From IRL
1. Center to carry Patrick’s name
2. Tickets for Toronto reduced Tickets for St. Petersburg event on sale Dec. 4
3. BHA moves into own shop
4. Yacaman races in hometown
1. Center to carry Patrick’s name: Employees and guests weren’t the only ones to get a boost from Go Daddy Group Inc.’s holiday party at Chase Field in Phoenix.
Go Daddy founder and CEO Bob Parsons announced that his Scottsdale, Ariz.-based domain name registrar would donate $500,000 to UMOM New Day Centers’ capital campaign to build a wing onto its existing downtown Phoenix facility. The new wing will be called the Danica Patrick GoDaddy.com Domestic Violence Center.
UMOM New Day Centers, which has served the community through a variety of programs geared toward the homeless and at-risk families since 1964, provides shelter, counseling and other resources to victims of domestic violence.
“We were very surprised; what a generous donation,” said UMOM New Day Centers CEO Darlene Newsom, who noted the $23 million capital campaign to renovate and expand the facility. “I keep thinking how many lives will be impacted.”
Patrick, who recently announced a two-year (plus option) deal to remain with Andretti Autosport in the IZOD IndyCar Series with primary sponsorship of the No. 7 entry from GoDaddy.com, said she was pleased to support the center’s efforts to strengthen and empower women.
“We realize (domestic violence and its effects) it’s a problem and it needs to be dealt with,” Parsons said.
The company also donated $100,000 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Arizona, enabling the group to fund the dreams of 20 critically ill children.
2. Tickets for Toronto reduced: Tickets for the 2010 Honda Indy Toronto, which will return to Exhibition Place July 16-18, are now available at www.HondaIndyToronto.com.
Many of the reserved seat ticket packages have been reduced in price and a new junior price ticket has been added. Reserved seat adult ticket packages range between $106 and $215 for upper Gold Level tickets. Adult general admissions tickets also have been reduced as well ($21 for Friday, $31 for Saturday and $42 for Sunday’s events). Three-day general admission ticket packages are $52. Reduced rate tickets are available for juniors (ages 12 and under) in most ticket categories.
Fans purchasing any ticket package before Dec. 31 can choose from an IZOD IndyCar paddock pass (valued at $57), a VIP Pit Walk-Through ($36 value) or a three-day parking pass ($70 value).
Highlighted by the open-wheel racing of the IZOD Indy Car Series, the 2010 Honda Indy Toronto also will feature the Firestone Indy Lights, the SPEED World Challenge, the SCCA Pro Racing Trans-Am Series and, for the second consecutive year, the Canadian Touring Car Championship. Additionally, the event marks the Toronto debut of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series.
“We also have dramatically expanded our entertainment slate for 2010,” said Charlie Johnstone, Vice President and General Manager of the event. “In addition to perhaps one of the best lineups of racing action anywhere in North America in 2010, we will be investing significantly in the off-track experience including a major concert, live entertainment, an interactive family zone and much more.”
The Honda Indy Toronto is staged on a 1.77-mile, 11-turn circuit that runs through Exhibition Place in downtown Toronto. For more information on the 2010 Honda Indy Toronto, and to purchase tickets, visit www.HondaIndyToronto or call 877-503-6869.
3. BHA moves into own shop: Bryan Herta Autosport owners Bryan Herta and Steve Newey are moving their Firestone Indy Lights program to a new headquarters for the 2010 racing season.
BHA, a technical partner and tenant of Vision Racing in its debut season, will occupy a race shop on the northwest side of Indianapolis that formerly housed Fernandez Racing.
“I am thrilled that we have this opportunity to grow our team,” said Herta, who will confirm BHA’s full program in January. “We are definitely a year ahead of the plan that Steve and I had originally set for ourselves. This is an important step for our team as we continue to build our infrastructure. I have to thank Tony, Laura and Lauren George in addition to everyone at Vision Racing for all of their support this season. It was a great partnership and we never could have started BHA without their support.”
BHA enjoyed a successful first season in Firestone Indy Lights competition with American Daniel Herrington securing the team’s inaugural win at Chicago and a seventh-place ranking in the championship standings aboard the No. 28 LeBleu/BHA Dallara in his rookie campaign. Rising Brazilian driver Felipe Guimaraes added to the accomplishments with two podium finishes in just three starts to bring BHA’s tally to five top-five and 15 top-10 results. James Davison, driving for technical partner Vision Racing, added a victory at Mid-Ohio, two poles and a second-place finish in the championship standings.
“Moving to our own facility is the next logical step in building the foundation for our expansion plans,” added Newey. “We are looking forward to the 2010 season as we have a very competitive program in place. In addition to competing in Firestone Indy Lights, we are pursuing the opportunity to enter a car in the Indianapolis 500.”
4. Yacaman races in hometown: Firestone Indy Lights driver Gustavo Yacaman was one of the more than 10,000 participants in a road race in Colombia.
The 18-year-old driver ran in the the Carrera del Río Cali (Cali River Race), a 10-kilometer race that takes place each December in Yacaman’s hometown of Santiago de Cali, Colombia. It is one of the biggest races in Colombia.
“The idea was not to go for the win or to go for a good result,” said Yacaman, who completed the course in a little more than an hour and used the race as part of his preseason training program. “I ran so the people of my city had a chance to interact with me.”
Yacaman, who has tested with several teams and is planning to return to race in Firestone Indy Lights in 2010, was recognized on the podium following the event and given a badge by race organizers.