Hitachi named presenting sponsor of Watkins Glen INDYCAR event

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Hitachi named presenting sponsor of Watkins Glen INDYCAR event

INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, Sept. 2, 2016) – INDYCAR announced today that it has reached an agreement with Hitachi to serve as presenting sponsor of this weekend’s INDYCAR Grand Prix at The Glen. Hitachi has grown into a diverse global corporation with expertise across a wide range of industry sectors and has served as a partner of Team Penske and driver Helio Castroneves for the past five seasons in the Verizon IndyCar Series.

“Hitachi is very excited about INDYCAR’s return to Watkins Glen International for the first time since 2010 and for the opportunity as the presenting sponsor for this weekend. As the primary sponsor of the No. 3 Team Penske Chevrolet, driven by three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves, Hitachi is proud to be part of this experience at one of the most prestigious tracks in North America,” said Robert Sharpe, senior vice president, Hitachi Automotive Systems Americas, Inc.

This weekend’s INDYCAR Grand Prix at The Glen presented by Hitachi is the first time the Verizon IndyCar Series has competed on the 11-turn, 3.37-mile permanent road course since 2010. Previously, Indy cars raced at Watkins Glen from 1979-1981 and 2005-2010, with Team Penske driver Will Power – who is currently runner-up in the Verizon IndyCar Series point standings – winning the most recent event in 2010.

“We appreciate Hitachi’s continued support of the Verizon IndyCar Series and are thrilled that it will be the presenting sponsor of this weekend’s event at Watkins Glen,” said Rod Davis, chief revenue officer of Hulman Motorsports. “There is a great deal of excitement about INDYCAR’s return to this historic racetrack and this partnership with Hitachi is another key step toward executing a successful event this weekend.”

The 60-lap race will be broadcast live Sunday on NBCSN at 2 p.m. ET with radio coverage available on the Advance Auto Parts INDYCAR Radio Network, which includes network affiliates, Sirius 212, XM 209, IndyCar.com, indycarradio.com and on the INDYCAR Mobile app.

About Hitachi, Ltd.:
Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, delivers innovations that answer society’s challenges. The company’s consolidated revenues for fiscal 2015 (ended March 31, 2016) totaled 10,034.3 billion yen ($88.8 billion). The Hitachi Group is a global leader in the Social Innovation Business, and it has approximately 335,000 employees worldwide. Through collaborative creation, Hitachi is providing solutions to customers in a broad range of sectors, including Power / Energy, Industry / Distribution / Water, Urban Development, and Finance / Government & Public / Healthcare. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company’s website at http://www.hitachi.com.

About INDYCAR:
INDYCAR is the governing body of the Verizon IndyCar Series, the premier open-wheel racing series in North America, and the Mazda Road to Indy development ladder, which includes: Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires, the Pro Mazda Championship presented by Cooper Tires and the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship powered by Mazda. INDYCAR events are available to a worldwide audience through a variety of multimedia platforms, highlighted by long-term and broad-reaching partnerships with ABC and NBCSN. INDYCAR is continually at the forefront of motorsports innovation with drivers, teams and tracks benefiting from safety and technological improvements such as the SAFER Barrier, SWEMS wheel and chassis component tethers, chassis enhancements, advanced aerodynamic bodywork kits, high-definition in-car cameras and E85 ethanol fuel.

About the Verizon IndyCar Series:
The Verizon IndyCar Series is the premier open-wheel series in North America, competing on a challenging and diverse combination of superspeedways, short ovals, permanent road courses and temporary street circuits. The Verizon IndyCar Series conducts races in the United States and Canada – all available in high-definition television worldwide through comprehensive, long-term agreements with ABC, NBCSN, ESPN International, Rogers Sportsnet in Canada and Canal+ in France. The Verizon IndyCar Series continues to be the fastest, most diverse and most competitive racing series that features an international cast of star drivers and venues. For more information about the Verizon IndyCar Series, visit www.indycar.com.