5-Hour ENERGY® To Be Primary Sponsor of Fittipaldi's No. 30 Entry for the Indianapolis 500 and Detroit Grand Prix
ZIONSVILLE, Ind., Feb. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL) announced today that 5-hour ENERGY®, which was previously announced as a full-season associate sponsor of the No. 30 entry for Pietro Fittipaldi for the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season, will be the primary sponsor of the entry for the 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 26 and the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix on June 2. This will be the brand's debut as a primary sponsor in open-wheel racing.
5-hour ENERGY® is the #1 energy shot in the US. It is enjoyed by consumers in both its iconic 2oz shot size (in 16 great flavors) and recently added a 16-ounce carbonated energy drink range with 6 flavors. Trusted by hard-working people to get them through a hectic day, 5-hour ENERGY® products are widely available at over 250,000 retail points in the US. It is among the most recognizable energy drink brands in America, with 88% US energy shot market share.
Jeff Sigouin, President and COO of Living Essentials, LLC, makers of 5-hour ENERGY® said, "We've been incredibly impressed by the RLL team in their preparation and professionalism and wanted to quickly expand our collaboration beyond the associate sponsorship. Therefore, we've become the primary sponsor for the longest and biggest race of the year – the Indy 500 – and of our hometown race in Detroit. Both events require focus, energy and stamina to win… and those attributes are right up our alley."
"For the initial announcement, we stated how honored we were to have 5-hour ENERGY as an associate sponsor given their previous involvement in motorsports and the fact that upon their return to motorsports, they chose Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing," added Bobby Rahal, co-owner of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. "Now, to have a 5-hour ENERGY car in the 2024 Indy 500 and the Detroit Grand Prix is a testament to how great it has been to work with them and how well our partnership has started off."
"We're looking forward to seeing the 5-hour ENERGY car on the track and also having that translate to driving sales for them," added Mike Lanigan, co-owner of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. "It's important for RLL, INDYCAR and motorsports in general to have strong partners like 5-hour ENERGY."
Fittipaldi, who served as Haas F1 Team's reserve and test driver the past five seasons and is also a multiple open-wheel champion and race-winning world endurance championship driver, will drive the No. 30 entry for his first full season of NTT INDYCAR SERIES competition in 2024. Fittipaldi, the Brazilian-American grandson of 1989 INDYCAR champion and two-time Indy 500 winner Emerson Fittipaldi, returns to the series after having made nine starts in 2018 and 2021 for Dale Coyne Racing.
"I'm very excited to have 5-hour ENERGY as my primary sponsor for the legendary Indy 500 and for their home race, the Detroit Grand Prix," said Pietro Fittipaldi. "The 5-hour ENERGY Honda is one of the best-looking race cars I have ever driven and looks extremely fast. I'm looking forward to chasing great results on track with them all season and especially at the iconic Indy 500 and their home race in Motor City."
Fittipaldi, 27, made six starts in the INDYCAR SERIES in 2018 -- three on oval tracks and three on road courses -- with his best start being 10th in Phoenix and best finish of ninth coming at Portland. He had planned to compete in more races, but his program was curtailed midseason after breaking both legs in an accident in the World Endurance Championship 6 Hours of Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in May of that year. In 2021, he split the season in the No. 51 Dale Coyne Racing with Rick Ware entry with Romain Grosjean, running three of the four oval races. His best qualifying effort came in his Indianapolis 500 debut of 13th place, which earned him the "Fastest Rookie Award" and his best finish was 15th in Race 2 at Texas Motor Speedway.
The 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season opens Sunday, March 10 on the Streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, for the 20th Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. North America's premier open-wheel series will crisscross the United States, including a stop for the 108th Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 26, before culminating in Nashville for the championship finale Sunday, Sept. 15. All on-track action can be seen on NBC or NBC's Peacock Premium streaming service or USA Network. For more information about the series or team, visit www.indycar.com and www.rahal.com.
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About 5-hour ENERGY®
Founded by Manoj Bhargava, Living Essentials launched its 5-hour ENERGY® brand in 2004. The effective formula is found in its iconic shot size and a 16-ounce carbonated drink. Trusted by hard-working people to get them through a hectic day, 5-hour ENERGY® products are widely available in convenience, grocery, retail, club stores, and online outlets.
About Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, based in Zionsville, Ind., is co-owned by three-time IndyCar Champion and 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal, former CBS Late Show host David Letterman and Mi-Jack co-owner Mike Lanigan. In 2024, the team will compete in its 33rd year of competition and will attempt to add to its 30 Indy car wins – including the 2004 Indy 500 from pole with Buddy Rice and the 2020 Indy 500 with Takuma Sato -- their 37 poles, 111 podium finishes and 1992 series championship. The team also competed in the American Le Mans Series from 2009-2013 as BMW Team RLL where they won both the Manufacturer and Team Championships in the GT category in 2010 and swept all three GT titles in 2011 - Manufacturer, Team and Driver. In 2012, the team finished second in the Team Championship and third in the Manufacturer Championship and in 2013, the team finished second in the Driver, Team and Manufacturer Championship. From 2014 to 2021, BMW Team RLL competed in the GTLM class of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with a two-car program. In 2022, BMW M Team RLL competed in the GTD PRO class in IMSA while simultaneously ramping up for a two-car program in the much-anticipated GTP class in IMSA for 2023. In total, the team has earned 23 wins – including the 2019 and 2020 Rolex 24 at Daytona endurance races, 30 poles and 101 podium finishes prior to the start of the 2024 season. BMW M Team RLL highlights also include second-place finishes in the Manufacturer, Team and Driver championships in 2015 and 2017 and being named the 2020 Michelin North American Endurance Champions.
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SOURCE Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
