INDYCAR and RACER Formalize Official Media Partnership for 2018

IRVINE, CA, January 31, 2018 – Racer Media & Marketing, Inc., publishers of RACER magazine and RACER.com have entered into an Official Media Partnership with American open-wheel sanctioning body INDYCAR, building on a fruitful informal relationship dating back to 2003.

The announcement today formalizes the companies’ synergistic alignment, and RACER will work with INDYCAR to expand distribution of its authoritative and respected original INDYCAR content, and also distribute selected INDYCAR-generated content to RACER’s passionate audience via the brand’s digital and social media channels.

According to Alexa.com, RACER.com is America’s number one digital motorsports media platform, averaging 2.3 million page views per month, while RACER Magazine enjoys a combined BPA audited print and digital circulation over 33,000. RACER Studio produces authentic, original native content for many leading automotive brands and sanctioning bodies including the upcoming Official 2018 Verizon IndyCar Series Special Issue in March 2018.

“RACER magazine and RACER.com readers made it clear from the start that the Indy 500 and the Verizon IndyCar Series® are their favorites. This media partnership not only offers them more great INDYCAR content, but also extends some unique benefits to INDYCAR Nation Official Fan Community members,” says Paul Pfanner, founder and CEO of Racer Media & Marketing, Inc. “The RACER team has been at the forefront of covering the renaissance of the Indy 500 and the series under the able leadership of Hulman & Company CEO, Mark Miles, INDYCAR President of Competition and Operations, Jay Frye and Indianapolis Motor Speedway and INDYCAR Chief Marketing Officer, C.J. O’Donnell, whom we’ve worked closely with. This official media partnership is a natural fit for us because RACER’s core mission is to inspire devotion to the sport and expand its audience.”

RACER enjoys a unique and special relationship with INDYCAR and its millions of fans. Since RACER magazine’s inaugural May, 1992 issue – which featured an Indy car on the cover – it has taken the lead in coverage of the Indianapolis 500 and the Verizon IndyCar Series. RACER magazine will provide INDYCAR past stories from its archives for use on IndyCar.com. Also, INDYCAR Nation members will receive special offers on RACER print and digital subscriptions.

“INDYCAR is very pleased to collaborate with a publication as strong as RACER,” said C.J. O’Donnell, chief marketing officer for INDYCAR and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “The majority of INDYCAR’s core fan base reads IndyCar.com as well as RACER, so this is a natural pairing of two terrific brands. This is a non-exclusive agreement, but it formalizes a close working relationship that’s been successful for years. We look forward to a lot of great content from RACER on the pages of IndyCar.com and the quality content they continue to deliver to the fans of the Verizon IndyCar Series.”

RACER’s esteemed contributors, Robin Miller, Marshall Pruett, along with RACER Editor-in-Chief, Laurence Foster, and RACER.com editor, Mark Glendenning have extensive experience covering Indy car racing. On RACER.com, Verizon IndyCar Series content remains the number one series in terms of stories and page views.

The partnership also creates the opportunity for INDYCAR partners and others to develop compelling native content campaigns to ride the momentum of editorially-driven content with brand-specific stories that will reach an engaged and brand-loyal audience.

For more information on media opportunities as result of this partnership, please contact Paul Pfanner, President & CEO of RACER (paul.pfanner@racer.com).

About INDYCAR

INDYCAR is the governing body of the Verizon IndyCar Series, the premier open-wheel racing series in North America; the Mazda Road to Indy presented by Cooper Tires 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; and the Battery Tender Global MX-5 Cup presented by BF Goodrich Tires. 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 racing 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.