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IRL: Delphi Automotive to sponsor Indy 200 at Walt Disney World

3 December 1999

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

Tickets for Jan. 29 season-opening event on sale

TROY, Mich.,- Delphi Automotive Systems is shifting into high gear for the upcoming Indy Racing League season by announcing its title sponsorship of the leagues opening race - the Delphi Indy 200 at Walt Disney World Speedway near Orlando, Fla., on Jan. 29, 2000.

In announcing Delphis title sponsorship, J.T. Battenberg III, chairman, chief executive officer and president, said the commitment underlines the companys ongoing belief in the future of motorsports as a proving ground for a new generation of leading-edge Delphi products.

"There is no harsher environment for the development of truly breakthrough products than racing," Battenberg said. "For that reason, weve made a deliberate effort to foster our relationship with the Indy Racing League. Additionally, this sponsorship agreement is a great way to build and enhance the Delphi brand, as the event will be held at Walt Disney World, one of the worlds most popular destinations."

Tony George, founder of the Indy Racing League, echoed Battenbergs enthusiasm.

"Delphi is clearly one of the leading forces in the development of automotive systems," George said. "We are very pleased with the title sponsorship of the Delphi Indy 200 at Walt Disney World Speedway and the additional endorsement of the importance of the Indy Racing League by Delphi."

Battenberg said Delphis commitment to motorsports is on solid ground, especially with the recent renewal of a sponsorship agreement with the Kelley Racing team. Since 1998, Delphi has sponsored Scott Sharp in car #8 of the Indy Racing League, and the new agreement runs through the 2001 racing season. Sharp won two races in 1998, finishing fourth in points for the season. This year, Sharp won the Kobalt Mechanics Tools 500 presented by MCI WorldCom at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Delphi recently announced an associate sponsorship of the #28 Indy Racing League car driven by Mark Dismore, also a Kelley Racing team driver. Dismore won the Mall.com 500, the final race of the 1999 Indy Racing League season, at Texas Motor Speedway.

Delphi has a long history of using motorsports competition as a venue for product testing. Since 1988, Delphi has been involved with open-wheel racing to assist in researching and developing technologies to help improve driver safety. Today, a majority of the cars in the league are equipped with several of Delphis racing products, including:

Engine Control Module: Optimizes engine performance through monitoring more than 30 engine parameters 100 times per second to control fuel injection and ignition timing; allows for some driver control through the Pit Speed Limiter Switch and Fuel Trim Switch.

Capacitive Discharge Module: When commanded by the Gen IV Engine Control Module, this unit precisely supplies more than 360 volts to the coils of each of the eight spark plugs; it eliminates the need for a mechanical distributor.

Track Condition Radio: Alerts drivers with critical information by transmitting messages from race control to the race car; a dash-mounted display communicates messages, including safety warnings, track condition and pits opened/closed.

Radio Telemetry Module: Transmits engine and chassis data from a speeding race car to race team engineers located in the pits; the telemetry module enhances driver safety and race team strategy by making real-time data available.

The 1-mile, tri-oval track at Walt Disney World Speedway has become a popular venue for the Indy Racing League. Each of the past four years, the league has opened its season with the Indy 200 just outside the gates of the Magic Kingdom. In January 1999, Eddie Cheever Jr. finished ahead of Scott Goodyear to win his second Indy 200 in three years.

Delphi Automotive Systems , with headquarters in Troy, Mich., is a world leader in automotive component and systems technology. Delphis three business sectors - Dynamics & Propulsion; Safety, Thermal & Electrical Architecture; and Electronics & Mobile Communications - provide comprehensive product solutions to complex customer needs

Delphi has approximately 201,000 employees and operates 168 wholly owned manufacturing sites, 38 joint ventures, 51 customer centers and sales offices, and 27 technical centers in 37 countries. Regional headquarters are located in Paris, Tokyo and Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Tickets for the fifth annual Delphi Indy 200 - the first major motorsports event of the new millennium -- are now available by calling (800) 822-INDY, or (317) 484-6700 within the Indianapolis area or internationally. General-admission tickets for practice on Jan. 27, PPG Pole qualifying Jan. 28 and the USAC Silver Bullet Series race Jan. 29 are also available. All seating for the race is reserved. Limited pit/paddock passes are available by calling the IMS Events credentials office at (317) 484-6500.

Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit The Racing Photo Museum and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.