Veteran Verizon IndyCar Series driver Oriol Servia’s entry for the 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil will be co-sponsored by one longtime open-wheel backer and a new one with big ambitions.
The livery on Servia’s No. 77 Schmidt Peterson Motorsports with Marotti Racing Honda will feature Lucas Oil and Jahia Solutions Group.
Lucas Oil first partnered with SPM team co-owner Sam Schmidt more than a decade ago as a primary sponsor for Schmidt’s Indianapolis 500 entry for Richie Hearn in 2003. Since then, Lucas Oil has served as a title sponsor each year on one of SPM’s Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires entries.
“Being an Indiana native and on behalf of everyone at Lucas Oil, I am absolutely thrilled to be participating in the 100th Running of the Indy 500,” said company founder Forrest Lucas. “Our products are now known worldwide for their performance and I can’t think of a better venue to display their quality than the largest sporting event in the world ever.”
Jahia Solutions Group is a digital experience management platform that helps organizations build trusted one-to-one relationships with their customers to accelerate customer acquisition and out-compete their peers in the race for digital leadership.
Simply put, Jahia turns organizations into digital brand powerhouses and customer experience leaders. And in a day when organizations are racing to get digital agility now, experience matters.
“We are enthusiastically supporting the Indy 500 with our corporate sponsorship,” said Elie Auvray, Jahia CEO. “They are putting people – their fans – at the center of their business, which is a core value and message for us. Technology today not only makes Indy car racing possible but thrilling as well.
“And as we help our customers win the race for digital mastery through enterprise technology and thrill the audience, the combination of technology and emphasis on the human relationships naturally makes Jahia and the Indy 500 a powerful connection for acceleration.”
Jahia enjoys a technical alliance with Hippino, which has been involved in INDYCAR team sponsorship for four years.
“As a tech company, I cannot think of a better place to showcase our product and involve partners,” said Ej Falk, CEO of Hippino. “Targeted engagement and analytic data is essential to creating a brand experience. By using products like Hippino and Jahia, teams and sponsors will be able see real data on how racing can truly benefit companies trying to nurture relationships with their customers.”
Servia, the son of a Spanish rally champion and 1999 Indy Lights champion himself, has driven in seven past Indianapolis 500s with a best finish of fourth in 2012. Holder of a degree in mechanical engineering, he is a perfect brand ambassador for a lubricants firm and an international tech company.
“My number one aim was to make sure I was participating in the 100th Indy 500 with a team that could give me a car to contend for the win, and I have no doubt that Sam Schmidt and all his group at SPM will do exactly that,” said Servia. “Being sponsored by Lucas Oil and Jahia are just the cherry on the cake and I couldn’t be happier to represent companies with such high standards.”
The 100th Indianapolis 500 is scheduled for May 29 (11 a.m. ET, ABC), with practice beginning May 16.