supercars program, helping secure three team championships and winning the driver’s title in each of the last three seasons. Over the course of his nine-year Supercars career, McLaughlin won 56 races and 76 poles. He and co-driver Alex Premat also earned Team Penske’s first win in the legendary Bathurst 1000 race in 2019. As he begins his fifth season with Team Penske in 2021, McLaughlin already ranks among the team’s all-time leaders in career victories (third) and poles (second). He is excited for the opportunity to add to those totals in 2021.

“It is surreal to think my first full season in the INDYCAR SERIES is almost here,” said McLaughlin. “I am truly living out my dreams and to have PPG on board as our primary partner is amazing. I watched the beautiful blue and white PPG cars compete over the last few years, and they look amazing on track. It is going to be an honor to represent PPG in the No. 3 Team Penske Dallara/Chevrolet this season.”

The relationship between Team Penske and PPG officially began in 1984 when the company first provided paint for the Team Penske racecars that competed in the former CART Series. The iconic blue and white PPG cars have become some of the most popular designs in both INDYCAR and NASCAR competition in recent years. Team Penske drivers have produced eight wins in the distinctive PPG livery with the most recent INDYCAR SERIES victory coming in 2017 at World Wide Technologies Raceway with driver Josef Newgarden.

In addition to the partnership with McLaughlin and the No. 3 team in 2021, PPG will also continue to serve as a sponsor for Team Penske’s NASCAR Xfinity Series program with 2020 series champion Austin Cindric. Cindric will pilot the No. 22 PPG Ford Mustang in races this season at the Daytona Road Course, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Mid-Ohio and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course.

“The relationship with Team Penske has been extremely successful for PPG, both on and off the track,” said Bill Shaw, PPG director, strategic accounts, automotive refinish. “We are excited to add another chapter to our history with Scott McLaughlin and the No. 3 PPG Dallara/Chevrolet team. Scott has proven himself to be one of the most talented racecar drivers in the world, and we know success in his new opportunity with the team is just around the corner. PPG is excited to be a part of that.”

The 2021 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season will begin for McLaughlin and the No. 3 PPG Dallara/Chevrolet team on April 18 at Barber Motorsports Park, located just outside Birmingham, Alabama. The race will be seen live on NBC. McLaughlin will also drive the PPG Chevy during the doubleheader race weekends at Texas and Detroit, as well as races this season at Mid-Ohio, Toronto, Portland, Laguna Seca and Long Beach.

PPG: WE PROTECT AND BEAUTIFY THE WORLD™

At PPG (NYSE:PPG), we work every day to develop and deliver the paints, coatings and materials that our customers have trusted for more than 135 years. Through dedication and creativity, we solve our customers’ biggest challenges, collaborating closely to find the right path forward. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, we operate and innovate in more than 70 countries and reported net sales of $13.8 billion in 2020. We serve customers in construction, consumer products, industrial and transportation markets and aftermarkets. To learn more, visit www.ppg.com.

We protect and beautify the world is a trademark and the PPG Logo is a registered trademark of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.

About Team Penske
Team Penske is one of the most successful teams in the history of professional sports. Cars owned and prepared by Team Penske have produced more than 550 major race wins, over 650 pole positions and 40 Championships across open-wheel, stock car and sports car racing competition. Over the course of its 55-year history, the team has also earned 18 Indianapolis 500 victories, two Daytona 500 Championships, a Formula 1 win, overall victories in the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring along with a win in Australia’s legendary Bathurst 1000 race. In 2021, Team Penske will compete in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series. For more information about Team Penske, please visit www.teampenske.com.

Series to raise curtain on new season April 18 on NBC

INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, Jan. 22, 2021) – INDYCAR officials have announced the NTT INDYCAR SERIES season opener at Barber Motorsports Park has been rescheduled from Sunday, April 11 to Sunday, April 18.

The move results in the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama presented by AmFirst being featured on NBC network television. A record nine events will air on NBC this season.

It’s the first time the 2.38-mile road course will host the opener for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. A return to the popular Birmingham, Alabama, racecourse leads an opening stretch of four races in 15 days with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg (April 25) and a doubleheader at Texas Motor Speedway (May 1-2) to follow. NBC will air the first two races of the new season and six of the first eight from April to June.

“The schedule changes we’ve had, while partially prompted by ongoing pandemic conditions, give us a powerful start to the 2021 season,” Penske Entertainment Corp. President and CEO Mark Miles said. “With six of our first eight races on network television and all in a more compact timeline, it’s an enormous opportunity to drive even more momentum as we deliver our exciting brand of racing to our fans.”

Barber Motorsports Park became an instant hit among INDYCAR drivers when the series first tested on the fast and undulating circuit in 2007. A fan favorite, as well, this year marks the 11th time the series will race there, a tradition that started in 2010. Two-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Josef Newgarden is the winningest driver at Barber, with three wins. Two-time Indianapolis 500 champion Takuma Sato is the most recent winner.

“Zoom Motorsports and Barber Motorsports Park jumped at the opportunity to have our event showcased on NBC network television” said Gene Hallman, CEO of Zoom Motorsports. “We are proud of the tremendous support that INDYCAR receives annually here in the heart of the deep south. The facility and museum are world class, and we look forward to highlighting George Barber’s vision in what has become a bucket list destination for all race fans.”

An updated listing of green flag times for the 2021 NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule will be announced at a later date.

CHEVROLET RACING IN THE NTT INDYCAR SERIES
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA
NEW TEAM ANNOUCEMENT
JANUARY 19, 2021

BETH PARETTA ANNOUNCES FORMATION OF FEMALE–LED CHEVROLET POWERED NTT INDYCAR TEAM
SIMONA DE SILVESTRO NAMED DRIVER FOR TEAM STARTING AT 105TH RUNNING OF INDIANAPOLIS 500

The team is an extension of INDYCAR and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s “Race for Equality & Change” announced last July. Team Penske will provide technical support to Paretta Autosport in assisting in the preparation their Chevrolet-powered car for competing in the race Sunday, May 30. Press conference transcript:

THE MODERATOR: Good morning, everyone. Welcome to the world famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Great so see some familiar faces back here at the world’s greatest race course. It’s a good day here at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Before we introduce everyone up on stage we do want to recognize Roger Penske. Good morning to you, sir. Chairman of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is here. Up on stage, on the far right, we say good morning to Jimmie McMillian who is the chief diversity officer of Penske Entertainment. In the middle, Beth Paretta, long time automotive and motor sports executive and certainly no stranger to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Another no stranger to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, J. Douglas Boles is here, the president of IMS. And joining us via Zoom all the way from Switzerland, we say good morning and/or good afternoon to Simona de Silvestro, a veteran of the NTT IndyCar Series, who appeared in five Indianapolis 500s after being named the rookie of the year back in 2010.
We are here this morning to witness the launch of a brand new race team in the NTT IndyCar Series, which will begin its journey at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway 500, the 105th running this coming May. And this team will only grow from that exciting race, perhaps with an eye on a full-time ride. We’ll see what, we’ll get Beth’s thoughts on that, the 2022 season of the NTT IndyCar Series. It will be known as Paretta Autosport, with Beth Paretta as the team owner, part of the female-owned and managed race team integrating female members to ensure opportunities on the competition side of the team, along with operations and administrative roles.

Team Penske will provide technical support, with Simona returning to the NTT IndyCar Series to drive the No. 16 Chevrolet-powered entry. All told, it becomes yet another initiative of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IndyCar’s Race For Equality & Change announced last July. If you’ve been following this, it’s the latest step in a series of really groundbreaking events over the last several months covering any number of sports around the world.

Ladies and gentlemen, first things first, turn your attention towards the monitors for a brief first look at Paretta Autosport.
(Video played.)

THE MODERATOR: We’ll start with Beth. Congratulations. What an awesome day. A long time coming for you. There was a similar announcement some five years ago for a team that was entitled Grace Autosport, but it’s all coming to fruition now. What a journey for you, Beth.

BETH PARETTA: Thank you, Dave. Thanks to everyone here and thanks to everyone on Zoom. Yeah, first, I am grateful for the opportunity to officially announce the start of this program. It has been a long time coming, a lot of hours, a lot of flights, a lot of meetings, but we are here. There’s been a lot of talk lately about representation and that is a very real thing. We hear about the importance of role models, examples, mentors, for people to have the opportunity to see themselves in the women on the grid and in pit lane.

Just a bit of background about why I’m doing this, why we feel it’s necessary, why I have been driven to put this together. I’ve worked with women engineers who only decided to follow the engineering path after they saw another woman in that role. I’m guilty of that myself. I only pursued the job as an automotive executive after I saw another woman in a role that I thought that maybe I could do one day. And — even though I’ve seen examples of men in those roles for years.

But change is happening and there is some momentum by we’re sort of able to create opportunities for women by shining the spotlight on their stories, because the way that people identify and feel a connection to what they see is innate and we can’t change that, but we can change the focus and we can shine that spotlight on the members of this team and their stories, and what will that mean, what will that do.

Maybe some of those girls watching from home can become fans that might not have ever thought that something like this was possible for them. Maybe some of them will be inspired to join us. Others might be captivated by the idea of racing and perhaps pursue education in STEM and ultimately choose a career in a related field. All of those outcomes would be success. Let’s be clear. There are women in racing. We all know each other. And in the past several years there have been, there’s been some progress with programs to get more female racing drivers on the grid, from all female driving lineups in sports cars, the W Series, these are all great strides.

But we believe that there’s a lot more to do and even more opportunity. A race team is just that, a team. Many people with varied roles, all critical to getting the car on the grid and running at its best. When the Race For Equality & Change was announced, I was so pleased. I hoped that it meant that there was a real commitment and investment in our collective future, as race fans, as racers, and as a series.

IndyCar is competitive, exciting racing, with a talented field and great venues and a very loyal fan base. But it should also be said that the IndyCar paddock has the most women working in all levels, on teams, in the series itself, and at the track, and that should be celebrated. This has always been a welcoming paddock, to me and to other women.

But now, under the stewardship of Roger Penske and the management here, it is just getting stronger. So, after the announcement for Race For Equality & Change, I called Roger, as you do, and asked if we could talk. But the reality is we started talking about this years ago. I’ve had the good fortune, having worked with Mr. Penske since 2007, first on the automotive side of things with Aston Martin, and then when I was at FCA as the director of SRT and motor sports. We were partners with Team Penske and won the NASCAR Cup Championship in 2012, which was actually the first Cup Championship for team Penske in NASCAR.

So last year, we sat down and he described the great work that they have been doing here at IMS and with the IndyCar series. I talked about the foundational work that I’ve been doing these past several years and how I would like to now, the work I’ve been do you think is off the track, with schools, educational partners, museums, working on curriculum to tie what we do at the track to what kids are learning and to inspire them to pursue educational pathways in STEM that could lead to robust career tracks.
When we sat down, I said that I would like to now bring it full circle and get back to the track to promote gender equality. So with that, I’m proud to say that Paretta Autosport will have a technical alliance with Team Penske, will start with the 2021 Indy 500 with plans to grow from there.

I also reached out, soon after, to Simona de Silvestro, and learned quickly that she was aligned with my goals, our goals. And with her remarkable talent and experience here at Indy, it was an easy choice to invite her on board. What’s different here is this is a full program. We will strive to incorporate more women into the team. I’ve always believed that with aptitude, interest, and the right attitude, the rest can be learned. We all started somewhere. We want Paretta Autosport to be the place to welcome, train, and support professional growth in all facets of the team. Eventually we hope it will be a team of women running the car, and that can and will inspire others to become mechanics, to become engineers, to become drivers, to become team owners. Racing is for all of us, and working together we all win.

Before I hand it back to Dave, I need to thank a few people. First and foremost, I want to thank Roger Penske, Mark Miles, and Jimmie McMillian for their vision and commitment to IndyCar and the Race For Equality & Change. To Bud Danker and Jonathan Gibson for their support in the business side to help put this all together. Thank you to Doug Boles. You’ve always offered support to me and this program and I thank you for that. And your tie matches the color palette.

A special thank you to Chevrolet, Mark Reuss and Jim Campbell. They have valued this mission from the start and I can’t wait to hear our Chevy-powered IndyCar power up for the first time at testing.

I want to also thank Porsche for allowing Simona to join us for the month of May and more.
And one last thing, I’m sitting here, and that’s my name right there, but I’m forever grateful to Stacy, Christian, Paul, John, Ron, Linda, Heather, and Barbara. You’ve helped me so much and I can’t thank you enough. So it is my name, but there’s a lot of people standing behind me and with me today.

THE MODERATOR: Great. Awesome. We do have a shot of the car, if I’m not mistaken. If we can go ahead and put that up again up on the monitors. Tell us a little bit about that, Beth.

BETH PARETTA: Well, you see the logo. I have to say that the person that has helped me with the graphics is my very best friend from my whole life, and she did a lot of the work that you see, kind of with the branding, and that, we always do a livery. In fairness, as we grow and add sponsors, that livery will change. But that shows you a little bit of sort of the look and feel and where, how we’re starting out.

THE MODERATOR: Awesome. Once again, joining us via Zoom, again, we say hello to Simona de Silvestro.
Simona, another shot now at the Indy 500 in a much different way. How exciting is this for you?

SIMONA DE SILVESTRO: Oh, well, yeah, thank you. And, yeah, Hi from cold Switzerland. For me, it’s quite special to be back at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, especially virtually, and I can’t wait to come during the month of May.

I’m very happy, actually, that today is the day that I’m finally able to announce that I’m joining Paretta Autosport. It’s quite a special day. I think it’s something that I’ve worked for my entire life, to get a proper shot at this race, and I think it’s super exciting that it’s finally happening. And when Beth actually called me a few months ago and told me about this opportunity, and I think literally an hour later, I was on a Zoom call with Roger Penske and Bud Danker. It was quite surreal, that it all happened so quickly, and for me to really come back to the Speedway with a constellation like this, with the association with Team Penske, it’s really, to be honest, as a driver, a dream come true and I think it’s something that is really special.

I think it’s going to be the best opportunity yet with everyone involved believing in the same goals. So I think we can be really successful when we come in May. And I really hope that along this journey we will inspire more women to follow their dreams and also create some pretty cool opportunities for them to join and for them to follow this pretty amazing journey.
I would really want to thank, actually, Beth, Roger Penske, Bud Danker, for choosing me to steer this entry, and I know it will be successful. And also from my part, I really have to thank Porsche for giving me the green light to participate in this iconic race. So, yeah, I’m super excited, and, yeah, I can’t wait to actually be for real back on the starting grid soon enough.

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations. Great stuff. Let’s also bring in Jimmie McMillian now. And it’s certainly an important day, none more so than IndyCar and IMS Race For Equality & Change that was announced last July.
Jimmie, what does this day mean?

JIMMIE MCMILLIAN: Thank you, Dave. First of all, I want to congratulate Beth, and I want to congratulate Simona on this very important day. Just sitting here, I can’t help but stop smiling and feeling the buzz and the excitement. We have always had women in our sport. We have had a long history of successful drivers, nine women, who have raced at the Indianapolis 500. We have had women who owned cars.

But I’ve also seen the disappointment from years that we have not had women that competed and I can tell that you this is super exciting as I look out amongst what I know and see every day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the NTT IndyCar Series, which is not just women in the sport, but leaders. We are led by superstar phenomenal women every single day. It’s one of the things that I probably hear the most. When people come in the building they think is a male-dominated support. I take orders from women all the time around here, as many of us do, right, Doug? And so, I think that needs to be reflected on the track and this is a powerful moment that matches our goals for the Race For Equality & Change when we’re talking about not just walking it, but actually walking what we talk, living what we preach, and creating the opportunity for people to actually be able to see something and know that they can be it.

And that’s what I think Beth and Paretta Autosport represents. We know that what we did with Force Indy was create a pipeline for folks to come in as engineers, as drivers, as an owner, but also in other areas, from HR to marketing, to sales, to learn how to run and operate a team under the very best in Roger Penske and under his tutelage and the tutelage of Tim Cindric and the folks at Penske Motorsports.

We’re going to create that same opportunity now for women in the sport with Paretta Autosport. That’s very important because once we get that pipeline flowing, I think we won’t be able to stop it. I’m looking forward to not only seeing a team on the grid, but seeing the team compete. I think this sends a message. When we see Simona go out and try to qualify, there will be a buzz, there will be an excitement, there will be a part of all of us, whether you’re a man or a woman, that will want her to win, that will want her to be successful because of what it represents. I have a mother, I have cousins, I have a number of women in my life that I look up to and I know the strong person they are, I know some of them can drive better than me, and I know some — I believe that Simona’s going to prove that she can win the Indianapolis 500, and I’m going to be there cheering for her.

So this is a super special moment and I want to thank Roger Penske again. I want to thank Bud Danker and john than and the entire team, Mark Miles, Doug Boles. This Race For Equality & Change, this journey that we have all been on has been made all the better by the fact that our leadership is 1000 percent supportive and energized and moving towards that every single day. This is a real diversity initiative. This is not pretend or fake. This is something we can all believe in and cheer for.

THE MODERATOR: Quick reminder for our reporters. We’re going to take questions here. Please head to the standing microphone to do that.

First things first though, bring in Doug Boles. And of course, women have been racing here since the great Janet Guthrie in 1977. To own a team certainly is a different level. You can’t underscore the importance of something like that.

J. DOUGLAS BOLES: No, you can’t. And congratulations, Beth, again, and Simona. You know, I sit here and I’m, like Jimmie, I have a huge smile on my face. I love days like this when you get to be surrounded by really passionate people who love our sport and in particular, passionate people who love our sport who are trailblazing, and this is a trailblazing day and I’m really excited to be part of it. Women have been involved at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, as Beth alluded to, for a long time. In fact, we have had an owner, female owner, dating back to the ’20s. And then the last 25 years, it’s really been the rule, not the exception, that a female’s competed in the Indianapolis 500.
But this takes it to another level. Here we’re talking about not just a driver, but we’re talking about a driver and owner, but we’re not just talking about a driver and owner. Beth’s vision, and I think our vision, is this gives folks an opportunity, women an opportunity to get involved in the sport beyond the driver and beyond the owner piece and I can’t wait to watch that come to fruition.
As I sat here today, and even yesterday, thinking about this announcement this morning, it’s the beginning of a new year, it’s an opportunity to reflect on what happened last year, and anticipate what’s coming up in the new year. A lot of things have happened over the last year. Roger Penske took stewardship of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on January 6th. Shortly thereafter, we had an Xfinity car testing on our road course and we made a announcement that the Pennzoil 150 was going to be held on the road course. That’s turned into now the Cup cars and the IndyCar weekend in August.
We talked about Force Indy announcement, which has been an awful lot of fun to watch since last July. The Force Indy team now is testing, testing before Christmas, they have tested after Christmas, getting ready to compete here at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and Beth and Jimmie both talked about this. It’s important for our fan base to grow it, that if we’re going to be more diverse as a fan base, we need to be more diverse as a series and as a race. We want people to know that when they come to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, that they see people like them competing and owning cars here at the race, and that’s one of the really, really exciting things about this opportunity.
What I’m looking forward to this year is just that passion that you see from Beth and you see from Jimmie, but that really starts with Roger Penske and the entire Penske Entertainment organization. This is going to be an awful lot of fun. I can’t wait to watch you guys compete on the racetrack. I can’t wait to see Simona back here, our Rookie of the Year from 2010. Those of you that followed the NTT IndyCar Series over the last several years, you’re very familiar with Simona de Silvestro. There is nobody better in a race car than Simona. She’s a fierce competitor, and with the right equipment, she can win the Indianapolis 500.

THE MODERATOR: With that, we’ll turn things over to the reporters that are in person here at the Speedway. If have you a question, go ahead and make your way over to the standing microphone located to the right.
While we wait for that to happen. Simona, just back to you quickly. 2015 was your last 500, how much have you been ready to get going again here at IMS?

SIMONA DE SILVESTRO: Yeah, I’m really excited. You know, I’ve, the Indy 500 has always been the race that, if it was possible, that I wanted to do. And to be honest, to come back, yeah, how we are now, with this team, with Beth making this happen, I think it’s really cool and I really think we have all the ingredients to be super successful. And to be honest, I can’t wait for the next few months to go by so we can get started.

THE MODERATOR: The count down is on. There’s no question about that. Let’s go ahead for questions.

Q. Congratulations, Beth. This is quite the script already and we await a huge finale, if not this year, in the coming years, so great work.
In the beginning when you had this vision, how high of a mountain did it seem? Bring us back to the early days of this goal.

BETH PARETTA: Yeah, it was quite a mountain. You have an idea you set forward, and in fairness, it’s definitely a story of just not giving up, not taking no for an answer. Sometimes you have, back in 2016, so in ’15, I announced the intention to run in 2016 and after announcement set off on putting everything together, and we actually were very, very close. I had an engine deal from Chevrolet. I had a partner, a team partner, that we were going to run with. In fairness, Roger and his team were offering some support on, some logistic support, and ultimately the team that I was going to work with, the terms of the deal changed, and so then I had to set out to then find somebody else to work with and then look for different other equipment.
And it came down to the wire and it was four weeks before the Indy 500 and I had to take the tough decision to pull the entry because it wasn’t right. The vehicle, the car that we had was not raceworthy, really. I mean, could we have maybe put it together down to the wire? Maybe. But I wasn’t willing to do that because there’s extra scrutiny on a program like this. Everybody’s watching, and you bear that responsibility.
Although I had to take that tough decision, that’s what happens in racing. And if you’re doing it the right way, you make those tough decisions and make those calls.
So once that was done, I took a little bit of time off and then really was right back in it within six months on the educational side of things because that really was the driver of: How do we tie what we do every day to create this sort of pipeline of fans and make the most of it? It’s such a wonderful platform. Racing is applied STEM. It’s STEM in action, so there’s so many things that we can do with it. And that’s a thing that I’m sure many other racing teams are finding, that’s very appealing to partners. Sponsor partners really like that connection and so that’s what I was working on, sort of — and the funny thing is, it’s very, to put a car on a grid as a one-off, sure, you can do that. It’s not easy, but people can do that. But to build a program takes a lot more time and I was more interested in a program that was sustainable than an entry.

Q. A follow-up to that: Was there something, then, that made this click? Was there something that just said, yes, now it’s time, now is the time to do this?

BETH PARETTA: Yeah, I mean, seeing the commitment from the Series and from Roger and his team, it was, maybe we were early six years ago, because I had conversations with many people, people, some people instantly got it. It clicked. Some people, it didn’t. It clicked with Roger from the beginning. It clicked with Mark Miles. It clicked with everybody that’s, honestly, in this room.
But I think seeing the momentum last year, last year was such a difficult year with everything, with COVID, so that kind of put a monkey wrench into a lot of things for everybody. But when I saw these sort of announcements happening, it was thinking, like, okay, maybe this is definitely the place where we would fit best, and also, in fairness, be able to elevate the programs the other programs that they have, like the announcement with Force Indy. These are all real. It’s, they’re not a slogan. They’re real change, so I think it was really seeing that and seeing the momentum.
And in fairness too, these are the things that are visible, but when I sat down and talked with Roger and the rest of the team, they’re doing so much here at IMS and throughout the Series that you don’t see, that has to do with diversity and equality, and they’re very real things. And that should be applauded too. So when you see that somebody’s approaching something so holistically and making, and having real action items, there’s nothing better than that.

Q. How would you describe the importance of inclusion to little boys and little girls who are watching what you’re doing right now?

BETH PARETTA: Well, I think, it’s funny, I mean, I didn’t grow up in a racing family. I grew up as a racing fan and I could not have dreamed this for myself. I’m at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway right now. I didn’t grow up with parents that took me here every May. But it’s that idea that if you find something that you are, that you love and that you work hard at, there are — and maybe the result isn’t a race team, but there’s somewhere that you can fit. There’s somewhere for you. And from the very beginning, and yes, is, my focus is on that sort of 10-year-old girl because you can affect a kid’s trajectory of what they want to be when they grow up from 10 to 12. And even though I work, we’ll have female engineers, the reality is young boys are still going to get the same lesson. The girls will see that it’s a female engineer; the boys will get the lesson. So it’s really for all kids.
But the idea of working hard and sort of following your passion can lead really in amazing — if you’re open to the opportunity, your life can take turns that you wouldn’t have ever scripted for yourself and I think that’s sort of the end story here.
But I do, I have always had this idea of the opening ceremonies of the Indy 500 are some of the most, it’s, the rich pageantry of the 500 is amazing. The energy here, if you ever have the opportunity to be here in person, it’s like nothing else. There are 300,000 people here. There’s just this energy. And when you think about, so I grew up watching it on TV, right, and so there’s those iconic things that we all are familiar with and there’s that lineup of the starting grid and that when the teams are out there early on and there’s that sort of swooping crane shot and the idea of seeing a line of women with matching uniforms, okay, you might say that’s cool, but to a 10-year-old girl watching that from home, it hits differently.

Q. I know it’s early, but I’m sure you’ve talked to potential partners, sponsors. What has been the response so far?

BETH PARETTA: We have had some amazing conversations already. Obviously, it’s a little tough before you announce because your conversations are a little bit more brief, so we’re grateful for today because now the cat is out of the bag. But we have had some great conversations and we will announce sort of where that’s going. But yeah, it’s already, already happening, which is great.

Q. This is absolutely fantastic news for you guys and for the sport in general. How beneficial do you think it’s going to be for you to have the likes of Team Penske kind of behind you in terms of this entry with their kind of success at Indy and that kind of thing?

BETH PARETTA: Well, they have won 18 times. It goes beyond just the technical support. I mean, even just in the past few months just sort of, in fairness, Mr. Penske has always been a bit of a mentor and I think a lot of people will say that, those who know him. And he’s been very generous with just ideas and thoughts, and that is sort of that intangible stuff that I am extremely grateful for.
But the technical partnership, to just be able to not come in completely cold and have that, sort of that shared understanding of, and of course, it’s great for Indy, but as you expand, to understand how to approach races at other tracks too. It’s invaluable.

Q. First question, Beth, since you’re going to be involved with Team Penske will your shop initially be down here in North Carolina?

BETH PARETTA: That’s a great question. Yes, we are starting out close to Team Penske in North Carolina for the sake of logistics, yes.

Q. And also, the benefit of having, I mean, Simona’s kind of been part of this package for so long that you know that you could always depend on her when you finally got this deal together, granted there were probably some obstacles you had to overcome, but how valuable is that to know that she was on board from the very beginning?

BETH PARETTA: Well, that makes it a lot, certainly a lot easier. It also helps it when we’re talking to partners because we can point to her experience here. And in fairness, too, beyond IndyCar, she’s been racing full-time in other series and, again, as a factory Porsche driver. So she’s certainly a very accomplished driver behind the wheel, and so whenever have you that story to tell it makes things a lot easier.

In fairness, too, like I say, the alignment to what we’re doing here, that’s key. When you have the privilege to build a team, I always say that you’re lucky if you can find — really the first goal is to find people who have sort of the same approach to things, the same attitude, and that makes for winning combinations. I think that as Simona and I have gotten to know each other, it works really well, and I think that that’s, that always, that will contribute to our success on the track.

Q. A question for Simona. Welcome back. You’ve been out of site, but never out of mind. You talk to a lot of the race fans every year around Indy 500 time. And on social media and everywhere else when they talk about drivers that could run Indy, your name is always one of the big names that’s always talked about. Just how important has that been to you, because you really made quite an impression during your time that you did run over here full time.

SIMONA DE SILVESTRO: Yeah, it’s quite special, and like you mentioned, I’ve seen those Tweets about my name getting put in there and I think it feels really special in the sense because that means people really saw what I was able to do on the racetrack and I think that’s pretty cool, for sure.

Maybe now it took a bit of time to come back, but I think 10 years ago when I was there and kind of making my stride, I think I’ve grown quite a lot as a driver, and especially IMS I think has really built me especially from my character side as well. I’ve had lots of highs and pretty big lows at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
So I think to come back like this, I think it’s something I think that is all coming together. To get the right opportunity, I think this is the one, to be honest. And yeah, I’m super excited and I think that I’m pretty grateful that the fans are welcoming me back with open arms and hopefully we can put on a really good show when we’re on track out there.

Q. Question for Beth. Congratulations. Had a question, if you were to go all the way back to like your Dodge SRT the marketing days of the racing program and all of that, would you ever have thought that you would be here at IMS announcing your own IndyCar team that will be racing in the Indy 500?

BETH PARETTA: Yes and no. I think that I’m a racing fan and I have been — I was that kid like in the grandstands — and finding a place for myself in racing is sort of always seemed to be where I would go, maybe what my destiny would be. You talk to anybody that’s known me for a long time and none of this is surprising to them. They might have seen it even before I did.
But, yeah, I mean when I had my responsibility at FCA what’s important there is, although the racing was very high profile I also was working on the brand side and running sort of the business and marketing for the performance brand SRT.
And working for a car company I saw in realtime that there were, there was a phenomenon that was happening where engineers were retiring at a faster rate than they were being backfilled — and regardless of gender. So there was a critical need to get more engineers and such and people in technical careers in the pipeline.
And so seeing that in realtime and then on the racing side being on the business side of racing, I saw the business model as it has been and it’s evolved in a few different ways over the years, but realistically I saw that in a lot of ways the business model needed some more, needed to evolve even more and that partners, to have, in order to have long-term partners, you need to have something very compelling and it’s more than a sticker on the side of a car.
We have gone through phases, we can all look at if you’re race historians, we all know how the business side has evolved and it looked very much like it needed to evolve again. And partners were leaving, racing sponsors were leaving the sport and how do you solve that.
And maybe I think, although I’m a racer, I’m also a business person at my core and it was sort of like that business problem to solve, it was like a business case. And I thought, okay, we need to do more with it, there is more here, there is more content here, there are more stories to tell and they’re very interesting stories. I’m biased because I find them interesting, but I thought, well if I find them interesting then maybe other people can too.
And by telling those stories and by then also connecting it to education, you can then talk to a whole different category of sponsors that might not have ever considered being part of the IndyCar grid or any race grid for that matter.
So I think that the impetus behind it was, let’s get more women involved and let’s do more with racing.

Q. And just a follow-up, so you have this season running the Indy 500, are there plans to do more in 2022?

BETH PARETTA: Yeah, I mean I would like to, selfishly, I would like to see if we could do even do another race or two this year, but it has to do with scheduling and what sponsors may or may not want. But I know that there’s already interest from some to do a few more races even this year, so we’ll look at that.
But my hope is that we could maybe even run a full season next year. But always pushing forward, but we’ll see how it pans out.

Q. I had a question for Simona. Simona, congratulations this, is great news. Would you say that this would be one of the biggest opportunities of your life?

SIMONA DE SILVESTRO: Well, you know I think I’ve been really lucky in my career so far, especially now the last few years with getting good opportunities. Also at the end of last year for me to join Porsche as a works driver I think it’s quite special, but I think for sure in my IndyCar career, especially as a driver being associated with Team Penske, with having Beth putting really this program together, I think it’s, yeah, my best shot at it, I would say.
I’m really excited about it and I think that throughout my career I worked really hard to get to this point. I think that it’s finally time that it’s here and, to be honest, I’m super excited that it’s happening while I’m still racing and I’m still as competitive as I can be.
So I can’t wait and, yeah, you know, it’s definitely all the stars are aligned at the moment, so I’m really excited about it.

Q. Welcome to a first-time owner in the paddock, that’s quite rarified air. But from a culture standpoint, you bake a cake and all the ingredients are important and you, one looks at this from a third person where I am out here in Los Angeles and it looks like an absolutely wonderful looking cake. You’ve got so many decades of dedicated and focused motor culture participation. You mentioned, Beth, that you were hoping to get a race or two and of course I’m out here near Long Beach and we didn’t get to see any IndyCar out here on the West Coast. When are we going to see cake by the ocean?

BETH PARETTA: Oh, I like what you did there. I love Long Beach, I have been fortunate to be with teams that have raced at Long Beach many times. It’s one of my favorite races on the calendar. And I love that they, it’s later in the year this year, right? So kudos to the city of Long Beach because obviously moving any city race is a, that’s a mountain to climb in and of itself.

Q. Season finale as well.

BETH PARETTA: Yes. Yes. And in fairness, later in the season, timing might work, but we’ll push for that, believe me. I’ll push for any race. I mean, I’ll race in a parking lot outside of a Kroger, I’ll show up to.
Q. For Simona, of course cake by the ocean is one of your main characteristics, having won at Long Beach Grand Prix. Now it’s the Accura Long Beach Grand Prix, but you won it when it was the Toyota Long Beach Grand Prix and also you were Rookie of the Year in Indy 500. So how would you like to see at least a minimum of two races this year?

SIMONA DE SILVESTRO: Well, if you know me, you know as many times I can get into a race car I will take the opportunity. I think this is just the beginning of this program and I think right now I think we will really focus on the 500 and, yeah, we never know what the future brings. Three years ago would I have said that I was going to be back at the 500 so quickly? Maybe not. So we never know what happens, but the thought is always here and me as a driver I will always be ready for any opportunity that comes up.

Q. Well you were in an odd way a stand out with the Lotus effort and it was, again, something that was ushered in as a first of and now you’re on a second wave of a first of and we look forward to seeing you out on the track with such a great assortment of ingredients that will bring you to the track.

SIMONA DE SILVESTRO: Thank you.

Q. One question for both Beth, so people may be wondering, what kind of ultimately led to Simona getting the ride and what do you see from her that maybe others don’t, for those who might be into the sport over the past few years since she last ran in 2015?

BETH PARETTA: Sure, that’s a great question, because you haven’t seen her in a couple of years. But if you look at her total combined experience at IMS, but also, like I said, she, the broad experience she has in other series, she’s been racing full-time even though we haven’t seen her here in some very competitive series. Including NV 8 Super Cars against Team Penske and that, they were also comfortable with her capabilities. And I think she’s just a great fit, she’s done really well here and I think it’s a really great opportunity and we could have a shot to have some good results.
Like I said, honestly, the fact that it’s a really good fit for the mission. So beyond just behind the wheel, I think we’re very aligned and that means a lot to me.

Q. Simona, you brought it up earlier, that you feel more prepared, more focused. What has the time period between 2015 to now made you better as far as a competitor? Is this more or less being versatile or just more or less getting the experience all across the world?

SIMONA DE SILVESTRO: Yeah, I think it is a lot of factors. I think I’m a bit older as well. I think I see the picture a little bit differently and know as well really what I need in the car to be quick and, yeah, for sure I think the experience as well. I’ve been so lucky to be racing in so many different cars at the end of the day and I think that that can help a lot. But I’m super excited to get back into an IndyCar. I think from a driving style point of view I think it’s definitely so far the one that has fitted the best to me. So, yeah, just getting to, getting the chance to get back into an IndyCar I think I’m really happy about it.
And, yeah, I think I’ve grown. I think the time I’ve grown quite a lot, the things that I’ve experienced are I think going to be really good for my future and, yeah, I can’t wait to get going.

THE MODERATOR: All right. Thank you very much Kate. By the way, September 26th is the date of the Accura Grand Prix of Long Beach and I’m also interested in cake right now, I don’t know about you guys. But for now we’re going to break here, join us for a socially-distanced photo op at victory podium here at the speed way. Thank you.

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Paretta Autosport To Compete in Indianapolis 500 with Simona De Silvestro

INDIANAPOLIS (Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021) – Paretta Autosport, a new NTT INDYCAR SERIES race team spearheaded by female automotive and motorsport executive Beth Paretta, has announced its entry for the 105th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge.

2010 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year Simona De Silvestro has been announced as the driver for Paretta Autosport, which will utilize Chevrolet power and run the No. 16 for this year’s legendary “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” The 32-year-old from Switzerland is a veteran of five Indianapolis 500 starts.

The team is an extension of INDYCAR and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s “Race for Equality & Change” announced last July. Team Penske will provide technical support to Paretta Autosport in assisting in the preparation for competing in the race Sunday, May 30.

Paretta Autosport will integrate women in the team to ensure that it provides opportunities, including competition, operations and administrative roles such as logistics, marketing and public relations.

“Today is the beginning of a commitment to gender equity in sport, to encourage women to work hard so they can earn their seat at the table or spot on the grid,” Paretta Autosport Team Principal Beth Paretta said. “INDYCAR has been a leader and a welcoming place for women for many years because of the hard work of many women and men before us, but now we have a stronger commitment with INDYCAR’s ‘Race for Equality & Change’ to make sure opportunities continue in the future.

“Our team, along with our technical alliance with Team Penske, will work hard to give Simona the best car we can provide so she can achieve her best results. Competition drives us. The Indy 500 is the greatest race in the world, and one day soon we hope to have a woman’s face on the Borg-Warner Trophy.”

Said Mark Miles, president and CEO of Penske Entertainment Corp.: “We are pleased to welcome Beth and her Paretta Autosport team to INDYCAR this year. Her team’s addition to the INDYCAR ‘Race for Equality & Change’ program this year will ensure that INDYCAR and the Indianapolis 500 continues the legacy of having a female driver qualify for the 2021 Indy 500. Of course, it will be up to Simona and the team to qualify the car for the grid, but knowing Beth, I know that her team will be up for the task.”

Paretta has a long history as an automotive and motorsports executive in leadership roles with some of the most respected performance brands, including SRT (Street and Racing Technology) at FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles), where she was the first female director to lead a performance brand and motorsports for an original equipment manufacturer. In that role, she led successful racing programs that earned three national championships: the NASCAR Cup Series championship for Dodge with Team Penske in 2012, the IMSA GTLM championship with the factory Viper GTS-R program in 2014, and the Trans Am championship with the Dodge Challenger TA2 in 2014. She is also a board member of the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America.

In addition to her Rookie of the Year honors in 2010, De Silvestro also captured the Tony Renna Firestone Rising Star Award for her 14th-place finish. Her accomplishments throughout the motorsports world are numerous after competing in Australian Supercars, as a Formula One development driver, in Formula E, the IMSA SportsCar Championship and, since 2019, as a factory driver for Porsche.

“I am very excited to have this incredible opportunity to return to Indianapolis and the Indy 500 with Paretta Autosport this year,” De Silvestro said. “My career really took off through my time competing in INDYCAR and the Indy 500, so returning to compete with Beth and her new team in alliance with Team Penske is a special and rare chance in my career. Being part of the goal of diversity and inclusion for everyone, and especially women in INDYCAR, and in motorsports in general, is very important to me and how I would like to see the future of racing. I want to thank the NTT INDYCAR SERIES for taking such an important leadership role in providing gender and overall diversity inclusion in motorsports.”

For more information and future announcements, please visit www.parettaautosport.com or the team’s social media channels.

John Brunner Tackling Multi-Tiered Role for Abel Motorsports, Abel Construction

(Speedway, IN) For Immediate Release (Jan. 4, 2021): Abel Motorsports, Championship-winning open wheel development team, has hired veteran team manager John Brunner to fill a multi-faceted role within the team and parent company Abel Construction of Louisville, KY. Brunner is assuming the role of Team Manager for Abel Motorsports at their new facility in Speedway, Indiana, along with taking over as Fleet Manager for Abel Construction, one of the Southeast’s leading commercial construction firms. Brunner, fresh off a successful run as Team Manager at Belardi Auto Racing, will also serve as a Project Manager for Abel Construction operating from the Speedway facility.

“I’m excited to join Abel Motorsports and Abel Construction”, commented Brunner. “We’re wrapping up the move of the race team from Louisville (KY) up to the new Speedway (IN) building. Our two Indy Pro 2000 cars are here along with our transporter and much of the shop equipment. Some team members will be relocating, and we’re looking to staff up with quality people here because this is a team on the rise. We’re going to run a two-car Indy Pro 2000 effort at a high level. We’re starting to look for the right teammate to pair with Jacob (Abel), who’s our team leader. Belardi was in a similar situation when I started there in 2011. They were a young team that wanted to get to a championship level, and together we were able to do that. My goal here is the same, to take Abel Motorsports to a championship level.” Under Brunner’s leadership, Belardi won numerous Indy Lights races and the 2014 Championship.

Team Principal Bill Abel noted, “John brings a tremendous level of experience and expertise to our team, and we’re very pleased he’ll also have a role in our construction business. He’ll be using his many contacts in both areas to help us grow and get better and we’re excited that he’s onboard and getting started in the process of helping us prepare to win this year.”

19-year-old college sophomore Jacob Abel finished fifth in the Formula Regional Americas Championship in 2020, while making selected starts in Indy Pro 2000. He’ll contest his second full season in Indy Pro 2000 come the new season, scheduled to open in April at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama. While his teammate for 2021 is not yet identified, the addition of Brunner to the Abel squad should put Jacob Abel in position to contend for poles, podiums, and race victories.

Qualified candidates for positions with Abel Motorsports in its Speedway, IN headquarters should contact John Brunner, Team Manager, at 317-989-7223, or by email at: johnbrunner1@gmail.com.

ABOUT ABEL MOTORSPORTS:

Abel Motorsports has competed in multiple open-wheel developmental series since 2017, winning the inaugural F3 Americas championship in 2018. Stay current with the latest Abel Motorsports news by visiting the official team website, www.abelmotorsports.com. Abel Motorsports has driving and marketing opportunities available in several different types of cars for the 2021 season.

INDIANAPOLIS, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021 – U.E. “Pat” Patrick, who won the Indianapolis 500 three times as a team owner, died Jan. 5 in Phoenix after a long illness. He was 91.

Patrick’s team, Patrick Racing, fielded race-winning Indianapolis 500 entries for Gordon Johncock in 1973 and 1982 and Emerson Fittipaldi in 1989. Patrick entered cars regularly in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” from 1970-95, with one final entry in 2004. He is one of just seven team owners with three or more Indianapolis 500 victories.

Kentucky native Patrick was inducted into the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame in 2016 and the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2018.

Patrick began his professional career in accounting but then formed an independent oil company, Patrick Petroleum Co., in 1963 in Michigan after successful drilling efforts in the area. His “wildcatter” efforts to strike oil later were reflected in the name of the chassis his team built, Wildcat.

Patrick’s entry into Indy car racing came through sponsorship of fellow oilman Walt Michner’s team in the late 1960s. Patrick formed his team in 1970, and Johnny Rutherford qualified second in the No. 18 Patrick Petroleum Eagle/Offy in the team’s Indianapolis 500 debut.

The team’s first Indy victory came three years later when Johncock captured the rain-shortened 1973 Indianapolis 500 in the No. 20 STP Double Oil Filter Eagle/Offy. Johncock put Patrick Racing back into Victory Lane at Indianapolis in 1982 after winning a breathtaking duel over the closing laps with Rick Mears, edging Mears at the finish by a then-race record margin of just .16 of a second in the No. 20 STP Oil Treatment Wildcat/Cosworth.

Patrick’s third victory came in 1989, when two-time Formula One World Champion Fittipaldi earned the first of his two “500” victories, this time driving the No. 20 Marlboro Penske/Chevrolet Indy that was co-owned by Chip Ganassi.

Drivers for Patrick Racing also claimed two national championships, with Johncock taking USAC honors in 1976 and Fittipaldi winning the CART title in 1989.

Patrick’s team also was the home of two of open-wheel racing’s most legendary crew chiefs. George Bignotti ran Patrick Racing during the mid- and late 1970s, with Jim McGee taking the reins in the 1980s.

The entrepreneurial, colorful Patrick also was instrumental in the founding of two major North American racing series during the late 1970s and mid-1980s, Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) and Indy Lights.

Patrick is survived by three sons and one daughter.

The annual NTT INDYCAR SERIES event will move to April 23-25, 2021

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (Jan. 6, 2021) – The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg has been rescheduled to April 23-25, 2021, officials from the City of St. Petersburg, Green Savoree St. Petersburg, LLC (GSSP) and INDYCAR confirmed today. It will move from March 5-7 to a later spring date when the feasibility of hosting a greater number of fans is possible.

“I want to thank our friends at INDYCAR and our partners at Green Savoree for putting the health and safety of fans first. Each of these races takes an incredible amount of work from hundreds of dedicated professionals, and I know the decision to move the date of the race is not made lightly,” said St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman. “I appreciate the drivers, teams, staff, and most of all the fans for their patience and understanding. I look forward to welcoming everyone to the next Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.”

The event usually kicks off the INDYCAR season, and last year served as the thrilling season finale for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES due to its postponement in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s not surprising that an event of this magnitude, scheduled for the first week of March, is still subject to the implications of the pandemic,” Penske Entertainment Corp. President and CEO Mark Miles said. “We’re delighted we were able to work with Mayor Rick Kriseman’s administration and Green Savoree Racing Promotions to find a more suitable date, which helps consolidate the beginning of our schedule and allows us to stay on NBC network television.”

“We appreciate the officials at INDYCAR for their support in setting a new date for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, and also to Mayor Kriseman and his team at the City of St. Petersburg for identifying a time when it will be conducive for more fans to attend,” said Kim Green, co-owner, chairman and CEO of GSSP, organizers of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. “We are grateful to keep the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in the springtime window and also maintain the live national broadcast coverage of the race on NBC.”

Additional event information and customer FAQs will be posted at gpstpete.com in the coming days. Ticket purchasers on file and also those customers who deferred tickets from the 2020 event will also receive a direct communication on the renewal and ticketing process.

The rescheduled event now set for April 23-25, 2021 will be subject to the guidance and mandates of national, state and local authorities regarding public gatherings as the conditions evolve with the ongoing pandemic. The health and safety of all associated with this event will remain the priority of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

About Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg:
The 17th annual Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is a race event held during Florida’s spring break season each March. Traditionally the site of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ season-opening race, St. Pete is a destination city hosting this annual motorsports tradition and offering a festival atmosphere with its downtown location. The temporary circuit is a 1.8-mile, 14-turn configuration using the streets circling Pioneer Park, the Duke Energy Center for the Arts, The Dali Museum and extending onto the runways at Albert Whitted Airport, which overlooks the waterfront of Tampa Bay and picturesque St. Petersburg Harbor and Marina. Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is owned and operated by Green Savoree St. Petersburg, LLC. Green Savoree St. Petersburg, LLC is owned by Green Savoree Racing Promotions 2, LLC whose other subsidiaries also promote three additional INDYCAR races, The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio (July 2-4, 2021), Honda Indy Toronto (July 9-11, 2021), and Grand Prix of Portland (Sept. 10-12, 2021).

For more information, visit gpstpete.com, ‘like’ its Facebook page at @GPSTPETE or follow the event on Twitter @GPSTPETE and Instagram @GPSTPETE using #FirestoneGP.

Series to return to popular Streets of St. Petersburg in April

INDIANAPOLIS (Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021) – INDYCAR officials have announced the 2021 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is being rescheduled for Sunday, April 25 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The move creates a condensed, action-packed early-season schedule for 2021.

The NTT INDYCAR SERIES returns to the Streets of St. Petersburg after Josef Newgarden’s thrilling win last October, which culminated with Scott Dixon’s sixth series title. NBC will remain as the television home of this year’s race on the tight, demanding street layout.

“It’s not surprising that an event of this magnitude, scheduled for the first week of March, is still subject to the implications of the pandemic,” Penske Entertainment Corp. President and CEO Mark Miles said. “We’re delighted we were able to work with Mayor Rick Kriseman’s administration and Green Savoree Racing Promotions to find a more suitable date, which helps consolidate the beginning of our schedule and allows us to stay on NBC network television.”

Due to the move, Barber Motorsports Park becomes the host of the season opener as the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama will raise the curtain on the 2021 season.

The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg will mark the 18th NTT INDYCAR SERIES event in the Sunshine City. The traditional season opener since 2011 and a fan favorite on the INDYCAR schedule, the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg received a three-year title sponsorship extension from Bridgestone Americas, Inc. last October.

“We appreciate the officials at INDYCAR for their support in setting a new date for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, and also to Mayor Kriseman and his team at the City of St. Petersburg for identifying a time when it will be conducive for more fans to attend,” said Kim Green, co-owner, chairman and CEO of GSSP, organizers of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. “We are grateful to keep the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in the springtime window and also maintain the live national broadcast coverage of the race on NBC.”

An updated listing of green flag times for the 2021 NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule will be announced at a later date.