Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing driver Charlie Kimball will greet attendees of the North American International Auto Show on Jan. 24 at Cobo Center in Detroit.
Kimball, who won his initial IndyCar Series race last August at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, will compete in the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix on May 30-June 1. It will be the first IndyCar Series doubleheader weekend of the season. Tickets are on sale HERE.
At the Chevrolet display during the Jan. 18-26 show will be the Borg-Warner Trophy, which displays the bas relief images of every Indianapolis 500 Mile Race winner; the IndyCar Series Manufacturer Championship Trophy, which has been won by Chevrolet the past two seasons; IndyCar Series cars of 2013 Indianapolis 500 winner Tony Kanaan and three-time winner Helio Castroneves; and the drivers’ protective gear (helmet, firesuit, gloves, shoes).
Kanaan will receive the Indianapolis 500 Championship Driver’s Trophy, commonly referred to as the Baby Borg, as part of the Automotive News World Congress on Jan. 15 in Detroit.
A replica of Scott Dixon's 2013 IndyCar Series championship-winning No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing car will be at the Honda display at the show.
An IndyCar Series car also will be on display at the Honda Canada collection at the Canadian International Auto Show from Feb. 14-23 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.
Gearing up for the Chili Bowl
Firestone Indy Lights competitors Kyle O’Gara and Bryan Clauson, who also drove in the 2012 Indianapolis 500, are among the drivers entered in the 28th Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals next week in Tulsa, Okla.
Kevin Swindell has won the event the past three years. Also entered is Dillon Welch, son of ESPN motorsports reporter Vince Welch. The Jan. 18 finals will be televised by MAVTV and hosted by Dave Despain.
PRI Trade Show in Indianapolis a big hit
The 26th PRI Trade Show, which moved to Indianapolis from Orlando, Fla., for its four-day run in mid-December, received high marks from attendees and companies with displays at the Indiana Convention Center.
More than 1,200 manufacturers of racing and high-performance automotive components plus precision machining equipment had displays for the tens of thousands of motorsports professionals from the United States and 72 countries who attended. INDYCAR's display included building an IndyCar Series car from components.
“The PRI Show is very important for Indianapolis – it’s the home of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and racing in general,” reigning IndyCar Series champion Dixon said. “It’s really exciting to have so many people come together to celebrate racing. It’s a great sign for the industry to not only see all this innovation that makes us go faster, but witnessing all these companies making deals and growing their businesses in the process.”
The 2014 show at the Indiana Convention Center is Dec. 11-13.
Of note
Mikhail Aleshin, who will drive the No. 55 SMP Racing entry for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports this season, is scheduled to participate in an oval rookie test Jan. 28 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. … INDYCAR vice president of technology Will Phillips, Honda Performance Development technical director Roger Griffiths and Xtrac Limited (gearbox supplier and INDYCAR official technical partner) technical director Adrian Moore are among the panelists this week at the Low Carbon Racing Conference as part of the Autosport Engineering Show in Birmingham, England. The IndyCar Series 2.2-liter, twin turbocharged V6 engines supplied by Chevrolet and Honda run on E85 fuel.