From Fuzzy's PR ..
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Ed Carpenter Racing to run full season for 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – November 2nd, 2011 Ed Carpenter, longtime IndyCar driver with 113 career starts, announced today, the formation of Ed Carpenter Racing and plans to a run a full season in the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series.
“I am extremely excited about the opportunities that lie ahead with Ed Carpenter Racing,” stated Carpenter. “Team ownership is something that I have thought about for quite a long time, and is now becoming a reality as a result of a great relationship with Fuzzy and Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka. I don’t know that I ever thought that I would have the opportunity to be an owner/driver, but when an opportunity like this comes along, you can’t pass it up. I can’t wait to get to work and begin building this team for not only 2012, but beyond.”
Reprising their role with Carpenter, Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka will be the primary sponsor in a three year partnership with Ed Carpenter Racing. “We’re looking forward to playing a full round with Ed in 2012. In the past, we’ve only been able to play a few holes,” stated Fuzzy Zoeller, PGA and Champions
Tour professional and owner of Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka. “Ed caddied for me last year and he’s definitely a much better driver. We’ve had a great time with Ed and IndyCar and now we’re really going to tee it up in 2012.”
“Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka has been a strong supporter of mine since 2010,” stated Carpenter. “I am very grateful for the commitment that they are making in me and this new team. We are going to have a lot of fun and I am looking forward to having a very successful future together. If we can have the same success on track that Fuzzy has enjoyed on the golf course, there will be quite a bit of celebrating!”
Ed Carpenter Racing will hold a press conference on Friday, November 4, 2011 at 1:30 PM EST at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana to address the media.
About Ed Carpenter Racing: Ed Carpenter Racing is owned and operated by Ed Carpenter and Tony George. Based in Indianapolis, Indiana, the team competes full‐time in the IZOD IndyCar Series. Founded with a passion for open wheel racing, Ed Carpenter Racing and partner, Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka, will begin their inaugural IZOD IndyCar Series season in 2012. In his career, Ed Carpenter has one IndyCar Series victory, 6 Top 5 finishes, and 29 Top 10 finishes. For additional information about Ed Carpenter Racing, please visit www.edcarpenterracing.com.
About Ed Carpenter: Growing up with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in his backyard with Laura and
step‐father Tony George as parents, Ed Carpenter was no stranger to racing. Carpenter began racing at
eight years old and balanced racing with education throughout much of his career. Earning a Bachelors
of Science degree in marketing from Butler University in 2003, Carpenter graduated from Butler just
weeks before he won the Freedom 100 Indy Pro Series race at the historic Indianapolis Motor
Speedway. Before becoming a regular in the IZOD IndyCar Series, Carpenter was a short track racer in
the United States Auto Club (USAC) midget, sprint and silver Crown Series. Making his debut at the
Chicagoland Speedway in 2003, the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series season will mark Ed Carpenter’s ninth year
in the series and his first year as owner of Ed Carpenter Racing. Away from the track, Carpenter follows
professional football and is an Indianapolis Colts season ticket holder and an enthusiastic Butler Bulldogs
supporter. Carpenter resides in Indianapolis, IN with his wife, Heather, daughter, Makenna and son,
Ryder.
About Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka: Created by golf legend Fuzzy Zoeller, American‐made Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka, the Hole‐In‐One Vodka, is dedicated to providing exceptional vodka to enhance the enjoyment of the moment. With the breath‐taking golf landscape visible through a frosted glass bottle, Fuzzy's Ultra Premium Vodka has received the prestigious gold medal and a 94 rating from the Beverage Testing Institute, as well as a score of 90 and an Excellent, Highly Recommended rating from the Ultimate Spirits Challenge. Fuzzy’s also recently received a gold medal from the 2011 SIP Awards. Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka is currently available in thirty four states. Made in the USA for Fuzzy’s Spirits, LLC, Indianapolis, IN. Vodka 40% ALC. by volume, distilled from grain. Additional information about Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka is available at www.fuzzyvodka.com. Trust your caddie and please drink responsibly.
Um, wha? And furthermore, wwwwhhhhaaaaa?
Posted by: The Speedgeek | November 02, 2011 at 04:14 PM
I did NOT see that coming. I thought Ed at Sarah Fisher Racing with Fuzzy's taking the place of Dollar General. Happy for Ed, but ... nutty.
Posted by: pressdog | November 02, 2011 at 04:17 PM
Where does this leave SFR, especially without the Dollar General sponsorship? I kind of figured that SFR had a silent partner in Vision Racing. It seems that Vision Racing has now come back from the abyss. Will we see SFR on the grid next year?
Posted by: Savage Henry | November 02, 2011 at 04:41 PM
What great synergy! Alcohol and driving fast go together real well.
Posted by: Titus Pullo | November 02, 2011 at 06:09 PM
Hello, I'm Tony George...
Posted by: redcar | November 03, 2011 at 08:01 AM
Titus - You mean like all those years Budweiser was a sponsor for then for Newman/Haas? Or perhaps when Jim Beam was the sponsor for Dan Wheldon when he won Indy in 2005? Or the MGD car of Bobby Rahal?
Alcohol has a long history with sponsoring auto racing. Hell, I wish they'd bring back the tobacco money. Stupid law suits.
Posted by: Sean | November 03, 2011 at 09:32 AM
I see a marketing opportunity for some enterprising IndyCar team: Tito's Vodka, made in Austin Texas. Micro distilled six times, best I've had yet.
Two vodka brands dueling it out on a race track.
As for Ed jumping into a "new" team? Is it a rebranded Vision thing? With economics the way they are I would even welcome Tony back into the sport if it means keeping the series going. Some sacrifices hurt more then others.
Posted by: GeorgeK | November 03, 2011 at 11:29 AM
I couldn't win a race in five years in stepdaddy's team, but Sarah Fisher Racing gave me a job and helped me to victory lane. So,... I ought to leave Sarah Fisher Racing and ... try to assemble an entirely new IndyCar team, and ... have all the headaches of bottom-feeding team ownership ... while I'm not good on natural-terrain road courses and street courses ...
Posted by: Brian McKay | November 03, 2011 at 04:21 PM
Dosen't Ed's one win as a driver still gives him one more than Chip Gannasi as a driver?
Good luck to Ed.
And I think Sarah will be fine. She seems to know how to go out and round up sponsership.
Posted by: Chris Lukens | November 03, 2011 at 04:57 PM
Brian McKay hit the nail on the head. Regardless of what Chip did...Chip also had dump-truck loads of money going in (family ties) and started his ownership venture in a partnership with a pretty successful team owner named Pat Patrick.
I cannot imagine this is happening without TG in the background somewhere. Doesn't compute without that exponent involved.
I HOPE SFR/Sarah will be fine...
Posted by: Mike R | November 03, 2011 at 06:41 PM
I'd like to see Sarah pick up Katherine Legge. Not literally...
Posted by: redcar | November 03, 2011 at 07:23 PM
Katherine Legge is horrible. If she didn't have mams, she would have never ever stepped foot in a racecar.
I'd like to see Sarah pick up a driver who can actually race. Preferably one, who was born in this country.
Posted by: Jim Will Key | November 04, 2011 at 10:32 AM
Except Ed hired Derrick Walker to run the team. That's not so stupid and points to a desire to do something other than ride around in the back.
Posted by: Sean | November 07, 2011 at 09:14 AM