Team Penske announced that it has extended its partnership with Hitachi for the 2014 IndyCar Series season.

Hitachi will be the primary sponsor on the No. 3 car driven by three-time Indianapolis 500 champion Helio Castroneves for eight races -- the first time at the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 30. Hitachi will also serve as an associate sponsor on the No. 2 car driven by Juan Pablo Montoya and the No. 12 Verizon car driven by Will Power.

“One of our goals at Penske Racing is to create true, integrated global partners for our race teams,” team owner Roger Penske said. “Hitachi has certainly represented this type of partnership with Team Penske. Working closely with Chevrolet on the fuel injection systems on our IndyCars, Hitachi has been instrumental in many of our race wins, but our relationship extends far beyond what you see on the racetrack."

The relationship between Team Penske and Hitachi began at the start of the 2012 IndyCar Series season. In 2013, Hitachi grew to become a primary sponsor on the No. 3 Team Penske car at select IndyCar Series races.

“I’m excited to represent Hitachi again during the 2014 IndyCar Series season,” Castroneves said. “We were so close to winning a championship together last year. Through hard work and their continued support, I believe an even better season is on the horizon for us.”

“Through our collaboration with Team Penske we have been able to transfer both technology and application experience from racing components into production vehicles that are on the road today. The relationship in 2013 with both Team Penske and Chevrolet has truly been a collaborative partnership,” said Rob Sharpe, vice president of sales and marketing for Hitachi Automotive Systems Americas, Inc. “We are thrilled to continue this relationship in 2014.”