Pursuing a post-secondary education at Butler University, Ed Carpenter notes, has played a significant role in preparing the Indianapolis resident for the volatile business of open-wheel racing.
Carpenter, who turns 34 on March 1, has been named to the Indianapolis Business Journal's 23rd annual "Forty Under 40" list of Central Indiana professionals who have demonstrated leadership, initiative and determination in pursuing their careers.
"I don't think I would have ended up where I am without that experience. Working toward my degree and racing full time really prepared me for being in an owner/driver situation," said Carpenter, co-owner of CFH Racing and driver of the No. 20 Fuzzy's Award Winning Vodka car in Verizon IndyCar Series races.
Criteria for selection from among 269 nominations include the level of success a nominee has achieved in his or her chosen field, their accomplishments in the community, and the likelihood the nominee will stay in Indianapolis and build on those achievements.
Carpenter made his Verizon IndyCar Series debut as a driver at Chicagoland Speedway in 2003 and earned his first victory in 2011 at Kentucky Speedway with Sarah Fisher Racing. He formed Ed Carpenter Racing in late 2011 and recorded victories in 2013 and 2014. CFH Racing was formed in August 2014 by the integration of Ed Carpenter Racing and Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing.
Carpenter will be in attendance when the Nos. 20 (Luca Filippi) and 67 (Josef Newgarden) CFH Racing cars will test Feb. 3-4 at Sebring International Raceway and Feb. 10 at NOLA Motorsports Park.
One-time pit crew member Seau elected to Hall of Fame
Junior Seau, a 12-time Pro Bowl selection during his NFL career, was among the individuals elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2015 on Jan. 31.
Seau, who died in 2012, was elected in his first year of eligibility. He was an eight-time first-team All-Pro selection in his career, was the league's Defensive Player of the Year in 1992, and had 64 career games with at least 10 tackles.
In 2009, Seau joined Target Chip Ganassi Racing as a member of the pit crew for the No. 9 car driven by Scott Dixon at Sonoma Raceway. Check out the video: