Andretti's Return to Indy 500: UGS Digital Product Development Software Helps Andretti Green Racing's Marco Andretti Win Indy 500 Rookie of the Year
Andretti Joined His Grandfather, Father and Uncle in Being Named the Indy 500 Rookie of the Year
Father-Son Duo, Marco and Michael Andretti Take Second and Third Place at Indy 500; Tony Kanaan Rounds Out Top Five With Fifth Place Finish for Andretti Green Racing
PLANO, Texas, June 2 -- UGS Corp., a leading provider of product lifecycle management (PLM) products and services, today announced Marco Andretti driver for the UGS-sponsored Andretti Green Racing team -- whose cars are developed with the help of UGS(R) digital product development technology -- was named the Indy 500 Rookie of the Year.
Marco Andretti, who raced in the Indy 500 for the first time, was named the Indy 500 Rookie of the Year joining Mario Andretti, his grandfather and winner of the 1969 Indy 500, Michael Andretti, his father, and Jeff Andretti, his uncle, who were all also awarded the honor in their rookie races.
Andretti Green Racing took three of the top five spots at the Indy 500. The father-son duo of Marco Andretti and Michael Andretti came in second and third respectively and Tony Kanaan came in fifth. Michael Andretti came out of a three-year retirement to race against his son at this prestigious event.
Andretti Green Racing uses UGS' NX(TM) digital product development software for all of the design and development work the company performs on its fleet of eight race cars. Although IRL rules limit the modifications a team can make to the car body and engine, engineers still have quite a bit of leeway in other areas such as the suspension. Fine-tuning these areas often means designing and fabricating new parts in the brief interval between races.
"UGS congratulates Andretti Green Racing on their great showing at the Indy 500 and wishes the team continued success in the 2006 season," said Dave Shirk, executive vice president of Global Marketing for UGS. "We are proud of our racing heritage and are pleased that our PLM technology is helping UGS sponsored racing teams and UGS customers achieve success."
A Tradition of Technology and Tracks
UGS has a long tradition providing NX(TM) software, UGS' comprehensive digital product development solution, and Teamcenter(R) software, UGS' digital lifecycle management solution and the world's most widely used PLM portfolio, through racing sponsorships. Joe Gibbs Racing, winner of the 2005 NASCAR(R) NEXTEL Cup Championship, Hendrick Motorsports (participant in the NASCAR(R) NEXTEL Cup Series) and Andretti Green Racing, winner of the Indy Racing League(R) (IRL) IndyCar(R) Series Championship two years running, have been using UGS software for several years to help develop their cars and improve their performance on the race track. KB Racing, winner of the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Pro Stock Championship for three straight years, began using UGS technology in 2005, and the Renault F1 Team, winner of the 2005 Formula One Drivers and Constructors Championships, established a partnership in 2004 using Tecnomatix(TM) software, UGS' best-in-class digital manufacturing solution.
About UGS
UGS is a leading global provider of product lifecycle management (PLM) software and services with nearly 4 million licensed seats and 46,000 customers worldwide. Headquartered in Plano, Texas, UGS' vision is to enable a world where organizations and their partners collaborate through global innovation networks to deliver world-class products and services while leveraging UGS' open enterprise solutions, fulfilling the mission of enabling them to transform their process of innovation. For more information on UGS products and services, visit http://www.ugs.com/ .
Note: UGS, NX, Teamcenter, Tecnomatix and Transforming the process of innovation are trademarks or registered trademarks of UGS Corp. or its subsidiaries in the United States and in other countries. Indy Racing League, IRL and IndyCar are trademarks or registered marks of Brickyard Trademarks Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and in other countries. NASCAR is a trademark or registered mark of National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and in other countries. All other trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks belong to their respective holders.