IZOD GOES FROM RUNWAY TO STRAIGHTAWAY AS OFFICIAL APPAREL OF THE INDYCAR
INDIANAPOLIS, July 8, 2008 – The IndyCar Series is taking high speed and high fashion to a new level today, announcing a partnership between the league and Phillips-Van Heusen’s IZOD brand, making one of America’s most recognized clothing brands the official apparel of the Indy Racing League, the sanctioning body for the IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights.
For the remainder of the 2008 season, IZOD will provide apparel to series officials and staff that work on and off the track. Beginning with the 2009 season, IZOD will also supply an exclusive fashion collection, inspired by the heritage of American racing, designed to address the performance needs of the league’s sports-minded executives and crew. The partnership between the IndyCar Series and IZOD includes promotional, merchandising and co-branding opportunities at speedway venues, off-site and online.
"IZOD is truly a sport-spirited lifestyle brand, and we're thrilled to have them on board with the IndyCar Series," said Terry Angstadt, President of the Indy Racing League's Commercial Division. "This announcement also adds to the sponsorship momentum that we've been building over the last several months. The growing number of partnerships we're making with quality organizations like PVH is really helping to build an exciting future for the IndyCar Series."
The relationship includes IZOD partnerships with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Ryan Hunter-Reay, driver of the No. 17 Team Ethanol entry for Rahal Letterman Racing in the IndyCar Series, Logan Gomez, driver of the No. 23 Menards/Guthrie Racing Firestone Indy Lights car and a major associate sponsorship of the Guthrie Racing team in Firestone Indy Lights.
“As a brand built upon the pillars of performance, lifestyle and Americana, what better moment than Independence Day to celebrate our new relationship with one of America’s favorite pasttimes,” said Allen Sirkin, Chief Operating Officer of PVH. “The Indy Racing League is an ideal fit with the spirit of IZOD. We’re also extremely excited to come out of the gate supporting two rising stars in drivers Ryan Hunter-Reay and Logan Gomez. These two young men embody the bold determination and active lifestyle of IZOD.”
IZOD made its debut this past weekend at the Camping World Grand Prix at The Glen at Watkins Glen International with a party that featured models, a pool, live music, games and fireworks in the paddock area. IZOD also is celebrating its new affiliation as the official apparel company of the IndyCar Series by debuting a 60' x 80' billboard of Hunter-Reay above Times Square in New York this week. The billboard, located at 42nd Street and Broadway, stands above the ESPNZone and features the July IndyCar Series schedule with television tune-in information. The billboard will remain up throughout the month of July.
“IZOD is a perfect fit for me since their cutting edge style and dedication to high quality delivers the ultimate in performance for my very active lifestyle,” said Hunter-Reay, who earned his first IndyCar Series victory Sunday at Watkins Glen. “It is an honor to have IZOD as a personal sponsor of mine and I am looking forward to representing the IZOD brand on and off the racetrack for many years to come.”
In 2007, Gomez recorded his first career victory in the season finale at Chicagoland, beating champion Alex Lloyd in the closest finish in series history.
“Since this is the beginning of my open-wheel racing career, the support of IZOD gives me the extra motivation and confidence to know that great things are ahead in my future,” stated Gomez.
IZOD, one of the United States' best-known and best-selling apparel brands, is known for its sport-inspired, clean designs and colorful product lines. With a history in the United States dating back to the 1930s, the IZOD brand is now licensed to 27 companies covering 25 categories of goods in the U.S. and in 11 international territories. IZOD brand products include apparel and accessories for men, women, and children, soft home goods and men's fragrance. The IZOD brand offerings include products sold under the IZOD PerformX (technical and performance fabricated sportswear), IZOD Jeans, IZOD Golf, IZOD LX (a luxury sportswear collection sold exclusively at Macy's) sub brands, which are sold in over 6,000 retail venues, including department, specialty and company-owned stores, worldwide. Visit www.izod.com.
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Phillips-Van Heusen Corporation is one of the world's largest apparel companies. It owns and markets the Calvin Klein brand worldwide. It is the world's largest shirt and neckwear company and markets a variety of goods under its own brands, Van Heusen, Calvin Klein, IZOD, ARROW, Bass and G.H. Bass & Co., and its licensed brands, including Geoffrey Beene, Kenneth Cole New York, Kenneth Cole Reaction, unlisted, A Kenneth Cole Production, BCBG Max Azria, BCBG Attitude, MICHAEL Michael Kors, Sean John, Chaps, Donald J. Trump Signature Collection, JOE Joseph Abboud, Tommy Hilfiger, Perry Ellis Portfolio, DKNY and, beginning in Fall 2008, Timberland. Visit www.pvh.com.
The IndyCar Series is the premier open-wheel series in the United States, competing on a challenging combination of superspeedways, short ovals, scenic road courses and temporary street circuits. In 2008 the IndyCar Series will conduct 15 events in the U.S. and one each in Australia, Canada and Japan, all available worldwide through a comprehensive, long-term agreement with ESPN, including all races broadcast in High-Definition, including a motorsports first 360-degree in-car camera. A leader in motorsports technology, the IndyCar Series is the first racing series to power its Honda engines on 100 percent fuel-grade ethanol, a renewable and environmentally friendly fuel. The IndyCar Series continues to the be the fastest, most competitive and innovative racing series, attracting a diverse lineup of drivers with participants from the United States, Japan, Brazil, England, France, Spain, Australia and New Zealand. The stars of the IndyCar Series include 2005 Indianapolis 500 and IndyCar Series champion Dan Wheldon, 2004 IndyCar Series champion Tony Kanaan, two-time Indianapolis 500 champion Helio Castroneves, 2005 Bombardier Rookie of the Year Danica Patrick and 2006 Bombardier Rookie of the Year Marco Andretti. Other standouts include Scott Dixon, Buddy Rice, Graham Rahal, Will Power and Justin Wilson. For more information on the IndyCar Series, please visit www.indycar.com.