Sage Karam says being afforded the opportunity to compete in the 98th Indianapolis 500 Mile Race "is a very big day for me."
Chip Ganassi Racing Teams announced an agreement with the 2013 Indy Lights champion on a multi-year deal as a development driver, which will begin with the Indianapolis 500 through an alliance with Dreyer & Reinbold Kingdom Racing to drive in the No. 22 entry.
Karam, 19, of Nazareth, Pa., competed twice with Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates this year in the Rolex 24 At Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring sports car races.
"I couldn't be happier to join Chip Ganassi Racing's Verizon IndyCar Series program," said Karam, a high school senior. "It is honestly a dream come true for me and my racing career. I've been very fortunate to participate in a few IMSA races for Chip with the team, and I can't wait for my first experience in the Indianapolis 500."
Karam will participate in the Rookie Orientation Program on May 5 on the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval. The opening day of practice is May 11 -- a day after the inaugural Grand Prix of Indianapolis on the IMS road course -- and qualifications are May 17-18. The race is May 25.
Karam won the 2010 USF2000 Championship and was rookie of the year in Star Mazda in 2011. He won the Star Mazda title the next year, and is the only driver to win a races in each level of the Mazda Road to Indy ladder.
"Sage is a unique talent that we believe is a future star of the sport," Ganassi said. "Even at a young age, he has been successful at every level that he has raced at. It is nice to see his poise and tenacity on the racetrack as I think that will translate well to his driving at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the 500. He reminds me of the two other recent young drivers that we have in our program, Kyle Larson and Dylan Kwasniewski."
Chip Ganassi Racing fields full-season Verizon IndyCar Series entries for reigning series champion Scott Dixon, 2013 Indy 500 winner Tony Kanaan, 2012 Indy 500 pole sitter Ryan Briscoe and Charlie Kimball.
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, which fielded Oriol Servia in the 2013 Indianapolis 500 (11th place), joined INDYCAR in 2000 and made immediate impact with Robbie Buhl winning the season-opening race at Walt Disney World Speedway from the 22nd starting position.
Klipsch will sponsor Newgarden's No. 67 car
Klipsch Audio will be the primary sponsor on the No. 67 Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing entry driven by Josef Newgarden in the inaugural Grand Prix of Indianapolis on May 10.
Indianapolis-based Klipsch, a leading global manufacturer of premium speakers and headphones, has partnered with the Verizon IndyCar Series team since 2013 as an associate sponsor. Klipsch will use Newgarden's image on a full-size advertisement at the Indianapolis International Airport, creating increased exposure for the company's premium products to fans flying to Central Indiana for the Grand Prix of Indianapolis and the 98th Indianapolis 500.
Of note
Royal Purple, a manufacturer of a wide range of synthetic lubricants for racing, consumer, commercial and industrial applications, will be an associate sponsor on the No. 6 Robert Graham - KV Racing Technology entry driven by Townsend Bell in the Indianapolis 500. ... The third Drivers Tournament benefiting Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer and SeriousFun Children’s Network will be held May 21 at the Brickyard Crossing Golf Course. Want to participate? CLICK HERE to register. ... Bearings and seals maker SKF USA has joined Team Penske as an associate sponsor on the No. 3 car driven by Helio Castroneves. ... 1963 Indianapolis 500 winner Parnelli Jones will be the grand marshal of the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association's Brickyard Invitational at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on June 6-8.