LONG POND, Pennsylvania – It’s been 20 years since Michael Andretti raced an Indy car at Pocono Raceway, but Saturday he collected another honor for the accomplishments of his famed racing career at the only Pennsylvania track that hosts Indy car racing.
Andretti, fourth on Indy car’s all-time win list with 42 wins and now CEO of Andretti Autosport, accepted his Hall of Fame recognition from the Eastern Motorsports Press Association. Andretti, the native of Nazareth, Pennsylvania, who lives near his team’s headquarters in Indianapolis, was unable to attend the January induction ceremony in suburban Philadelphia where he was honored along with NHRA drag racing legend Shirley Muldowney, NASCAR driver Randy LaJoie, champion sprint car racer Fred Rahmer and longtime Grandview Speedway promoters Bruce and Teresa Rogers.
Andretti was presented with his Hall of Fame trophy by Dino Oberto, president of EMPA.
“It’s really special and a real honor,” said Andretti, who has four entries in this weekend’s ABC Supply 500 at Pocono. “Many of the members of the EMPA are from Pennsylvania and it will always be home to me. There’s a lot of great names to receive this award and I’m honored to be one of them.”
ABC Supply continues strong support of Pocono race, AJ Foyt Racing
ABC Supply Co., Inc., is serving as entitlement sponsor of the Verizon IndyCar Series race for the fourth straight year on 2018, and with good reason. On Sunday, the nation’s largest exterior building products distributor will host nearly 1,900 guests for the race, marking a new high for ABC Supply at the Pocono race and for any Verizon IndyCar Series event this season.
The guest total for 2018 at Pocono is an increase of nearly 500 from a year ago.
“Pocono Raceway is in a central location for most of the Northeast Region of ABC Supply, which means a lot of our people can easily get there for the day,” said Tony Kuchan, ABC Supply vice president, Northeast Region. “Once our guests get there, they are well taken care of by the Pocono Raceway staff. We have had a great partnership with them since we first sponsored the Indy race back in 2015.”
American Builders and Contractors Supply was founded by Ken and Diane Hendricks in 1982 and started with three stores in Wisconsin. The company revolutionized the roofing material distribution business and expanded to include all exterior building materials in its stores. Now 36 years later, ABC Supply has burgeoned into a multi-billion-dollar enterprise that is still a privately held, family-owned business with over 700 stores operating in 49 states.
ABC Supply made its foray into motorsports sponsorship in 2005 when it entered into an agreement with A.J. Foyt to sponsor his race team in the Verizon IndyCar Series.
“Indy car racing lines up with many of our company values,” Kuchan said. “The race team works hard, and at the end of the day you just want to have fun. Our associates and customers work hard all year long and come out to the races to have fun together with their families.
“The race team is a family just like our associates and customers are one big family. With races across the country, it’s easy for everyone to rally behind the team.”