The Pit Window by Mike Silver

Doordash, Google Join HyVee for Indycar at Iowa Iowa

February 16, 2022 thepitwindow

From Iowa Speedway and HyVee. Big sponsor news as the weekend gains more support.

HY-VEE AND INDYCAR ANNOUNCE PRESENTING SPONSORS FOR HY-VEE INDYCAR RACE WEEKEND

February 16, 2022 | By INDYCAR

Hy-Vee, Inc. and INDYCAR announce that Google and DoorDash will be the presenting sponsors for the Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend, July 22-24, 2022. PepsiCo will be a key event sponsor, as well as the sponsor of Hy-Vee’s No. 45 car throughout the race season. Tickets for Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend are on sale now and can be purchased online at www.hyveeindycarweekend.com or by calling the race ticket office at (641) 417-6007.

INDYCAR will return to Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa, for the first time since 2020, with three days of turbocharged action, July 22-24. Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend will feature the only doubleheader race event on the 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule. Saturday’s series race will be the
Hy-VeeDeals.com 250 presented by DoorDash, and Sunday’s action will be highlighted by the Hy-Vee Salute to Farmers 300 presented by Google.

Hy-Vee will build on its support of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES as Hy-VeeDeals.com – the company’s website that aggregates all weekly ads, digital coupons and hot deals – will be a featured on-air sponsor during each race broadcast on the NBC family of networks during the 2022 season. A QR code will pop up on screen allowing race viewers to scan it with their phone for a chance to win $25,000. One winner will be awarded following each race broadcast.

In addition to premier on-track action with the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, as well as the rising stars of racing competing in Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires, Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend will include a festival-like atmosphere with three days of music, food and family-focused entertainment.

“The economic impact this race weekend is creating for the Midwest will be like none other, and we are proud to team up with these incredible partners to ensure that the fans who come to the Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend truly have an amazing experience,” said Randy Edeker, Hy-Vee’s chairman and CEO. “We look forward to creating an exciting atmosphere leading up to and during the race – both in our stores and at the track during the event.”

“Google is proud to call Iowa home and honored to support initiatives that make it a great place to live, work and visit,” said Kirsten Kliphouse, president of North America, Google Cloud. “We recently announced Google’s investment in our Iowa data center has reached $5 billion, and we’re committed to making an impact beyond the data center walls by partnering with organizations like Hy-Vee on events that bring economic opportunity to local communities.”

“DoorDash is proud to sponsor the inaugural INDYCAR race weekend with Hy-Vee, a longstanding partner and supporting champion of our mission to empower local communities,” said Christopher Payne, president at DoorDash. “As consumer expectations for convenience, speed and selection continue to grow on and off the raceway, we’re committed to expanding access to Hy-Vee’s unparalleled assortment to even more cities across the state of Iowa and nationwide. We look forward to continuing to offer Iowa residents the best of their neighborhoods directly to their door.”

“PepsiCo is thrilled to be part of the 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES — this year bigger and better than before. Our beverage brands — led by Mountain Dew — will bring exciting experiences to INDYCAR fans and Hy-Vee customers at home, in store and at the track,” said Neil Pryor, president, PepsiCo Beverages North America Central Division. “There is no better way to enjoy the thrill of the race than with a cold Mountain Dew in your hand, and we’re proud to bring that joy to neighbors across Iowa, a state in which nearly 2,000 of our employees live and work.”

Known as “The Fastest Short Track on the Planet,” the 7/8 of a mile Iowa Speedway oval is a favorite with drivers and race fans alike. Two-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Josef Newgarden is a three-time race winner at Iowa Speedway and the most recent driver to celebrate in Victory Lane in 2020. Other Iowa winners include four-time Indianapolis 500 champ Helio Castroneves, along with NTT INDYCAR SERIES champions and Indy 500 winners Simon Pagenaud, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Tony Kanaan, Dan Wheldon and Dario Franchitti.

“As we continue to build excitement for Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend and the return to Iowa, what a great opportunity to welcome premier companies in DoorDash, Google and PepsiCo as sponsors of this special event,” said Bud Denker, president of Penske Corporation, which owns INDYCAR and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “Our partnership with Hy-Vee and the support from these industry-leading brands demonstrates the continued growth of INDYCAR and the commitment to hosting an impactful event in Iowa.”

West Des Moines, Iowa-based Hy-Vee first became involved in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES when the supermarket chain was the primary sponsor for Rahal Letterman Lanigan (RLL) Racing’s No. 15 car in Race 2 of the 2020 Iowa Speedway doubleheader. In its third year of sponsoring RLL, Hy-Vee provides primary sponsorship of RLL’s No. 45 car, which will be driven by Jack Harvey, and associate sponsorships of Graham Rahal’s No. 15 car and No. 30 car, which will be driven by newcomer Christian Lundgaard.

“It’s exciting to see the Hy-Vee races at Iowa Speedway building momentum with announcements like this. Welcoming household brands like DoorDash, Google and Pepsi as sponsors is a great indication of how big of an event this will be and how big of a splash Hy-Vee is going to make. And this is just the beginning,” said Harvey, driver of the No. 45 Hy-Vee car.

For more details about weekend activities, visit www.hyveeindycarweekend.com.

Pagenaud Leads Meyer Shank Sweep of Sebring Day 2

February 16, 2022 thepitwindow

Photo: Mike Levitt -Lumen

Meyer Shank Racing seems to have taken it upon themselves to uphold then honor of the older drivers,. 2019 Indianapolis 500 winner Simon Pagenaud had the fastest time Tuesday in the second day of testing at Sebring International Raceway.

Four time and defending Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves had the second fastest time, giving Meyer Shank Racing the top two spots on the chart.

Last year’s wave of young drivers may still grab most of the attention in season, but Pagenaud and Castroneves may have something for them.

Defending NTT Indycar Series champion Alex Palou was sixth fastest Tuesday.

2021 Indy Lights champion Kyle Kirkwood was the fastest rookie Tuesday with the fifth quickest lap.

Marco Andretti Enters 500; Seeks 250th Career Start

February 15, 2022 thepitwindow

Editor’s note: It is hard for me to imagine an Indianapolis 500 without an Andretti in it. This is good news.

From Indycar:

Marco Andretti will attempt to make his 250th career INDYCAR SERIES start Sunday, May 29 in the 106th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, driving the No. 98 Honda fielded by Andretti Herta Autosport with Marco Andretti and Curb-Agajanian with primary sponsorship from KULR Technology Group.

Third-generation driver Andretti is looking to make his 17th career start and earn his first victory in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” He has eight top-10 finishes, including four in the top three, and won the pole in 2020.

KULR Technology Group (NYSE American: KULR) first joined Andretti Technologies (“ATEC”), the advanced technology arm of Andretti Autosport, and sister team, Andretti United Extreme E, in 2021 as the official thermal management and battery safety technical partner.

The goal of the ATEC partnership focuses on transferring aerospace knowledge onto the racetrack. KULR’s expertise with lightweight, high-performance thermal management solutions through space exploration provides the opportunity to implement new cooling technology, battery cell architecture and testing methodologies within the high-performance and high-power applications across the motorsport landscapes.

“We’ve worked with KULR through Andretti Technologies for over a year now, including last year’s Indy 500 with Marco, and we are thrilled to now welcome them as a primary sponsor to our INDYCAR program,” said Andretti Autosport chairman and CEO Michael Andretti. “The development potential of KULR’s technology is exciting given their expertise in high-performance thermal management solutions and understanding of battery safety. We look forward to this special event in May as Marco celebrates 250 career INDYCAR starts.”

Said KULR President and CEO Keith Cochran: “We are humbled and honored to have the legendary Andretti Autosport racing team represent the KULR brand in the upcoming Indianapolis 500. As the primary sponsor for the No. 98 car driven by Marco Andretti, we are extending our partnership with Andretti Autosport and further demonstrating the breadth of applications for KULR’s technologies.”

Live coverage of the 106th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge will start at 11 a.m. (ET) May 29 on NBC, Telemundo and the INDYCAR Radio Network.

Herta Leads Sebring Test

February 15, 2022 thepitwindow

Colton Herta had the fastest time yesterday in the first day of testing at Sebring for the NTT Indycar Series. Seventeen drivers ran laps in preparation for the February 27 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg Presented by RP Funding.

Chip Ganassi Racing used Monday as an evaluation Day for IMSA driver Kevin Magnussen. All four Ganassi drivers- Scott Dixon, Alex Palou, Marcus Ericsson, and Jimmie Johnson- will test today.

A. J. Foyt Racing used Monday as a rookie test day. Dalton Kellettt will be on track today along with teammates Kyle Kirkwood and Tatiana Calderon. Kirkwood was 12th fastest Monday.

Kyle Kirkwood. Image from AJ Foyt Racing Twitter

Ed Carpenter Racing and Meyer Shank Racing will test today.

The top times:

I enjoyed seeing some of the new liveries in my brief time at Sebring yesterday. The AMSP cars look fantastic. The light blue with the orange recalls the iconic Gulf liveries of Mclarens of the past.

Felix Rosenqvist. Image from Indycar Twitter

Sebring Test Final Warm Up Before St. Pete Season Opener

February 13, 2022 thepitwindow

Image: Colton Herta at an earlier Sebring test. Indycar photo

The entire full time grid will test at Sebring Monday and Tuesday in a final prep session for the season opener, The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding, February 25-27.

Four rookie drivers, Tatiana Calderon and Kyle Kirkwood from A. J. Foyt racing; Callum Ilott of Juncos Hollinger Racing, and David Malukas with Dale Coyne Racing, will test both days.

Monday is the busier day, with eight teams and 20 drivers on track. Ed Carpenter Racing and Meyer Shank Racing will test Tuesday.

The lineups:

MONDAY, Feb. 14

AJ Foyt Racing: Tatiana Calderon, Kyle Kirkwood

Andretti Autosport: Devlin DeFrancesco, Romain Grosjean, Colton Herta, Alexander Rossi

Arrow McLaren SP: Pato O’Ward, Felix Rosenqvist

Chip Ganassi Racing: Scott Dixon, Marcus Ericsson, Jimmie Johnson, Alex Palou

Dale Coyne Racing: David Malukas

Juncos Hollinger Racing: Callum Ilott

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing: Jack Harvey, Christian Lundgaard, Graham Rahal

Team Penske: Scott McLaughlin, Josef Newgarden, Will Power

TUESDAY, Feb. 15

AJ Foyt Racing: Calderon, Dalton Kellett, Kirkwood

Dale Coyne Racing: Malukas, Takuma Sato

Ed Carpenter Racing: Conor Daly, Rinus VeeKay

Juncos Hollinger Racing: Ilott

Meyer Shank Racing: Helio Castroneves, Simon Pagenaud

Indy 500 Green Flag Begins Epic Journey Across Globe

February 11, 2022 thepitwindow

News from IMS. Interesting idea.

Rosenqvist Jump-Starts 2022 Season with Virtual Victory at IMS

February 10, 2022 thepitwindow

For Immediate Release

Guardian of the Glass

February 8, 2022 thepitwindow4 Comments

Editor’s note: The name of the reader in this story is not her real name. The donor requested to remain anonymous.

It’s a humbling thing, discovering what people think of you. A few days before I left for the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona last weekend, I received a message from a regular reader of my blog.

“Are you going to Daytona? I have something for you.”

I replied that I would be there, and we arranged a time and place to meet Friday morning. Readers have given or sent me things in the past- old tickets, programs, pins- small mementos which had some historic significance in racing. I value them all. I wondered what this reader had for me that could not be mailed.

On a windy, cool Friday morning I parked my car in the infield and headed toward the Fan Zone for our meeting. Two thoughts swirled in my head. I wonder what she has, and I hope I recognize her. I had met Sally Pickering here a few years ago. We have a mutual friend who used to come to this race from New Jersey, and she was part of the group he was with when I saw him.

Sally resolved the second question in a message.

“I’m wearing a tan coat and a grey Rolex 24 hat. I just parked.”

I found a table near the historic cars and sat own. One of my favorite things about this event is the historic cars that the track has on display. I love their style and their diversity of design. I find it sad that today’s race cars all look almost exactly alike. That I saw most of these cars race makes me even sadder.

Sally appeared. Once I saw her, I remembered who she was. Sally may be an even bigger race fan than I am. She has been to Le Mans and Monaco several times, a resume I envy. I remembered one other thing she told me the last time we met.

“Didn’t you say you were at Fontana the day Greg Moore was killed?’”

“Yes, I was.” she said.

I also have a story of witnessing death at a track. We quickly changed the subject and talked about the glories of the past. Then it was time.

Sally pulled a plastic bag from her tote bag. I could tell something bulky was in it, but I still had no idea. She reached into the bag and extracted a small item encased in bubble wrap. It was a small item, obviously fragile, but I still had no clue.

A rocks glass emerged from its protective cocoon. I saw the Indianapolis Motor Speedway logo on the front and a list of names on the back. I knew what it was- but I really didn’t. My dad sold sets of these glasses during May at his package liquor store. A brewing company produced them.

“Thank you!” I said. “My dad used to sell these!”

She placed her finger just below the logo.

“I don’t think so,” she said.

I had missed Tony Hulman’s signature below the wing and wheel. I now knew exactly what it was. Hulman bought the Speedway in 1945 and his family owned it until 2019. Every year at Christmas, Hulman gave gift sets of the glasses to patrons and the staff of the Speedway. The back of each glass had a list of the race winners through the current year.

Sally, explained, “My dad was a wholesale grocer in Detroit, and he supplied food to the Speedway every May. He got a set of these glasses every year.”

I looked at the last year on the glass. It was 1962, my first race. I knew Sally didn’t know that.

“I have heard about these glasses, but I had never seen one. Thank you so much. I’m overwhelmed.”

Sally reached back into the plastic sack and withdrew two more protective cocoons. Three glasses with Tony Hulman’s signature sat on the wrought iron table.

“I want you to have these. I’m trying to downsize and I wanted these glasses to go to a good home. From reading your blog I felt you would respect them and take good care of them. You understand the history so well.”

Several moments passed before I could speak. She was giving me a part of her family’s heritage and a memory of her father for safekeeping.

“I’m honored that you chose me. Of course, they will be taken care of. I can’t thank you enough, Sally.”

We both had other people to meet, and we said goodbye. Several minutes after she left my breathing returned to normal.

Sally charged me with a sacred trust, which I vow to keep. I need to begin a quest for the next guardian of this treasure and of all the other precious artifacts I possess.