He has quite a way to go to catch up to his Indy car numbers, but Helio Castroneves drove to victory Sunday for Team Penske in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

Castroneves and teammate Ricky Taylor piloted their No. 7 Acura ARX-05 DPi to the overall win in the aptly named Acura Sports Car Challenge at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. The duo defeated the Team Penske sister car driven by Juan Pablo Montoya and Dane Cameron by 8.464 seconds.

Castroneves – the three-time Indianapolis 500 winner who owns 30 career Indy car wins, including two at Mid-Ohio (2000 and ’01) – earned the second sports car win of his career. The previous one came at Road Atlanta in 2008, in a Team Penske Porsche.

After winning the pole in qualifying on Saturday, Castroneves and Taylor teamed to lead 87 of the 125 laps on the 2.258-mile permanent road course. Montoya and Cameron led the other 38 laps in the timed race of 2 hours, 40 minutes.

“That was great,” Castroneves said. “It started from the beginning, actually the front row, the No. 7 and the No. 6 were right there. Dane was really strong and put a lot of pressure on me, but in the end, it was a long race. I was taking it easy and making sure we made the numbers that we needed to make, and then I left it to my teammate here, Ricky, and what an incredible job he did.

“I’m so glad to be part of this organization, it’s great for myself and Ricky to give the No. 1 victory for Acura and hopefully this is just the beginning.”

Team Penske was dominant throughout the weekend, but it faced a stiff challenge from Mazda Team Joest to earn the victory. Verizon IndyCar Series regular Spencer Pigot, a co-driver in the No. 55 Mazda, was challenging after taking over driving duties just past the halfway point in the race, until his car’s suspension was damaged in side-to-side contact with a GT car.

Castroneves now turns his attention to Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where he returns to Team Penske’s Verizon IndyCar Series operation to compete in both the INDYCAR Grand Prix on May 12 and the 102nd Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil on May 27.

“It’s great momentum,” Castroneves said. “I have the GP and the Indy 500, so this month has started pretty well. I might bring Ricky to the Indy 500 and maybe we can share the car there, and that would be great. Hopefully, we can get the triple crown in the month of May, but right now we’re going to celebrate this win which is really special.”

Copper Moon creates coffee to benefit Schmidt charity

Copper Moon, the official coffee of Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, has launched WINNING BLEND, a medium-roast coffee formulated in collaboration with two of the team’s coffee-loving Verizon IndyCar Series drivers, Robert Wickens and Jack Harvey.

Copper Moon Coffee will donate 50 percent of WINNING BLEND’s proceeds to Conquer Paralysis Now, the nonprofit organization and leading authority on spinal cord injury research and treatment founded by SPM co-owner Sam Schmidt.

“A relationship like the one with Copper Moon is extraordinary because, not only are they three great brothers from Lafayette, Indiana, making everything in house, but it was actually their initiative, their idea, to offer the creation of the WINNING BLEND with the proceeds going to Conquer Paralysis Now,” Schmidt said. “I’m proud of the fact that one of our partners has stepped up and offered to do this for us. I think it really shows the relationship we have with our partners, and it shows the integrity, quality and overall company mission of Copper Moon.”

WINNING BLEND is now available for purchase in three popular formats: 32-count single cups, 12-ounce whole beans for drip-brewing machines; and pre-portioned 2.5-ounce ground coffee fractional packs.

>“Our long-term relationship with SPM has given us the ability to create something really special in the WINNING BLEND,” said Cary Gutwein, president of Copper Moon Coffee. “Sam Schmidt's drive for excellence and philanthropic mission to Conquer Paralysis Now inspired us to create this excellent coffee with a great cause.”

Big Red Liquors to recognize top customers on Howard’s Indy 500 entry

Big Red LiquorsBig Red Liquors, Indiana's largest beer, wine and spirits retailer, is adding the names of its best customers to the logo it will have on Jay Howard's No. 7 One Cure Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda in this month’s Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil.

"The idea started a year ago when we put our VIP customers’ names on a bourbon label and everyone loved it," said Matt Colglazier, vice president of merchandising for Big Red Liquors. "When our owner (Mark McAlister), a close friend of Jay, told us about this year's sponsorship, we thought it would be a natural fit. Why not include our best customers’ names in the shape of the Big Red logo on Jay's car?"

Howard will meet the 500 customers selected to have their names on the logo during a special event on May 21 at Big Red Liquors Cask Strength in Greenwood, Indiana.

Wilson adds partners to Indy 500 effort

Stefan Wilson, set to compete in this year’s Indianapolis 500 with Andretti Autosport, has announced partnerships with two groups: Canoe Studios and I Am Second.

Canoe Studios is a Manhattan-based photography studio and event space known for hosting photo shoots for such brands as McLaren, Rolls Royce and Lamborghini, as well as pop stars Beyoncé and Taylor Swift.

I Am Second has a mission to inspire people to become second through serving and loving others by creating a place to share stories about relationships rebuilt, communities revitalized and culture restored. The movement has produced more than 125 unscripted conversations, short films and documentary features.

“Being partnered with Canoe Studios and I Am Second means so much to me,” said Wilson, who will drive the No. 29 #Driven2SavesLives Honda. “I feel fortunate to be aligned with some incredible organizations, all of which I have a strong connection to personally.”

Schmidt Peterson adds renowned Stutz name as sponsor

Schmidt Peterson Motorsports announced the addition of the Stutz Business and Arts Center as an associate sponsor on the cars of drivers James Hinchcliffe and Robert Wickens for the rest of the 2018 Verizon IndyCar Series season. The Stutz center is located in the building where the Stutz Motorcar Company built its cars in downtown Indianapolis from 1911-19.

“May is such a special time in Indianapolis and I couldn’t imagine spending the month anywhere but watching all the pageantry, events and racing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway,” said Turner Woodard, owner of the Stutz center. “We value the business operation side of racing, so we’re pleased to lend our support to the Schmidt Peterson Motorsports team.

“We’re also thrilled to see the Stutz brand and its rich motor racing heritage back at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway where it first broke onto the scene in 1911.”