Category: Featured Other Series

INDYCAR announced today that Verizon will be the new title sponsor of the IndyCar Series beginning in 2014. INDYCAR and Verizon have signed a multi-year agreement to re-brand the series as the Verizon IndyCar Series.

INDYCAR CEO Mark Miles says the partnership is a game changer for fans, drivers and the series as a whole.

“In a real sense I think it represents a kind of confirmation of the strategies we’ve put into place and where we intend to take the sport and is the beginning of the next phase of IndyCar’s growth,” Miles added. “You know, as we’ve done some work in the last several months as has probably been done in the past, I think about what is fundamentally IndyCar; speed and the daring of the drivers and the skill of the drivers are, we think, a huge part of what we offer the public. But at the same time, going back to our earliest roots, innovation is part of our brand and part of what we stand for. The more we’ve thought about it, innovation has a role on the track, and we expect to be more innovative, again, over time.

“But innovation also has a lot to do with how we go to the market and how we captivate the fans and present the sport in all its depth and excitement to fans, and I cannot imagine a more perfect partner to be true to those roots and to take us to the next level of leadership in sports for the way we use innovation to put the sport forward.”

Verizon has been a long-time partner with Team Penske, and has been involved in IndyCar sponsorship in the past, sponsoring the Verizon P1 Award for each races’ pole sitter. That will continue this year, as well.

“We’ve had a great relationship just as a partner, and then even with the Penske team,” Verizon Wireless vice‑president of marketing Brian Angiolet said. “When you look at this, it just became the right time for Verizon to step up into this position. Internally, we have been evolving our brand and our position in the marketplace from a mobile‑ and wireless‑centric company into more of this technology company, and when you think about the role that technology plays in IndyCar, it just seemed like a great match.

“And now with this agreement, and when you look at the roadmap that we have both in the agreement and from a product standpoint, I think we feel that we now have a platform really here to demonstrate what all of our technology can bring to the fan base, inside and outside the venue.  So it’s a perfect match at a perfect time.”

Verizon will look to put the IndyCar Series in front of the most people possible through marketing with their technical experts that have made their mobile company one of the top companies world-wide. The idea will be to link sports, entertainment and technology together to benefit all parties.

Angiolet said that there will be an increase in the amount of commercials moving forward, recognizing hte lack of national recognition that IndyCar has been missing.

“Yeah, I think you will see ‑‑ we’ve had a commitment to ‑‑ we’ve got cars with the teams, we’ve got drivers, the Indy league itself, the technology position, the spots that we’re creating around that I think are going to be very exciting, kind of visceral, and that’s part of the muscle that we would bring and will bring,” Angiolet commented.

In the coming weeks, Verizon has some projects that they are going to start implementing already – significant network coverage upgrades to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as part of its Project 100, short- and long-term technology enhancements to INDYCAR Race Control and the addition of pit lane monitors and enhancing connectivity for spectators at each domestic race venue.

“The Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indianapolis 500 has long been recognized as a technological proving ground and an association with Verizon positions the racetrack with the global leader in technological innovation and communication,” Indianapolis Motor Speedway President J. Douglas Boles commented. “As we work to enhance the fan experience at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway leading up to the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 in 2016, we are excited about the new avenues in information delivery and access that Verizon will be able to help us explore for our fans.”

Verizon will also it’s LTE Multicast solution at race tracks, which will go with the Verizon INDYCAR 14 app and indycar.com, the official website of INDYCAR. The idea will be to deliver news and updates at a quicker pace.

Verizon has been the primary sponsor for Will Power’s No. 12 Team Penske car over the past four years and will continue to be in the future. Verizon also will be the primary sponsor of the No. 2 entry driven by Juan Pablo Montoya for at least eight races.

“Verizon Wireless has been a terrific partner for Team Penske and as a global leader in technology and communications the company is a perfect fit as a title sponsor for the Verizon IndyCar Series,” Roger Penske commented. “We have seen how much Verizon cares about advancing technology in racing and how it can help bring the sport closer to the fans. Verizon has tremendous passion for IndyCar racing and their vision, dedication and commitment will be a great benefit to the Verizon IndyCar Series and its future.”

The Verizon IndyCar Series season opens on March 30 (3 p.m. ET, ABC) in St. Petersburg.

IndyCar sent out a bulletin in the early evening – they have a major announcement to make tomorrow morning. Though like any major announcement, the details have already leaked.

The Indianapolis Star is reporting that tomorrow’s announcement pertains to who will become the new series sponsor. IZOD, a clothing company, sponsored the series through the last stretch with it’s contract running out at the end of last season.

So who’s the new sponsor? Verizon Communications.

The company has good standings in the business market, ranked 16th in the latest Fortune 500 list based on revenues and profit in 2013. It was also ranked No. 1  in the telecommunication sector in the category of World’s Most Admired Company by Fortune Magazine.

The Sports Business Journal has reported that the deal will last 10 years, being worth approximately $10 million per year. IndyCar is expected to announce formal details tomorrow.

The addition of Verizon as the series sp0nsor shows promise for the series. A lot of people didn’t know IZOD as a company due to the lack of marketing. Verizon, meanwhile, is one of the most well-known companies and has a solid marketing campaign. They have also shown their commitment to the sport through the marketing that they’ve done with Team Penske over the last few years in bringing forth IndyCar Penske’s drivers to the public forefront.

Capitalizing on that with the whole series at a time when competition looks to be at a peak compared to other recent years may be what the series needs to get back to the popularity that it once held before.

On another note, Verizon is expected to continue sponsor Team Penske drivers Will Power and Juan Pablo Montoya this season.

Delong Motorsports announced today that they’ve partnered with Hishons Custom to create a t-shirt to sell throughout the season. The best part of the t-shirt sales is 100% of the proceeds will go directly to United way and Autsim Ontario. Team owner Kevin Delong came up with the idea as his son is autistic.

Autism’s Ontario mission is to ensure that each individual with Autism Spectrum Disorder is provided the means to achieve quality of life as a respected member of society. Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life: it is the result of a neurological disorder that affects the functioning of the brain.

“Autism impacts the typical development of the brain in the areas of social interaction and communication skills,” Autism Ontario’s website states. “Children and adults with autism typically have difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions, and leisure or play activities. They find it hard to communicate with others and relate to the outside world.”

United Way, meanwhile, works in communities across Canada to create opportunities for a better life for everyone.

This year will mark Delong Motorsports’ first season in the OSCAAR Hanover Holiday Modified ranks with their two-car team. Kevin Delong will be driving the No. 2Lo car for the full season, in hopes of winning Rookie of the Year and possibly the championship. Meanwhile, Scott Way will be driving the No. 17k on a limited basis.

Delong Motorsports has stated that fans can begin to pre-order shirts as early as April 1st, with the shirts being printed by the first week of racing in May.

Fans interested in more information about Delong Motorsports, their t-shirt fundraiser and more are encouraged to head over to Delong Motorsports’ facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/delongmotorsports17.

Paul Tracy hasn’t been behind the wheel of an IndyCar since 2011, however that all may change this year.

Wheels.ca reporter Norris McDonald is reporting that Canadian Paul Tracy may make a comeback this year. McDonald says that sources tell him that Tracy will run four races this season, including the Indianapolis 500. Other three would be the Grand Prix of Indianapolis leading up to the big race, as well as the two Honda Indy Toronto races in July. The Honda Indy marks the only Canadian stop as part of the 2014 schedule.

A tweet from Tracy last week has done nothing but fuel the rumors that are swirling.

Very excited about the opportunity to be back at some of my favorite venues … Stay tuned

— paul tracy (@paultracy3) March 6, 2014

Another option may have Tracy behind the wheel of an off-road truck as part of  Robby Gordon Formula Off-Road Stadium SUPER Trucks series. Tracy drove one last year at the Honda Indy Toronto and did respectable before crashing on the final lap. The SST trucks will be part of the Honda Indy Toronto weekend, as well as a couple other IndyCar events. 

Tracy has spent the past couple years as a commentator on SportsNet’s IndyCar coverage.

As race fans begin to look forward to the season beginning at the end of the month, one of their expectations is that the television coverage will be tip top throughout the whole season. ABC and ESPN officials are looking to fulfill the promise with the plans that they have in mind.

One of the highlights this year will be the fact that this is the 50th year that ABC will televise the Indianapolis 500 as they did their first telecast in 1965. ABC will also carry four other races total this year, including the season opener at St. Petersburg.

“We haven’t been there for a couple years.  That event when people have been without racing all winter, they tend to tune in and watch it,” Andy Hall from ESPN commented. “We’ll do both parts of the Detroit doubleheader at Belle Isle.  We’re excited to have the new Indianapolis road course as part of our schedule.  Of course, the 50th Indy.  We’re also back doing Indianapolis 500 time trials, which we haven’t done for a few years either.  That’s another good thing looking forward to for this year.”

ABC will once again have Scott Goodyear and Eddie Cheever as analysts in the booth, with Jamie Little, Vince Welch and Rick DeBruhl as pit reporters. Dr. Jerry Punch will also join the staff as a fourth pit reporter or Indianapolis.

However, they will enter this season with a new anchor in the booth as Allan Bestwick will be in charge in the broadcast.

“I didn’t get into the business to be a race announcer.  I wanted to be a broadcaster my whole life,” Bestwick commented. “One of the inspirations was watching that Sunday night broadcast of the Indianapolis 500 and watching Jim McKay, one of my heroes. To have the opportunity to sit in that seat on this occasion, ABC’s 50th anniversary of televising this race, is a little hard to fathom in some ways for a kid from Rhode Island.”

“I was very, very flattered and really, really happy to be part of this.  It’s a big change, but it’s an exciting change and a great time for change.  I’m really looking forward to this.  Especially, like I said, the Indianapolis 500, when I was a kid, I got this book from the book club at school.  It was called 30 Days in May.  I don’t remember who wrote it.  Story of the 1970 Indianapolis 500.  I dog-eared that book.  I swear I read it 18 times.”

Bestwick has always been a fan of IndyCar racing and says that he feels IndyCar has a good series right now that can be built up bigger throughout the years. He feels that they’ve got the main objective down – good racing – and now it’s his job to document it properly.

“First object of any racing telecast:  document the race and document it properly,” he commented. “The hardest thing about auto racing and broadcasting, if you’re covering a football game and you have a camera on the ball, you got 90% of the story covered, right?  The rest of it is filling in around the edges.

“Where is the ball in the race?  Is it the lead, fifth place, a strategy call?  Where is the ball?  Making those decisions every second of every lap of the race, Where is the ball?  How do you best describe and make what the ball is understandable?  That’s how you take it forward.

“Continue to use technology, make sure you always have your eye on the ball.  Does that make sense?”

When Bestwick cannot be at an event due to it conflicting with ESPN’s NASCAR coverage, Dave Burns will be filling in his spot to do the play-by-play.

After unveiling his car last month at the Canadian Motorsports Expo, Gary Elliott will have his No. 36 Lincoln Welders Modified on display at the Mega Speed Custom Car and Truck Show later this month.

Elliott, a veteran of the Canadian Vintage Modifieds and Late Models, makes the move to the OSCAAR Hanover Holiday Modified division in 2014. Elliott has always had aspirations to run in the NASCAR Whelen Series if that class ever came to Ontario. The OSCAAR Modifieds debuted in 2012 and are the closest thing that Elliott can get to within provincial borders.

Elliott has lots of open wheel experience spending 42 seasons as a member of the Vintage Modifieds that included 33 consecutive seasons from 1972 to 2004, and has success, scoring a pair of championships and 30 feature wins.

Over the off-season, Gary Elliott Motorsports purchased the No. 91 Modified that was piloted by rookie Mike Westwood last year to a solid top 10 finish in points. With Westwood’s help, the team has built the car ready for this season to run all 15 scheduled races on the 2014 OSCAAR tour. 

Elliott will carry the red and black Lincoln Welders colors on his modified, just as they adorned his No. 36 Canadian Vintage Modified Coupe in recent years. Elliott will also have major support from sponsor Quaker State, who has been with Elliott for over 40 years. Crew members Bob Pereira and Matt Smith will be helping with the effort.

When he is not running races with the OSCAARs, Elliott will be behind the wheel of his familiar No. 36 Quaker State Late Model that he has been piloting since 2005. Elliott will also have that car on display at the 2014 Mega Speed Custom Car and Truck Show.

he MegaSpeed Custom Car and Truck Show takes place later this month – from March 21st to the 23rd – at the International Center in Toronto, Ontario. Taking up five huge halls with cars from one end to the other, you can promise that your eyes will drool due to the eye candy. Many race teams and series will also be on hand to talk about their plans for the 2014 season.

The list of celebrities for the event includes some stand-outs like Danny “The Count” Koker and his business partner Kevin Mark from Counting Cars, Rick and his wife Kelly from American Restoration, Quinton “Q” Dodson from Pimp My Ride, Lou Santiago from SPIKE’s show MuscleCar, and entertainment starts Coca & Ice-T.

For more information on the show, check out http://www.megaspeedcarshow.com/.

Over the off-season, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing signed a new sponsor in the form of the National Guard for Graham Rahal’s IndyCar. Rahal says the addition of the National Guard as a sponsor brings excitement to the team and a lot of pride.

“There is quite a lot of responsibility for us,” Rahal added. “On-track performance is key.  We want to do a good job.  But off-track performance is equally as important to the National Guard and we need to make sure the main goals of recruiting and retention are things we carry through each and every day and do the best we can to help them out, try to keep them in the sport as long as we can.

“They’re a great partner for us already.  We’re extremely excited about all the opportunities that are coming.  Kathy and Brian Marks who lead the team, seems like there’s something new coming up every day.  Pretty new and exciting for us as a team.”

Rahal added that he knows the sponsorship comes with a lot of responsibility off-track in promoting the Guard, however he is ready for what is to come.

“There’s a lot of stuff I’m extremely thrilled to go and do, visits to Walter Reed and things like that that are going to be I’m sure very humbling for me,” he continued. “I don’t think anything they’re asking is going to keep us too occupied.  I think everybody is excited to get out there and do everything we can do help.

“Is it busier than my sponsors in the past?  Yes, but it should be.  I think the National Guard is more important than anything I’ve represented in the past.  Hopefully we can do a great job for them.”

With the new sponsorship, Rahal feels that it will bring RLL up to the level that Team Penske, Chip Ganassi Racing and Andretti Autosport are at with regards to being able to expand their racing programs. RLL has already gone ahead with hiring a brand new engineering staff, with the exception of Eddie Jones who is still with the team.

“Wayne, my assistant last year, is going to move over and just do shocks this year.  Everything has been completely turned upside down.  A lot of new faces,” Rahal explained. “This is going to allow us to continue to invest in those sorts of people we need, the programs, that sort of thing.

“If you look at us last year, we never really did any development at all, never did any shock development.  Coming from Ganassi where I was trying four different pairs of shocks every single weekend, it was completely different to come to this team where we never had an option.  We ran the same ones every single track, every single race.
Pretty different.  Takes quite an invtestment.  I think we’re going to be to that point now.”

Part of the new changes including the addition of Bill Pappas, who worked with Justin Wilson last year. Part of the off-season development has been focused on getting the communication going.

“Every driver has his own little – I don’t know – desires what he wants out of the racecar,” Rahal said. “Luckily Justin Wilson is very similar to me, so Bill already has a pretty good understanding of that.  But there’s going to be a lot for us to develop.

“As I mentioned a little bit earlier, the first time I think we’re going to get on an oval is right after Long Beach, which I think we’re supposed to go test at Texas.  That will be right before Barber, then of course the 500.  That will be the first time I’ll do any laps on an oval to see how different the car is.”

The off-season has also been helping Honda develop their twin-turbo motor, versus the single-turbo that they ran last year. Rahal feels happy with the motor at this point, stating that it’s feels good off the corners and there’s not a lot of boost lap.

“I think it should be a huge performance,” Rahal commented. “I don’t think we will see it on a road course, but at Indy.  Everybody knows how we struggled there, I think that’s where we should see the biggest performance gain.”

In preparation for the Indianapolis 500 next month, INDYCAR announced a new qualifying format to set the 33-car starting grid for the 98th Indianapolis 500 in May. The new format will feature three sessions across two days – May 17th and 18th.

INDYCAR announced that the changes were announced in an effort to increase entertainment value, fan attendance and TV viewership. 

“These changes we believe ensure that fans will enjoy two days of exciting track action,” Mark Miles, CEO of INDYCAR, commented. “I think in the last many years, Saturday has been the day in qualifying, but there’s been an opportunity to add more compelling content on Sunday and that’s what we’re trying to do here.

“Saturday will determine who will get into the Indianapolis 500 race, and Sunday will determine where the cars who got into the race will start on the grid for the race itself. These two days will culminate, lead up to, the setting of the first three rows and the positions in the first three rows and who will start the race in the pole position.

“We think that makes for more compelling experiences at the track, and for television viewers all over the country we believe the same.”

The format is as follows:

• Saturday, May 17 (11 a.m.-5:50 p.m. ET)

o The fastest 33 cars compose the starting field (but not starting positions).

o All entries are guaranteed at least one four-lap attempt to qualify.

o The fastest nine entries advance to the Fast Nine Shootout.

• Sunday, May 18 (10:15 a.m.-1:30 p.m. ET)

o Saturday times are erased and entries 10-33 must complete another four-lap attempt to determine their starting position in order of the slowest to fastest from Saturday times.

• Fast Nine Shootout, Sunday, May 18 (2-2:45 p.m. ET)

o Each entry will receive one four-lap attempt in the order of the slowest to the fastest from Saturday times. Aggregate times will determine the Verizon P1 Award winner and top three rows.

INDYCAR added in their announcement that both days will include new points incentives to be announced at a later date. Practice sessions before time trials commence are scheduled for both days as well.

ABC has announced that they will televise qualifying as part of their extensive coverage of the race. The network will televise qualifications live from 4-6 p.m. (ET) Saturday, May 17, and 1-3 p.m. (ET) Sunday, May 18, in addition to the 200-lap race Sunday, May 25, marking its 50th consecutive year of coverage of the race. Additional hours of qualifying will be carried on ESPN3, ESPN’s multi-screen live sports network, with the full schedule to be announced at a later date. 

The changes to the format go along with INDYCAR’s announcement earlier this year with adding the Grand Prix of Indianapolis to the schedule. The Grand Prix of Indianapolis will be ran on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course at the beginning of May, leading up to the Indianapolis 500 fesitivites.

“We couldn’t be more excited about the Grand Prix,” Miles commented. “It’s going to be so cool to show Graham and his fellow drivers off across the country that they race in different conditions, different tracks, different skill sets, what that’s all about, which I think is about the quality of IndyCar, the diversity of the challenge that the drivers confront, and a different feeling for the race at the Grand Prix.”

Mark Miles went on to say that the changes are part of the objectives that they are working towards for the 100th running of the event in two years. Part of the objective for that race will be for a new track record to be set during qualifying.

“We do believe that’s something we can do while increasing the safety of the drivers and it’s something that can be done gradually between now and 2016,” he commented. “As that happens, we believe that’s a really important storyline about IndyCar racing, particularly at IMS.  These changes to the format where the entire qualifying weekend experience culminates with the setting of the pole we think it’s sort of like building a bigger stage for that drama as that story unfolds going forward.”

From a competitive standpoint, officials do not believe that the changes they’re making make qualifying for the race less of a challenge than it was before.

“It’s something that’s always difficult at Indianapolis, something that the teams work hard on trying to achieve,” Derrick Walker, the president of operations and competition for IndyCar, said. “I don’t think that will ever go away.  There’s still a huge challenge in front of them.  This different format is different, but I don’t think it lessens the challenge at all.”

Walker added that they are currently reviewing the schedule and will make sure to allow the right amount of allotted practice time prior to qualifying and after qualifying so teams can work in their race set-ups. He added that they are also working on additional ideas for the schedule in case weather is a factor.

Graham Rahal feels that the new format is intriguing and hopes that he is part of the top nine shootout – as any driver hopes they’ll be.

“As Mark said, the most important thing to realize here is we have to give our fans a better product both on TV and at track,” Rahal added. “As we know Sunday in the past has been a moot point.  Now I think there’s going to be quite a bit of buildup Saturday, see who the 33 will be, then go into Sunday and wait till the very end to see who the pole winner is going to be. 

“I’m pretty excited for the changes that are ahead.  Of course, I am a traditionalist, but I’m always one that’s open for change as well.  I’m looking forward to this month of May.”

Rahal added that he believes other drivers will be in supportive of the new qualifying format as well as they all understand that Miles and Walker are looking for ways to improve the racing product and increase the fan base.

“I think it’s been pretty stale in recent times so this will add a whole other element,” he continued. “For the teams, it’s going to be a nerve-wracking element.  As Derrick said, when weather comes to Indy, it changes things completely. I can tell you the biggest sigh of a relief as a driver is when you got in on Saturday, and on Sunday you didn’t have to think about doing four more laps.  Now we have to think about that all the time.

“I’m sure there’s going to be more tension, a bit more nerve-wracking for everybody involved.  But that’s what it’s all about.  That’s why these drivers and teams are the best in the world. I’m looking forward to it.  It’s a new challenge.  I’ve done May where I’ve had to qualify at least twice, three times before, so I think for me, fortunately or unfortunately I have experienced that.  But now it’s a whole different thing because it’s going to count for so much.”

Last season, Will Power finished off the year the best way possible – with a pair of wins. He won the second race in Houston, before winning the season finale at Auto Club Speedway.

“That was an unusual finish to a season for me if you go off the last few years,” Power commented. “Definitely had a good off-season and very motivated to have a good year.”

Last year, Power didn’t have the same that he wanted – statistically – with numerous finishes outside of the top 10. However, he was able to bring home three wins in the last four races. Power said in previous years he had been conservative and rode the points, but last yea taught him to hang it all out there.

“At the end of the year, it was fun.  You can just race hard, it does not matter.  In fact, the results came a lot better when I did that,” he explained. “It taught me a lot about racing, getting in the pack.  When you spend a lot of time at the front, the restarts, you’re not in the pack.  I feel that my race craft was really good by the end and I enjoyed it.

“That’s how I’ll be racing this year.”

Like many other teams, Team Penske has kicked testing into full gear and done some tests, in which Power admits that they’ve found some things that will help them be strong in 2014.

“I feel as though we’re going to be pretty competitive,” Power commented. “Kind of just working hard, not leaving anything on the table, not leaving anything to chance.  You just can’t be lazy.  You’ve got to work hard in this game if you want to continually be competitive.  So that’s our plan.”

Power also feels confident about this year with the addition of having Juan Pablo Montoya as a teammate to him and Helio Castroneves, saying that’ll allow for more feedback and information.

“With Juan, he’s had some good experience, good ideas.  He’s obviously been very successful in Formula One,” Power commented. “His experience in NASCAR, it’s kind of good having him there, for sure.  He’s a guy that I looked up to when I was racing Formula Ford and he was in Formula One.  Kind of cool to be working with him.”

Power says so far, everybody is working well together and Montoya has already suggested some great ideas.

“At the end of the day we all understand that we got to race each other on the track,” Power said. “During this testing time, part of the season, we need to work together and try things, find things that are going to help us be at the front.”

The work that is put in the off-season will come to surface the first weekend of the year as the new year promises to be competitive across the board, espically with arch-rival Ganassi switching from Honda to Chevy as Power says that will make them more reliable and stronger as an organization.

“But it’s good to have them in the family.  Four more drivers giving good feedback to help point us in the right direction,” Power commented. “Plus they’ve had the experience of looking at some of Honda’s strengths, see if we can transfer it over to the Chevy side.”