Andretti team adds another sponsor
Andretti Autosport has incorporated all of its Indianapolis 500 entries into the tribute program, which highlights five different units of the United States military. Each of the team's cars, which began practicing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last Saturday, feature a specific unit within a branch of the U.S. military. Each Andretti Autosport entry prominently displays an associated military emblem just above the numbers on the tub of the race car.
Nice-Pak, founded in 1957, is the global leader in the design, manufacturing, marketing and distribution of premium quality branded and private label wet wipe products. Headquartered in Orangeburg, NY, Nice-Pak has a track record of introducing innovative products for personal care, baby, health, hand sanitizing, beauty and household applications. The Grime Boss logo will also be displayed next to the military emblems on each Andretti entry.
Two of the team's Indianapolis 500 entries are celebrating the common centennial anniversaries of Naval Aviation and the Indianapolis 500. The 100th anniversary of Naval Aviation (CoNA) underscores the commitment to sustaining a Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard that wins wars, protects the home front and enables peace.
DHL/Sun Drop driver Ryan Hunter-Reay, who once dreamed of being a naval aviator before turning his focus to driving race cars, is displaying the Navy and Coast Guard-specific version of the Centennial of Naval Aviation logo on the #28 car as part of his effort to salute the Navy and Coast Guard at Indianapolis.
GoDaddy.com founder and CEO Bob Parsons is a Marine combat veteran, and in honor of his service, Andretti Autosport has placed the Marine-specific logo of the Centennial of Naval Aviation (CoNA) on the #7 GoDaddy.com car of Danica Patrick. Navy and Marine Corps Aviation share a long and proud history and today, continue to operate jointly under the Department of the Navy. Together with the United States Coast Guard, they make an unrivaled maritime force. No other nation has the comparable aircraft, weapons, systems, or personnel to conduct operations as successfully using such a wide variety of capabilities.
Marco Andretti, who drives the #26 Team Venom Energy Drink car and owns three top-three finishes in just five Indy 500 starts, is carrying the mark of the U.S. Army's Maneuver Center of Excellence (MCoE). Based in Fort Benning, Ga., MCoE is the Army's new combined Infantry and Armor Training Center comprised of 183,000 acres — the sixth-largest installation in the United States with the third-largest troop density. In addition to being a training facility, Fort Benning is also home to units ready to deploy at a moment's notice and defend the nation. The Army's elite 75th Ranger Regiment headquarters and 3rd Ranger Battalion train and are housed on the installation. The 3rd Infantry Division's, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat team, one of the most deployed units in the Army, also calls Fort Benning home.
The #43 Window World entry of John Andretti is sporting the crest of the 16th Combat Aviation Brigade from Fort Wainwright, Alaska. The "Born in Battle" crest of the 16th C.A.B was created in Vietnam, and maintains a rich tradition today. The current mission of the 16th Combat Aviation Brigade is to deploy to an overseas contingency area of operations to plan, coordinate, and execute full spectrum aviation operations in support of combatant commanders. In February 2010, the Brigade marked the end of 36 months of continual combat deployment by a single aviation unit, a feat unmatched in modern army aviation.
Mike Conway, who unveiled his #27 Hire Heroes USA/7-Eleven/Dr Pepper car at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last week, is carrying the logo of the Air Force Reserve Command. Since the start of Operation Desert Shield two decades ago, the United States Air Force – active, Guard and Reserve – has been engaged continuously in combat and humanitarian operations around the world. The Air Force Reserve Command has been an integral part of that effort. From its inception in April 1948, the Air Force Reserve has evolved from a mobilization-only force into an operational reserve fully integrated 24/7 with the active Air Force. Today, more than 17 percent of Air Force operational capacity is provided by its Citizen Airmen.
Hunter-Reay, Andretti and Conway will each continue to carry Grime Boss branding on their firesuits and cars for the balance of the 2011 season.
Nice-Pak Chairman and CEO Robert P. Julius commented, "Nice Pak and Grime Boss are honored to partner with Andretti Autosport to support the United States Military and to be involved with the 100th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500. We are introducing an exciting new product Grime Boss Heavy Duty Hand Cleaning wipes, and there could not be a better match for Grime Boss than Andretti Autosport, the Indianapolis 500 and the United States Military."
John Lopes, Senior Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer, Andretti Autosport said, "Grime Boss is an outstanding product and that is one of the reasons you'll find it in our mobile hospitality unit operations, our race shop and in our garage area at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Grime Boss also shares our admiration for this country's military heroes, and we are very pleased to have them join us in our season-long tribute to the American armed forces. Grime Boss and Andretti Autosport are thrilled to have the opportunity to honor our American military heroes, and specifically, some of the very distinguished units that have served the American citizens in recent years. The units represented through this Indy 500 program were carefully selected and their selection was a direct result of the many treasured relationships that our team has had with the American military over the years. We are thrilled that some of these units will be sending representatives to be with us at the Indianapolis 500. We hope the fans will join us in thanking and saluting our American military heroes this Memorial Day weekend and we hope to see one of their unit emblems in the winner's circle on May 29."