By Amy Konrath
Today’s IZOD IndyCar Series, Firestone Indy Lights and Mazda Road to Indy headlines:
1. Technical penalty update -Milwaukee
2. NBC Sports Network expands coverage of Iowa event
3. Kimball honored with Jefferson Award
4. Star Mazda’s Team GDT, Tveter get TV time
1. Technical penalty update: There were no technical penalties issued following the IZOD IndyCar Series race at the Milwaukee Mile.KV Racing Technology has opted to change the engines in the No. 5 car of E.J. Viso and No. 11 car of Tony Kanaan for this weekend’s race at Iowa Speedway and will be subject to a 10 grid-spot penalty.
2. NBC Sports Network expands coverage of Iowa event: NBC Sports Network will expand its coverage of this weekend’s Iowa Corn Indy 250 with more than six hours of coverage of the June 23 IZOD IndyCar Series event.
Coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. (ET) with the latest episode of the all-access series INDYCAR 36.
The NBC Sports Network original series is produced by IMS Productions and gives viewers an all-access pass into the life of an IZOD IndyCar Series driver in the middle of race season. The cameras will follow a driver for 36 hours during a race weekend providing a behind-the-scenes look at the on- and off-track activities of the stars of the IZOD IndyCar Series. This week the spotlight shines on Charlie Kimball, who races for Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing.
Following INDYCAR 36, the network will televise the three heat races that will determine the starting lineup for the Iowa Corn Indy 250 followed by live flag-to-flag coverage of the IZOD IndyCar Series race at 9 p.m. (ET).
NBC Sports Network’s coverage of the Firestone Indy Lights Sukup 100 will immediately follow the Iowa Corn Indy 250 as the network centers its coverage of the IZOD IndyCar Series’ official developmental series closer to IZOD IndyCar Series events.
3. Kimball honored with Jefferson Award: IZOD IndyCar Series driver Charlie Kimball was honored Tuesday as one of 18 national recipients of the Jefferson Award for Public Service.
Kimball, who competes with of Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing, was honored for his role as a spokesperson for diabetics. He accepted his honor – a medal and certificate – in Washington, D.C. during a luncheon at the Hyatt Regency Hotel and at an evening celebration at Constitution Hall.
The award was co-founded nearly 40 years ago by First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy.
“It was an absolute honor to receive the Jefferson Award as recognition for my work with Novo Nordisk in the diabetes community,” Kimball said. “To be included in such an inspirational group of people is truly special. I am very blessed to be able to do what I love and at the same time inspire people to overcome obstacles and live their dreams.”
Kimball is one of three recipients from the world of sports honored with awards, dubbed a “Nobel Prize” for public service.
Former Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly was honored for his foundation’s work to fund research for the treating and curing of Krabbe disease and other leukodystrophies. Former NHL Star Pat LaFontaine was lauded for creating a group that pays for “Lion’s Dens” game rooms for kids in hospitals.
Other honorees include retired four-star Army general-turned-CIA director David Petraeus (Greatest public service by an elected or appointed official) and jazz musicians Branford Marsalis and Harry Connick Jr. (for the efforts to rebuild New Orleans following 2005’s Hurricane Katrina).
4. Star Mazda’s Team GDT, Tveter get TV time: Star Mazda driver Ryan Tveter and Team GDT will be featured in a documentary filmed during the Honda Indy Toronto June 6-8 race weekend and produced by Rogers TV.
As part of its involvement, Rogers TV is launching a contest on www.RogersTV.com to win a behind-the-scenes experience at the races at Exhibition Place for Ontario residents at least 18-years-old.
The 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series race continues with the Iowa Corn Indy 250 on June 23 at Iowa Speedway. The race will be televised by NBC Sports Network at 8 p.m. (ET) and broadcast by the IMS Radio Network on SiriusXM (XM 94 and Sirius 212). The next Firestone Indy Lights race is the Sukup 100 on June 22 at Iowa Speedway. The race will be televised by NBC Sports Network immediately following coverage of the Iowa Corn Indy 250.