Preferred Freezer Services announced today that it has expanded its partnership with Ed Carpenter Racing in the 2017 Verizon IndyCar Series season.
JR Hildebrand’s No. 21 Chevrolet will showcase the white and blue Preferred Freezer Services colors at four races this year, including the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil. This marks the fourth consecutive year that the partnership between Preferred Freezer Services and Ed Carpenter Racing has grown to include additional events.
Preferred Freezer Services, a global leader in advanced design and engineered temperature-controlled warehouses, first teamed with ECR to field a car for Hildebrand in the 2014 Indianapolis 500. The company has supported the Hildebrand’s May program each year since, with all three Indianapolis 500 efforts yielding top-10 finishes.
Hildebrand is driving the full season in the No. 21 Chevy in 2017. In addition to the Indy 500, at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, the INDYCAR Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course and the Honda Indy Toronto.
“Preferred Freezer Services was a big part of helping me get to running just the Indy 500 with ECR the first year in 2014,” Hildebrand said. “We’ve been fortunate to see the program grow and help it expand over the last few years. I’m really excited to be able to continue that partnership and have them on board for a few more races this year. It is great to work with these guys again and I can’t wait to kick it off at such an awesome event as Long Beach.”
Team owner/driver Carpenter will also carry the famous PFS polar bear on his No. 20 Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka Chevrolet during the six Verizon IndyCar Series oval events.
“It is great to have Preferred Freezer back and to carry them on our cars all year long,” said Carpenter. “It is always ‘cool’ to have the giant polar bear around. We are proud to see this partnership grow again this year.”
Unser Jr., Goodyear to relive closest Indy 500 finish
Al Unser Jr. and Scott Goodyear will relive the closest finish in Indianapolis 500 history nearly 25 years to the day when they are guests for Tales from the Track presented by Relay Indiana on May 23 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum.
Guests can watch a replay of the 1992 Indy 500, when Unser Jr. edged Goodyear across the finish line by 0.043 of a second. The retired drivers will give a live account of the finish as it is replayed. The event, moderated by IMS historian Donald Davidson, runs from 6-8 p.m. ET on May 23, one day before the 25th anniversary of the race. Tickets for the event are $95 and include appetizers, soft drinks and door prizes.
“The finish of the 1992 Indianapolis 500 is one of the most iconic moments in the 108-year history of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway,” said Betsy Smith, executive director of the non-profit Indianapolis Motor Speedway Foundation. “The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum is proud to partner with Emmis Communications to offer fans a chance to celebrate the 25th anniversary of this historic event surrounded by some of the most famous machines in the history of the Brickyard.”
For more information and to buy tickets, click here.
Forever In Your Mind to sing anthem at INDYCAR Grand Prix
Chart-topping pop group Forever In Your Mind will perform the national anthem before the start of the INDYCAR Grand Prix on May 13 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Forever In Your Mind, comprised of band members Ricky Garcia, Liam Attridge and Emery Kelly, has amassed more than 30 million video views from its self-titled debut EP released by Hollywood Records in 2016. The stylish trio also has sold out concerts nationwide and has a combined global reach of more than two million followers on social media.
Rossi takes his shot at Blackhawks game
Reigning Indianapolis 500 winner Alexander Rossi participated in the “shoot the puck” competition during intermission of the Chicago Blackhawks’ NHL game on March 23. See how the Andretti Herta Autosport with Curb-Agajanian driver fared in this video recap.