Rahal, Andretti join Super Bowl promotions
Rahal and Butler Blue II, the Butler University mascot, both spent an hour in front of the lights last week in filming "Super Bowl's Greatest Commercials," which will be broadcast at 8 p.m. (ET) Feb. 1 on CBS.
It was an opportunity to showcase the IZOD IndyCar Series and the City of Indianapolis, which is playing host to the NFL championship game Feb. 5.
Rahal's segment was filmed with celebrity fitness expert Jillian Michaels. Blue II shared the camera with Michaels and model Adriana Lima.
"Maybe I am taking second place," said Rahal when informed of the canine's on-camera companions. "I got a call from Robert the producer last night and he said mine was going to be the best part of the show, so I hope it is."
The segment was filmed at the new Dallara Automobili facility on Main Street in Speedway, Ind.
"It was fun and great to be with Jillian Michaels," Rahal said. "I must say she was awesome. I came to find that she's quite the gearhead actually; she loves cars, motorcycles and is a big Indy car fan. (For the conclusion of the scene) she got in the two-seater and had to go burning out of the building into the parking lot. She did an amazing job for someone who had never driven a race car with a clutch and all. For her to launch out of that I think she had some fun.
"I'm excited to see it."
Marco Andretti is also involved in a Super Bowl cross-over promotion between the Speedway, the IZOD IndyCar Series, the NFL and entertainment outlets this week in Indianapolis.
"Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" taped a segment, featuring Marco Andretti "racing" his Indy car against a Chevy Malibu with Fallon. The episode airs on the show at 12:35 a.m. (ET) Feb. 2.
3. By the Super numbers: Super Bowl XLVI will be contested Feb. 5 in Indianapolis, which is synonymous with another annual event that's been contested a tad bit longer: the Indianapolis 500.
There are multiple tie-ins between the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the IZOD IndyCar Series and the NFL in the days leading up to the big game at Lucas Oil Stadium, including the Speedway playing host to a party for media from around the world.
So here are some numbers they can chew on relating "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" to the 46th title game:
• Car No. 46 has appeared in the Indianapolis 500 13 times (1911, 1929-30, 1932-36, 1947, 1960, 1967 and 1979-80).
• The best finish for car No. 46 was third in 1980 with Gary Bettenhausen driving.
• The best start for car No. 46 was 11th in 1932 with Luther Johnson driving.
• A lap time around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway track of 46 seconds is an average speed of 195.652 mph.
• An average speed of 46 mph around the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway would take 3 minutes, 15.65 seconds.
• Bobby Unser ran the first sub-46-second qualifying lap. It was his second qualifying lap on May 14, 1972. His final two laps were also under 46 seconds.
• 46: Emerson Fittipaldi's age when he won in 1993.
• The 46th Indianapolis 500 was won by Rodger Ward in 1962.
• The 1946 Indianapolis 500 was won by George Robson.
• 46: Combined starts for brothers Al (27) and Bobby Unser (19).