Just taking a moment to blink would have caused one to miss all the action that’s happened this year in the Indiana motorsports industry – things have been moving that fast. Indianapolis is the hub of activity for the racing industry in the Hoosier state, and several big developments have been recently announced that will be expanding the high-speed businesses in quite a few unique ways.
Futuristic IndyCar Facility
Earlier this summer, state officials and leaders from McLaren Racing announced a forthcoming state-of-the-art IndyCar facility that was described as “futuristic” and environmentally friendly. McLaren Racing is a global Formula One racing company based in the United Kingdom that has a long history in Indiana motorsports.
The company’s new facility is planned to be a $25 million investment that will result in about 175 new Hoosier jobs by 2025. Construction is scheduled to begin this fall with plans to open by early 2024.
The new building is going to have a big emphasis on advances in technology and engineering. It will be about 97,000 square feet of modern office space, technical areas, workshop space, logistics and transport areas, and dedicated space for the team to practice pit stops. There will also be a gym designed for sports science.
“I am delighted to be able to confirm this news as part of our long-term strategy for Arrow McLaren SP to relocate the team to a new facility fit for the future,” said Zak Brown, McLaren Racing CEO.
“We look forward to having a new, class-leading home for our team with access to the state-of-the-art resources they need to compete for wins and championships. Investment like this just shows the excitement and growth around IndyCar locally and nationally,” said Taylor Kiel, president of Arrow McLaren SP.
Arrow McLaren SP will be using the new location to run three full-time entries in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES in 2023, with plans to expand the team in the future. Arrow McLaren SP is an organization that represents three racing entities, including Arrow Electronics, McLaren Racing and Schmidt Peterson Motorsports. The trio formed a partnership a few years ago to compete for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship and the Indianapolis 500.
New Hub for the Motorsports Industry
Performance Racing Industry (PRI) recently opened its new 42,500-square-foot membership headquarters in Speedway, IN, located within walking distance of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The new facility will offer a broad range of programs and services to benefit the motorsports community.
PRI is an organization that supports the interests of racers and the racing industry through legislative action and advocacy. It provides companies with market research, education, and best practices in motorsports business and racing technology. Also, PRI hosts a massive trade show event each year, reportedly the world’s largest in-person event for motorsports professionals. This year they are expecting 50,000 attendees.
The first phase of PRI’s headquarters build-out included office space and areas to host motorsports gatherings and membership meetings. Phase two will add space for live and virtual educational opportunities. Officials have stated this new location will be a hub for the entire motorsports industry.
“PRI is focused on advocating for the future of the racing industry,” said Dr. Jamie Meyer, president of PRI. “We’re creating a unified voice for the motorsports community and providing opportunities for the industry to succeed.”
Accelerating Women in Motorsports
Indiana has a new initiative to accelerate career pathways and mentorship opportunities for female students interested in motorsports. Developed by partnering companies Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR) and PNC Bank, the new Women In Motorsports internship program is intended to drive awareness and support for gender equality and economic inclusion for women in the workforce. The inaugural class of interns was announced late this spring.
CGR is a racing organization based in Indianapolis that competes in events such as the NTT IndyCar Series and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Students in the program will work closely with race team managers and department leaders to assist on vital projects across the team’s racing functions, such as racing operations, engineering to information technology, athletic training, and more.
“Data shows that teams with meaningful representation of women create more innovative solutions faster than non-diverse teams,” said Debbie Guild, PNC head of enterprise technology and security. “We know that creating a community of support is a simple yet effective way to tell these women to stick with motorsports and demonstrate to them that it is an exciting and rewarding career for women, just as much as it is for men. We look forward to seeing how these women make a difference in the future of motorsports.”
The Business of Speed
Beyond being great for motorsports entertainment, these racing industry developments bring a lot of opportunities for Hoosiers. Each one of the summer of 2022’s racing announcements will support different facets of the industry’s growth. Together, they’re going to add to enhance our state’s profile around the world and will help keep us well ahead of the competition – which is, of course, the name of the game.
Caption for image:
Pictured are (l to r): Jessica Young, CGR intern for Athletic Training, University of North Texas; Leela Edwards, CGR intern for Mechanic/Subassembly, Harper College; Rebecca Hutton, CGR intern for Engineering, IUPUI; Jennifer Short, CGR intern for Engineering, Purdue University; and Kenna Edwards, CGR intern for Information Technology, IU. Image from PNC Bank.
