IndyCar Notes

AirMed, LVCVA, AVIS and Others On Board for 2011 IZOD IndyCar Series - Sunoco and PerkinElmer entitle the Rookie of the Year Awards: With the IZOD IndyCar Series' successful season kickoff this past weekend at the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, INDYCAR enjoys new and renewed relationships and deeper investments from several of its partners.

AirMed International, the award-winning air ambulance company, has been signed as the official air ambulance of the IZOD IndyCar Series. The fleet of ICU-equipped jet aircraft will transport injured drivers and staff to hospitals in an emergency.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Association also has begun a partnership with INDYCAR, the sanctioning body of the IZOD IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights, to support the 2011 IZOD INDYCAR World Championships on Oct. 16 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Sunoco, the official fuel of INDYCAR, has expanded its involvement by entitling the Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award. The highest-ranked driver based on points will receive a $50,000 bonus.

Awarding the $15,000 Rookie of the Year prize to the Firestone Indy Lights first-year standout will be PerkinElmer. The technology company, whose focus is in the business areas of human and environmental analysis, has for seven years tested the fuel composition at each racetrack to ensure it meets INDYCAR's standards.

AVIS follows PerkinElmer's suit, expanding its relationship with INDYCAR by implementing numerous activation elements in key race markets, with special emphasis placed on airport displays.

"These partners bring great value to INDYCAR," said Greg Gruning, INDYCAR's vice president of sales. "AirMed provides the peace of mind that our emergency medical transportation needs will be met; the LVCVA offers unparalleled promotional and media support for our crowning event, the IZOD INDYCAR World Championships; and the investment in our up-and-coming stars by Sunoco and Perkin Elmer helps the longevity of the sport by recognizing its best drivers."

AirMed, LVCVA, AVIS, Sunoco and PerkinElmer join IZOD, Verizon, Philips and Mattel Hot Wheels in amped-up activation and promotional investments.

Gregory & Appel to honor Firestone Indy Lights' top winner - Gregory & Appel Insurance announced today that it is continuing the tradition of presenting the "Securing Tomorrow" Award for the 2011 Firestone Indy Lights season. The award is in its sixth year.

The "Securing Tomorrow" award is a $5,000 cash prize given to the Firestone Indy Lights driver who wins the most races during the season. The past winners include Alex Lloyd (2007), Dillon Battistini (2008), JR Hildebrand (2009) and J.K. Vernay (2010).

"We are very pleased to continue to give back to the series", said Darren Hickey, Vice President and Motorsports Practice Leader at Gregory & Appel. "The Firestone Indy Lights series is a vital part of the Mazda Road to Indy. We look forward to presenting our award to a driver who will be racing in INDYCAR in the near future."

Based in Indianapolis, Gregory & Appel has a nationally-recognized Motorsports insurance practice that represents drivers, teams, promoters and other companies with direct motorsports involvement. Gregory & Appel provides an unmatched service platform and industry expertise to its motorsports sector clients.

Firestone Indy Lights serves as an essential step for drivers who aim to race in the IZOD IndyCar Series and Indianapolis 500. It is part of the Indy Racing League's Road to Indy developmental ladder system and will run 13 races in conjunction with the IZOD IndyCar Series in 2010.

"The pairing of Gregory & Appel Insurance with Firestone Indy Lights has been such a good fit for the last five years," said Roger Bailey, executive director of Firestone Indy Lights. "Just like the goal of Gregory & Appel is to help their clients secure their future, the goal of Firestone Indy Lights and the Mazda Road to Indy is to help drivers secure their future in racing. I'm very happy to see our relationship continue."