INDYCAR is joining forces with the American Red Cross to encourage life-saving blood donations and support the organization’s efforts to ensure blood products are available to those who need them. This relationship, which began in 2018, has expanded to include the Red Cross as an official charitable partner of INDYCAR.

The partnership can best be told through the relationship with NTT INDYCAR SERIES athlete James Hinchcliffe, who received over 20 units of blood from the Red Cross after being involved in an accident at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2015. Since 2018, Hinchcliffe and the Red Cross have teamed up to host multiple blood drives at IMS.

“The Red Cross is an organization that means a lot to me, so I love that they are teaming up with INDYCAR to drive people to donate,” Hinchcliffe said. “It’s such an easy thing to do and it saves lives. INDYCAR SERIES cars need fuel to race; hospitals need blood to help patients. Blood donations are the fuel for life-saving procedures, so I’m hoping we get a lot of Hoosiers out to help the cause!”

Every two seconds, someone in the United States is in need of blood or platelets, but only 3 percent of age-eligible people donate blood yearly. This partnership will encourage race fans throughout the nation to join the drive to donate blood.

A blood drive in association with INDYCAR is being held from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesday, May 5 at the regional headquarters in Indianapolis. Donors can register to donate by downloading the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device to make an appointment or to learn more information.