Verizon, one of the world’s leading providers of technology, communication, information and entertainment products and services, has formed a multi-year partnership with Indianapolis Motor Speedway to become the title sponsor of the NASCAR Cup Series race on the IMS road course starting this August.
The Verizon 200 at the Brickyard will make motorsports history Sunday, Aug. 15, when the NASCAR Cup Series will compete for the first time on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile circuit at IMS after racing for the last 27 years on the 2.5-mile IMS oval. The Verizon 200 at the Brickyard is the culminating event of a weekend tripleheader of road racing at IMS that includes the Pennzoil 150 at the Brickyard for the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the Big Machine Spiked Coolers Grand Prix for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, each set for Saturday, Aug. 14.
“Verizon has been a terrific, longtime partner of IMS, and this mutually beneficial relationship is reaching a new level at the Speedway through the Verizon 200 at the Brickyard,” said IMS President J. Douglas Boles. “Verizon’s 5G technology has enabled IMS to become one of the most connected sports facilities in America, so we’re proud to see the world-class Verizon name on this year’s historic Cup Series race and beyond.”
Headquartered in New York City and with a presence around the world, Verizon offers voice, data and video services and solutions on its award-winning networks and platforms, delivering on customers’ demand for mobility, reliable network connectivity, security and control. Its 5G Ultra Wideband network is available in parts of more than 70 cities and counting, and its 5G Nationwide is available to more than 230 million people in more than 2,700 cities.
IMS became the first motorsports facility in the world to offer commercial 5G connectivity through Verizon’s cutting-edge network. Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband network also was the backbone for an autonomous, contactless retail store, AiFi’s NanoStore, featuring snacks, beverages and merchandise during the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge in May. The 105th Running of the race featured a Race Day crowd of 135,000, the largest gathering for an event in the world since the COVID-19 pandemic started.
Verizon’s involvement in racing spans nearly two decades and currently includes a significant relationship with Team Penske NASCAR drivers Brad Keselowski and Austin Cindric alongside INDYCAR SERIES driver Will Power.
“Both the IMS and Penske teams continue to be trusted partners, who jointly understand the technological significance and advantages of Verizon 5G,” said Tami Erwin, CEO, Verizon Business. “They have opened the doors for us to explore together how 5G can transform driver performance and the fan experience. Being named the title sponsor of the NASCAR Cup Series race on the IMS road course is exciting for Verizon and another milestone in what has been an outstanding partnership.”
Verizon also will debut as sponsor on Joey Logano’s No. 22 Verizon 5G Ford Mustang a week before the Verizon 200 at the Brickyard, when the NASCAR Cup Series visits Watkins Glen.
“Indianapolis Motor Speedway has always been a crown jewel in our sport, and I think all of us are going to want to win the first Cup race on the IMS road course,” Logano said. “The last couple of years, the Cup Series has put on some great racing on road courses, and if last year’s Xfinity Series race was any indication, I think the Cup race will be just as great. It’s going to be a huge weekend for motorsports, in general, so you want to end the weekend in Victory Lane.”
Brickyard Weekend will be a unique celebration of motorsports at the Racing Capital of the World, featuring the diversity of NASCAR stock car racing and NTT INDYCAR SERIES open- wheel competition on the fast, flowing IMS road course. This high-octane weekend was a destination event of the Midwestern summer during its debut in 2020 and will grow in prominence and popularity this August with the shift of the Verizon 200 at the Brickyard to the road course. All three races will be televised live on NBC or NBCSN.
