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Andretti Steinbrenner Autosport

ANDRETTI STEINBRENNER AUTOSPORT ANNOUNCES POWERTAP HYDROGEN FUELING CORP. AS PRIMARY SPONSOR ON DEVLIN DEFRANCESCO’S INDY LIGHTS ENTRY

 

INDIANAPOLIS (April 5, 2021) – Andretti Steinbrenner Autosport announced today that PowerTap Hydrogen Fueling Corp. will be featured as the primary sponsor on the No. 17 Indy Lights entry piloted by Devlin DeFrancesco. PowerTap Hydrogen is a part of the hydrogen sector within Clean Power Capital Corp. and focuses on its intellectual property to take charge as the leader in developing cost-effective infrastructure for incorporating hydrogen fueling into daily life. The partnership with Andretti Steinbrenner Autosport marks the company’s first venture within the motorsports industry.

“We are excited to welcome PowerTap Hydrogen to the Andretti-Steinbrenner partner ecosphere,” said George Michael Steinbrenner IV, owner, Steinbrenner Racing. “The partnership will be a new one on the racetrack, representing an extension of existing relationships with PowerTap in the business sector for myself and the Andretti family. Adding another innovative company within the green energy and sustainability sector also brings unique opportunities both for our team and among fellow sponsor/partner companies that can lead to cool ideas and integrations.”

“It is great to have PowerTap Hydrogen within the team represented on Devlin DeFrancesco’s Indy Lights car,” said Michael Andretti, Chairman and CEO, Andretti Autosport. “As there is a goal within the paddock to achieve a carbon neutral environment as well as across the world, we believe PowerTap Hydrogen’s experience with their proprietary technology is a small step to begin achieving that goal.”

“Hydrogen vehicles will be introduced into many verticals in the coming years including auto racing,” noted Raghu Kllambi, CEO, PowerTap Hydrogen Fueling Corp. and Clean Power Capital Corp. “As our unique onsite PowerTap hydrogen fueling technology can refuel vehicles of all types, a prominent sponsorship of Devlin DeFrancesco and the Andretti Steinbrenner team makes sense as we launch PowerTap as a leading hydrogen fueling brand.”

Along with the PowerTap Hydrogen’s primary sponsorship in the Indy Lights program for DeFrancesco, Andretti and Steinbrenner IV are both founding partners on the PowerTap Hydrogen Advisory Board, providing expertise from the motorsports industry to assist in adopting hydrogen fuel in everyday vehicles.

DeFrancesco joined the Andretti Steinbrenner Autosport stable in 2020 competing in the Indy Pro 2000 series. The Italian-Canadian driver finished second in the Indy Pro 2000 championship after collecting two wins, three pole positions and six podiums. Following an impressive rookie campaign in Indy Pro 2000, DeFrancesco will make the step up to the Indy Lights field in 2021.

DeFrancesco will make his 2021 on-track debut in the No. 17 machine at the Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires season opener on April 17 at Barber Motorsports Park.

For more information, visit www.AndrettiAutosport.com

WINDOW WORLD TO SPONSOR JARETT ANDRETTI FOR 2019 FREEDOM 100

WINDOW WORLD TO SPONSOR JARETT ANDRETTI FOR 2019 FREEDOM 100
North Carolina-based replacement window company to join team as primary sponsor; Harding Group, MI Windows and Doors, and Superior Auto named as associate sponsors

INDIANAPOLIS (05.16.2019) – Andretti Autosport announced today that Window World will return to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as the primary sponsor for Jarett Andretti’s No. 18 Indy Lights Dallara for the 2019 Freedom 100 presented by Cooper Tires. Also decorating the racing machine of the third-generation driver are Harding Group, MI Windows and Doors, and Superior Auto as associate sponsors.

“It’s great to go to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and make this step in my career with a company that’s been there since the beginning,” said Andretti, driver of the No. 18 Window World Dallara for Andretti Autosport. “Dad’s (John Andretti) last Indianapolis 500 was with Window World as a primary sponsor and I can’t wait to represent them at IMS again. It is also an honor to represent both Harding Group, MI Windows and Doors, and Superior Auto in the Freedom 100. They have all been supportive of my racing career and I am looking forward to running all four company’s logos at the biggest race of my career thus far.”

With his rookie start at the Freedom 100, Andretti will become the seventh Andretti family member to compete at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Known as the largest window replacement company in America, Window World serves customers from over 200 locations. Committed to delivering the highest quality products, Window World prides their company to deliver value and quality through their affordable prices.

“Supporting Jarett (Andretti) in the upcoming Freedom 100 Indy Lights race is an absolute joy. Window World has had a long-standing partnership with Jarett’s father, John Andretti, for quite some time,” said Tammy Whitworth, Chairman and CEO for Window World. “We were privileged to watch John race around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the No. 43 Window World car some years ago, and it’s wonderful to be able to share that same honor with his son Jarett on Friday. We wish him the absolute best.”

Indianapolis-based paving company, Harding Group, has been a supporter of Andretti’s racing career, specifically in sprint cars, since 2016. Harding Group will appear on the engine cover, side nose and shock cover of the No. 18 racing machine.

“Really excited for Harding Group to sponsor Jarett Andretti for the Freedom 100 during Miller Lite Carb Day,” said Mike Harding, owner of Harding Group. “Jarett is such a strong racer; I really think he can be a major competitor against the full-time Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires drivers. We’re looking forward to having a great race come May 24th!”

Headquartered in Gratz, Pa., MI Windows and Doors is one of the nation’s largest suppliers of precision-built vinyl and aluminum windows and sliding patio doors. MI Windows has been serving the needs of distributors, remodelers, exterior contractors, architects, builders, and homeowners for over 70 years.

“MI Windows and Doors is so proud to continue our support of Jarett Andretti and this exciting next chapter in his racing career,” said Matt DeSoto, CEO of MI Windows and Doors. ‘’The Freedom 100 is a thrilling event and we wish Jarett the best as he continues his journey. Our team will be cheering for him the entire way!”

With over 65 location across Indiana, Ohio, Michigan and Kentucky, Superior Auto prides their company on being specialty leader in the “buy-here/pay-here” business model. The “buy-here/pay-here” model allows Superior Auto to focus on selling quality used vehicles and providing customers with in-house financing options.  Superior Auto has been a long time partner of the third-generation driver throughout his Andretti Short Track career.

The Freedom 100 presented by Cooper Tires will air live on NBCSN on Friday, May 24, at 1:00 p.m. ET.  Practice for the Freedom 100 presented Cooper Tires begins Monday, May 20, and will be streamed live on Road to Indy TV app with Qualifying for the Freedom 100 on Thursday, May 23.

JARETT ANDRETTI TO RACE AT INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY

Third-Generation Racer to Compete in 2019 Indy Lights Freedom 100 with Andretti Autosport

LONG BEACH, Calif. (Friday, April 12, 2019) – Third-generation racer Jarett Andretti will see a dream come true May 24 when he climbs into an Andretti Autosport Indy Lights machine for the Freedom 100 – his first career Indy Lights race. Jarett is the son of John Andretti, grandson of Aldo Andretti and great nephew of Mario Andretti.

“To say I’m excited to run the Freedom 100 this year would be an understatement,” said Andretti. “Anytime you get a chance to race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway it’s special. Obviously, Andretti Autosport has a great track record there and I’ve known all the mechanics on the cars for years – I can’t wait to get the Month of May started!” 

Currently competing with Andretti Autosport in the team’s Pirelli GT4 America effort, Andretti will join new teammates Oliver Askew and Robert Megennis for a Rookie Orientation day at Kentucky Speedway April 18.  He will become the seventh  member of the Andretti family to compete on hallowed ground in Indianapolis, joining the list that includes his father John, great uncle Mario, uncle Adam and cousins Michael, Jeff and Marco.

“I’m really happy to field a car at IMS for Jarett,” said team owner Michael Andretti. “Running in an Indy Lights car will be a new experience for him, and I know he’s up for the challenge. Our Indy Lights team has shown strong pace this season, and we have a Freedom 100 title to defend. Jarett is already a team driver on the GT4 side, and I’m confident he is going to fit into the Indy Lights team well. He will be a contender and an instant crowd favorite.” 

The youngest racing Andretti has carried on the family tradition and has championships in go-karts, the USAC Eastern Ignite Pavement Midget Series, the 410 Sprint Car division at the Lawrenceburg Speedway and is also an Indiana Sprint Car Series champion.  In addition, Andretti is the 2014 USAC National Sprint Car Rookie of The Year and a former Rookie of The Year at the Oswego Speedway in the supermodified class.

Freedom 100 action begins Monday, May 20 with testing followed by Thursday qualifying and race day Friday, May 24. Andretti Autosport fields three full-time entries in the Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires series with Askew (No. 28 Index Invest Dallara), Megennis (No. 27 Cybersecurity Dallara) and Ryan Norman (No. 48 Evo Dallara).

Andretti Autosport Adds Oliver Askew to Indy Lights Roster

Andretti Autosport Confirms Oliver Askew to Indy Lights Roster

AUSTIN, Tex. (Feb. 13, 2019) — Reigning Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires team champions, Andretti Autosport, added American talent Oliver Askew to their 2019 lineup. Askew will pilot the No. 28 racing machine for all 18 rounds of competition beginning with the season opener on the Streets of St. Petersburg.

“We’ve been following Oliver over the last few years in the Road to Indy and we have been very impressed with his talent behind the wheel,” said Andretti Autosport CEO Michael Andretti. “We are a championship-caliber team and thrilled to continue to field championship-caliber drivers. Adding Oliver to our already-strong roster has us confident we will be in contention to defend our title at the end of the season.”

The rookie out of Jupiter, Florida, began climbing the Road to Indy ladder system in 2017 running in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship. In his inaugural year of racing on the Road to Indy platform, Askew earned seven race wins and 11 podiums to claim the championship title and a scholarship to compete in Indy Pro 2000 Presented by Cooper Tires (previously known as Pro Mazda).

At the conclusion of his Indy Pro 2000 campaign, Askew landed third in the championship with one win, five podiums and his sights on Indy Lights competition.

“Joining Andretti Autosport is an extremely huge opportunity for me,” said Askew. “There is such a wealth of experience between Indy Lights, INDYCAR, Formula E and all their other racing programs – there are so many years of experience within the team. I am really looking forward to transferring that wealth and experience into my rookie season with the team and anticipate a successful season.”

The 22-year-old joined fellow American teammates Ryan Norman (No. 48 Dallara) and Robert Megennis (No. 27 Dallara) for open testing at Circuit of the Americas yesterday where he ended the day the fastest driver overall.

Askew, Norman and Megennis will join the remainder of the Indy Lights field for the doubleheader weekend in St. Petersburg, Florida. Round 1 of competition will take place Saturday, March 9, with the second round going green Sunday.

ROBERT MEGENNIS JOINS ANDRETTI AUTOSPORT INDY LIGHTS LINE-UP

ROBERT MEGENNIS JOINS ANDRETTI AUTOSPORT INDY LIGHTS LINE-UP
INDIANAPOLIS (Jan. 31, 2019) – Andretti Autosport announced today that New York-native Robert Megennis will pilot the No. 27 entry for the championship-winning team’s 2019 Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires campaign.

“We are thrilled to have Robert as part of the team,” said Andretti Autosport president J-F Thormann. “Last year the team showed great strength on-track collecting 14 wins and we have no doubt our 2019 line up will be just as strong. Through winter testing, Robert has shown great speed and potential and we can’t wait to see how that translates within the season.”

Megennis most recently competed in the Pro Mazda Championship (now Indy Pro 2000 Championship Presented by Cooper Tires), finishing fifth in the standings with six podium finishes and 11 top-10 finishes. Prior to his time competing full-time on the second level of the Road to Indy ladder, the now 18-year-old raced two seasons in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship (2016, 2017) and started two races on the 2017 Indy Pro 2000 series calendar. After earning Rookie of the Year honors in 2016, Megennis collected his first win from the pole position on the streets of St. Petersburg in 2017.

“I’m very excited to drive in Indy Lights in 2019 with Andretti Autosport,” said Megennis. “It’s an honor to be a part of such a prestigious and successful team. All of our offseason tests have been terrific, and I’ve been impressed with every aspect of the team. While I know Indy Lights will be a big jump up from Indy Pro 2000, I am confident that Andretti will give me a great car, and I am ready to get going. Thank you to Palo Alto Networks, Optiv, Sailpoint, CyberArk, and my family for this amazing opportunity.”

Megennis will join veteran driver Ryan Norman (No. 48 car) for the Indy Lights season opener in St. Petersburg, Florida. The season’s first event will host two races on the Streets of downtown St. Petersburg, one race on both Saturday and Sunday.

RYAN NORMAN RETURNS TO ANDRETTI AUTOSPORT STABLE FOR 2019

Andretti Autosport Sheild


Ohio native to compete in his third year of Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires competition with three-time Indy Lights championship winning team

INDIANAPOLIS (Nov. 12, 2018) –  Finishing the 2018 season fourth in the championship, 20-year old, Ryan Norman is back with Andretti Autosport, and will chase the 2019 Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires championship as a seasoned veteran in the field.

“I’m really excited to finally make it official that I’ll be returning to Andretti Autosport for my third season competing in Indy Lights,” said Norman. “We’ve built a solid foundation over the past two years and I’m ready to fight for wins, podiums and ultimately the championship, with such a great group of people who have become like a family to me.” 
Norman melded the competitive pieces together and showed remarkable strides during the second stint of the 2018 season – capturing three of his four total podiums, claiming the pole position at the season finale in Porltand and chasing the checkered flag all the way to his first victory at Gateway Motorsports Park.
“We’re very happy that Ryan is rejoining us for his third season of Indy Lights,” said Andretti Autosport President, JF Thormann. “We were pleased with his performance this past season, and his potential as a driver began to really shine after his win at Gateway [Motorsports Park]. He’s right on track with his progression plan put together by his engineering team, and we feel strongly that he has what it takes to be a contender for the 2019 championship.”  
Opening weekend for the 2019 Indy Lights season kicks off on the streets of St. Petersburgh, Florida. The field of young, talented drivers will chase the checkered flag twice, with the green flag waving for Race 1 on Saturday, March 9 followed by Race 2 held on Sunday, March 10.

 

INDY LIGHTS RECAP

SOURCE: Andretti Autosport

Andretti Autosport

INDY LIGHTS RECAP

SEASON BY NUMBERS.

For the first time in nine years, Andretti Autosport has returned back home again in Indiana as Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires series champions, marking the third championship title in team history. Andretti Autosport driver Patricio O’Ward clinched the driver championship with two races remaining adding his name to the team’s previous two championships with Raphael Matos in 2008 and J.R. Hildebrand in 2009.

This team’s success started early as rookie driver O’Ward would bring home the team’s first Indy Lights win of the season after Race 1 on the Streets of St. Petersburg. Continuing through the 17-race season, the Indy Lights stable would collectively bring home 14 poles, 14 wins, 33 top-3 finishes and lead 515 of 655 laps. The team ends the season with a total of 49 Indy Lights series race wins.


IN THEIR WORDS.

NO. 27 CDMX MEXICO CITY STELLRECHT MAZDA
2018 SEASON
WINS POLES PODIUMS LAPS LED CHAMPIONSHIP
/ POINTS
9 9 14 367/655 1 /  491

“For me, this season was all about creating a name for myself and enjoying what I love to do most, racing. It’s hard to think of a year where I have had more fun racing cars and going fast! This season taught me a lot and some weekends went better than others, that’s for sure, and different situations really tested my knowledge and patience throughout the season. I couldn’t be more grateful of the opportunity that  was presented to me by the whole Andretti Autosport family, and for that I am truly very lucky. There are really good things coming up in the next few years, and I couldn’t be more pumped to get going!”
NO. 98 ANDRETTI-STEINBRENNER RACING / CURB MAZDA
2018 SEASON
WINS POLES PODIUMS LAPS LED CHAMPIONSHIP
/ POINTS
4 3 13 125/655 2 /  447

“I can’t thank the Andretti-Steinbrenner Racing team enough for this season. The team dominated the year and the No. 98 car was great all year long. My engineer Doug [Zister] and mechanics Carlos [Fernandes], Rick [Hurford] and Sean [Birmingham] did an amazing job all season. It has been a fun two years of my life that I have no regrets about. I’m looking forward to next season – I’m still trying to put stuff together, but the goal is to run full time in the INDYCAR Series and hopefully we can make that happen.”
NO. 48 JOURNEY MAZDA
2018 SEASON
WINS POLES PODIUMS LAPS LED CHAMPIONSHIP
/ POINTS
1 1 4 6/655 4 /  345

“I think this season was great for my overall growth as a driver – especially with the momentum that we carried the last couple race weekends. The last half of the season I was able to get on the podium again, win for the first time in the series and start from pole for the last race of the season. Unfortunately, Portland didn’t really go how I wanted it to with the crash at the start of the race, but there have been a lot of positives to carry into the offseason. I think if we tweak some things during our time off, we will be able to come back next season and make a strong run for the championship.”
NO. 28 K-LINE INSULATORS USA MAZDA
2018 SEASON
WINS POLES PODIUMS LAPS LED CHAMPIONSHIP
/ POINTS
0 1 2 17/655 7 /  299

“It was a tough season for us with a lot of ups and downs. We did have some high points – performed really well on road courses and the month of May was really good to us. Coming into this season, the goal was to make a run for the championship with this being my third year competing in the Indy Lights series with Andretti Autosport. Although we didn’t capitalize on that goal, there are still some positives to take away, and I’m looking forward to seeing how things shape up for the 2019 season.”

ROOKIE TO SERIES CHAMPION.

It was an unbelievable, stand-out rookie season for driver of the No. 27 machine, Patricio O’Ward.  O’Ward showed he was a force to be reckoned with as his fast, strategic driving named him a championship contender all season.
In 17 rounds of competition, O’Ward completed 654 of 655 laps, seeing 367 of those laps from the front of the field. Finding himself on the podium a total of 13 times this season, O’Ward collected nine poles and nine wins to earn the titles Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires Series Champion as well as Rookie of the Year.

FREEDOM 100.

Round 7 of Indy Lights competition took place on the iconic oval at the infamous Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The race was action-packed with 20 lead changes involving five different drivers for 100 miles. Unable to finish the Freedom 100 last year, Colton Herta, starting from nearly the back of the pack, moved up the field five positions and led the race for 10 laps chasing the checkered flag across the yard of bricks to victory.

While only leading three laps, Patricio O’Ward, skillfully placed his No. 27 Mazda into top-three contention – just missing the top spot to teammate Colton Herta by .0281 of a second. O’Ward collected his fourth top-three finish of the season.  After starting from pole, Dalton Kellett went into race day ready to drive his way to Victory Lane. Having led 17 laps of the 40-lap race, Kellett battled for the win all afternoon before falling back a couple positions to earn his third, third-place finish at the Freedom 100.

Sophomore driver, Ryan Norman, just missed starting his second Freedom 100 from the front row. In an attempt to save tires, Norman laid back early in the race. After some strategic driving, Norman moved up the field and ran as high as P2 finding himself in contention for a top-three finish. It was an intense battle to the checkered but ultimately, Norman ended his day from fifth.


DON’T STOP BELIEVING.

Sophomore driver, Ryan Norman had a slow start to the season – having only captured one podium finish during the first stint. Not surprising, that didn’t stop the Ohio-native from believing in his own potential as the young driver would put the pieces together for a spectacular second half of the season. Norman drove his No. 48 Journey Mazda to two more podium finishes with a third-place finish in Race 1 on the Streets of Toronto and another at his home track in Mid-Ohio. Norman would finish his season with one race win at Gateway Motorsports Park and start on pole for the final race of the season at Portland International Raceway.


DRIVEN BY STEM.

After collecting his first Indy Lights career pole for the Freedom 100 and driving the No. 28 K-Line Mazda to two podium finishes, Canadian driver, Dalton Kellett, found a way to combine his love for racing with his passion for STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics] by becoming an Ambassador for Ten80 Education Partners Driving STEM.

Leveraging his platform as an athlete to promote STEM education and ultimately influence kids to pursue their dreams in STEM fields, Ten80 Education joined Kellett as an Associate Sponsor at the driver’s home race on the Streets of Toronto, in an effort to bring STEM awareness to open-wheel racing. The pairing hopes to maintain a relationship into the future as Kellett introduces Ten80 to the INDYCAR market, promoting STEM and engaging young fans with their programs.


ROYAL PURPLE SLICKEST PASS AWARD.

At the end of the season, drivers from each series of the Road to Indy Program have the chance to win the Royal Purple $5,000 “Slickest Pass” award. Teams submitted video clips of each driver of their “slickest pass” to date, and a Royal Purple voting committee selected the Top-3 slickest pass videos.  The top-3 selected were then shared via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and fans voted via social media to determine this season’s winner. Patricio O’Ward and Ryan Norman were among the three drivers chosen for the award, and it was Mexican-driver O’Ward finishing the season with the slickest pass.

NEXT.

Headed back to Indianapolis with a Team Championship and Series Championship, the Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires season has come to an end.

Keep up to speed with Indy Lights during the off-season with AndrettiAutosport.com and via our suite of social media channels.

Andretti Autosport Shield

INDY LIGHTS PRESENTED BY COOPER TIRES FREEDOM 100 Qualifying Report

05.24.18

The sun was shining across Indianapolis Motor Speedway today as the Andretti Autosport Indy Lights stable took to the oval for two morning practice sessions and qualifying leading into tomorrow’s Freedom 100 race.

The green flag for tomorrow’s Freedom 100 will wave at 12:30 p.m. ET. Fans can catch all 40-laps live at racecontrol.indycar.com or by downloading the Road to Indy app.

No. 28 K-LINE INSULATORS USA MAZDA
  • STARTING POSITION:1st
  • QUALIFYING SPEED: 194.673 mph
  • OF NOTE: Will make his third Freedom 100 start from the front of the grid after earning his first Indy Lights pole
“I can’t say enough of the car prep from the No. 28 K-Line guys this week. We have been consistently competitive when we come here to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The entire field is really strong, but we’re feeling good about starting from the pole position. We still have some competition rolling through, so we will see how it shakes out, but I’m really happy with how qualifying went.”

No. 27 RIVERINA CDMX MEXICO CITY MAZDA
  • STARTING POSITION: 2nd
  • QUALIFYING SPEED: 194.743 mph
  • OF NOTE: Will make his Freedom 100 debut from inside the front row
“You can start from last in the field and still win this race. We’ve been doing a lot of testing and the No. 27 car is running well. We struggled with the car at the Indianapolis Grand Prix – the car wasn’t terrible but it just wasn’t fast. Since the Grand Prix we have been making adjustments on the car and feel pretty good about where we’re at going into tomorrow. It’s a long race and it’s going to be hot.”

No. 48 JOURNEY MAZDA
  • STARTING POSITION: 3rd
  • QUALIFYING SPEED: 193.838 mph
  • OF NOTE: Starting from the second row, Norman looks to capture his first Indy Lights win on the iconic oval
“The race car is really good and I am able to place the car really anywhere I want which will be really important in the race. We did a longer stint this morning and the tires didn’t seem to fall off. I think we will still be there at the end of the race and at the end of this race is all about timing. I don’t think you will want to be leading on the last lap here. I think you will want to make the pass coming off of Turn 3 or on the straightaway to the finish line. I’m really excited for tomorrowand to see what we can do.”

No. 98 ANDRETTI-STEINBRENNER RACAING / CURB MAZDA
  • STARTING POSITION: 6th
  • QUALIFYING SPEED: 193.476 mph
  • OF NOTE: Hoping to keep the momentum going from a strong showing on the road course at IMS, Herta will make his second appearance on the oval at IMS
“The No. 98 car felt good but it almost felt like we had too much grip during the run. I’m happy – it’s great any time you get to drive around Indianapolis Motor Speedway. So starting from sixth, I’m happy with that. It doesn’t really matter where you qualify here, you can win from anywhere. For the race, the car is a little bit of an unknown. We had some problems in the practice sessions so we didn’t get to do any race running. I can work with my teammates which is helpful since they all seemed really good in race situations.”

Race 2 Report – ROYAL PURPLE SYNTHETIC OIL GRAND PRIX OF INDIANAPOLIS SUPPORTING THE LUPUS FOUNDATION OF AMERICA

INDY LIGHTS PRESENTED BY COOPER TIRES
ROYAL PURPLE SYNTHETIC OIL GRAND PRIX OF INDIANAPOLIS SUPPORTING THE LUPUS FOUNDATION OF AMERICA
RACE TWO REPORT
05.12.18
The clouds rolled in over Indianapolis Motor Speedway today as Andretti Autosport Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires drivers took to the road course one last time for Race 2 of the Royal Purple Grand Prix of Indianapolis.
The second race of the double-header weekend was an intense battle for position throughout the entire field. Aggressive passing and strategy was seen throughout the entire race, but it was sophomore Indy Lights driver, Colton Herta, who chased the checkered flag all the way to victory.
The Indy Lights stable will now switch their focus to their last race for the month of May – the Freedom 100. The four drivers will take to the iconic oval at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 25 at 12:30 p.m. ET.

No. 98 ANDRETTI-STEINBRENNER RACING /  CURB MAZDA
  • STARTED 2nd // FINISHED 1st
  • CHAMPIONSHIP: 3rd (114 pts.)
  • OF NOTE: Made contact with Aaron [Telitz] early in the race falling back to P4. Herta battled back up the field to P2 before passing Santi [Urrutia] with three laps remaining, taking the lead and earning his second win of the season.
“The race today was crazy! We didn’t know what to expect going into it and I knew it was going to be tough starting on the outside [of the grid], so I tried to slot in with Aaron [Telitz] and move my way forward. To come away with the win in the end is amazing and to win twice at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is just spectacular.”

No. 48 JOURNEY MAZDA
  • STARTED 5th // FINISHED 5th
  • CHAMPIONSHIP: 5th (85 pts.)
  • OF NOTE: Fought for position between Victor [Franzoni] and teammate Dalton [Kellet] before ending the day with a fifth-place finish.
“We’re not very happy with how Race 2 turned out. From the beginning we were just lacking pace and couldn’t get the car under me. We showed good pace in qualifying which is a takeaway today, but overall it just wasn’t our race. We will come back strong for the Freedom 100.”

No. 28 K-LINE INSULATORS, USA MAZDA
  • STARTED 7th // FINISHED 6th
  • CHAMPIONSHIP: 7th (72 pts.)
  • OF NOTE: After moving up to P5, Dalton spun out on Lap 3, falling to the back of the field. Kellett ends the weekend from sixth.
“Today was definitely a step up from yesterday. The weekend kind of derailed after testing on Thursday – we didn’t do the best in qualifying and trying to fight from the back is never easy when the field is this close, but I still managed to battle with Aaron [Telitz] and my teammate Ryan [Norman]. I was happy that we had some clean racing and we were able to figure some things out in the second race. Overall it’s not the weekend we were hoping for but I think we learned a lot and it was a valuable weekend for the No. 28 crew moving ahead on the road courses. I’m looking forward to getting on track in a couple weeks for the Freedom 100 – that’s the highlight race of the year.”

No. 27 Riverina CDMX Mexico City MAZDA
  • STARTED 1st // FINISHED 7th
  • CHAMPIONSHIP: 1st (130 pts.)
  • OF NOTE: Starting from the pole, Patricio was passed on Lap 2 by Santi [Urrutia]. Catching a flat tire later in the race forced O’Ward to pit and fall to the back of the field ending the weekend from seventh.
“The start of the race was fine and after I fell back to P2, I tried to stay with Santi [Urrutia]. Today wasn’t as bad as yesterday, but we struggled both races. I took the defensive line going into Turn 1 and locked up the front left [tire] and it cut into the core of the tire. Going into Turn 7 I caught a flat tire and came into pit lane to change the tire but I had already fallen to the back and pretty much watched the end of the race from there. It wasn’t our weekend, but I’d much rather take the win in two weeks than to take it this weekend.”

BONDURANT RACING SCHOOL ENTERS PARTNERSHIP WITH ANDRETTI-STEINBRENNER RACING

The high-performance driving school to support No. 98 Indy Lights effort
INDIANAPOLIS (May 11, 2018) – Located in Arizona, the well-known driving school, Bondurant Racing School, owned by world champion driver, Bob Bondurant, has joined forces with Andretti-Steinbrenner Racing to support Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires driver Colton Herta. The sleek Bondurant Racing logo will ride on the side of the nose of the No. 98 Andretti-Steinbrenner Racing Mazda for the duration of the season.
“As a fan of Formula One and IndyCar Racing, I’ve always been interested in following the careers of young American drivers on their quests for reaching the pinnacle of motor racing,”said vice president of Bondurant Racing School Jason Bondurant.

“At such a young age, Colton Herta’s driving talent and professional attitude made quite the impression with me. When the opportunity emerged to become involved with Colton and George Steinbrenner IV of Steinbrenner Racing, it was too good to pass up. I’m very much looking forward to watching Colton Herta and the Andretti-Steinbrenner Racing team compete in Indy Lights this season on their quest for their first championship.”

“We are excited to partner with Bondurant Racing School for the 2018 season,” said Steinbrenner Racing President and Team Principal, George Michael Steinbrenner IV. “As Andretti-Steinbrenner Racing strives to collect results within a competitive Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires field, the Bondurant mission aligns in consistently looking to improve upon race craft with a shared aim of driving results. The Bondurant name is synonymous with racing, driver improvement and coaching, adding a significant partnership for our efforts moving forward.”

The 60-acre facility is home to a 1.6-mile track and equipped with a full line of Dodge SRT vehicles, on-site maintenance and highly qualified instructors – all to help young drivers succeed in reaching their racing goals.

Colton joins teammates Patricio O’Ward, Dalton Kellett and Ryan Norman at Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend for the Indianapolis Grand Prix. Round 1 of the double-header weekend kicks off today at 1:30 p.m ET. Green Flag for Round 2 waves Saturday afternoon.

Keep up to speed with Indy Lights action on the Road To Indy app or racecontrol.indycar.com.


About Bondurant
The Bondurant Racing School has been the premier high-performance driving instruction destination for over 50 years, offering a multitude of different driving programs for drivers of all experience levels. From the driver that wishes to experience high performance driving to the driver that has aspirations to race professionally, Bondurant can make their dreams a reality. The Bondurant alumni list is long of graduates that have made their careers as professionals in every major motorsport discipline, which includes Stock cars, Sports cars and Indy cars.   Located at the Wild Horse Pass Motorports Park (formerly Firebird International Raceway) in Chandler, AZ., Bondurant has access to four different road course tracks (two operated by Bondurant full-time), a shifter kart track and two driving skills pads, all located at its facility. Bondurant utilizes race prepared Dodge SRT vehicles for their HPD road racing programs and Formula Mazda race cars for their grand prix racing programs and racing series. Bondurant is also home of the Mazda Road to Indy Shootout. 

About Andretti Autosport
 
Based in Indianapolis and led by racing legend Michael Andretti, Andretti Autosport boasts a wide racing portfolio rooted in tradition and designed for success.

Together with Andretti Formula E and Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross, Andretti Autosport fields multiple entries in the IndyCar Series and Indy Lights, along with entries in the FIA Formula E Championship and Rallycross competition. Additionally, the team competes as Walkinshaw Andretti United in the Australian Supercars category through partnership with Walkinshaw Racing and United Autosports.

The global racing enterprise boasts four IndyCar Series championships (2004, 2005, 2007, 2012), two Indy Lights titles (2008, 2009), one Pro Mazda championship (2013) and one USF2000 championship (2010) and has captured victory five times at the famed Indianapolis 500-Mile Race (2005, 2007, 2014, 2016, 2017). Additionally, the team holds two X Games Gold Medals and three Global Rallycross championships (2015, 2016, 2017).

To share in the Andretti story, please visit online at AndrettiAutosport.com and follow along on Twitter via @FollowAndretti.

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