PORTLAND, Ore. (August 27, 2018)- The Grand Prix of Portland is proud to announce new corporate partnership and official sponsor additions to the event held at Portland International Raceway (PIR), August 31-September 2.
BMW, B. Young RV, Firestone, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, MillerCoors, Pepsi, and The Oregonian have joined in to support the Verizon IndyCar Series event bringing elite open-wheel racing back to Portland and Pacific Northwest after an 11-year absence. Previous partnership announcements included Cooper Tires, Lanphere Automotive Group and Motorcycles, Red Lion on the River - Jantzen Beach, TriMet and World of Speed Motorsports Museum.
"The interest in the Grand Prix of Portland is increasing in intensity with each day it gets closer, not only with race fans but also with the corporate community," said Jerry Jensen, general manager of the Grand Prix of Portland. "In addition to the jam-packed racing schedule on PIR, these new partners' activations are building awareness and will bring fantastic atractions to the weekend for both race fans and festival goers to experience."
A long-time supporter and official tire supplier of Indy car racing, Firestone will have extensive trackside television signage and a large display presence in IndyCar Fan Village. Plus, Firehawk, Firestone's popular racing mascot, will be greeting fans on the PIR grounds throughout the festival weekend. Green Savoree Racing Promotions, the owners and operators of the Grand Prix of Portland, holds a long-standing partnership with the tire manufacturer through its title sponsorship of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
BMW is the official luxury vehicle of the Grand Prix of Portland. Fans will spot these automobiles in the pre-race parade laps for all nine races, plus they will have numerous on site activations and displays. Portland-based B. Young RV is an official sponsor and supplier of the race weekend and will feature an executive motorcoach display during the Grand Prix of Portland.
Hewlett Packard Enterprise will have trackside signage and branding around the event site. MillerCoors is the official beer showcasing the Coors Light brand which will be served throughout the event site and hospitality suites. Coors Light will have off track signage in key spectator areas.
Pepsi is the official soft drink and water through its Aquafina brand. It will have exclusive pouring rights at the Grand Prix of Portland and has provided in-market activations through its Mountain Dew brand throughout the Portland metro area via Fred Meyer and Plaid Pantry. Pepsi is also supporting the event race week through Grand Prix of Portland IndyCar show car appearances at some of its key retail stores including Fred Meyer and Wal-Mart stores. Its brand new energy drink BANG will be featured during the Grand Prix of Portland.
The Oregonian, through both its print edition and online presence at OregonLive.com, is an official sponsor and media partner for the event. It has run an extensive advertising campaign, sponsored content and special takeovers online to broaden the awareness for the Grand Prix of Portland. Look for The Oregonian's on site display at PIR.
Racing action will be non-stop during the weekend, headlined by Sunday's 105-lap (206.54 miles) Verizon IndyCar Series race serving as Round 16 of 17 on the 2018 season schedule. Doubleheaders will be held for all three open-wheel development series comprising the Mazda Road to Indy presented by Cooper Tires. Championships will be on the line as PIR is the final stop in 2018 for these three series. Mazda Global MX-5 Cup will provide additional full-fender action.
The Grand Prix of Portland is a tremendous family value. Children 12 and under receive free general admission to the event and free admission to the Verizon IndyCar Series paddock throughout the weekend when accompanied by a ticketed adult. Visit portlandgp.com for ticket information.
ABOUT GRAND PRIX OF PORTLAND
Portland International Raceway (PIR) is the home of the Grand Prix of Portland. PIR is a 1.967-mile, 12-turn permanent road course owned by the City of Portland and operated under the Portland Parks and Recreation. Opened in 1960 to host sports car and drag racing, the 268-acre property is the site of over 550 events annually including automotive and motorcycle road racing, motocross, cruise-ins and other special events including the Rose Cup Races.
The inaugural Indy car race PIR was held in 1984 and won by Al Unser Jr. Current Verizon IndyCar Series driver Sebastien Bourdais was the winner of PIR's last professional open-wheel event in 2007. Indy car racing had a rich 24-year tradition racing at PIR from 1984-2007 which included many memorable races. The Father's Day race of 1986 featured Mario Andretti victorious over his son Michael on the last lap by less than a second. There was also the closest three-way road racing finish in Indy car history in 1997 when the top three were covered by just 0.055 of a second. The Grand Prix of Portland is owned and operated by Green Savoree Racing Promotions, which also promotes Honda Indy Toronto (July 13-15, 2018), The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio (July 27-29, 2018) and Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg (March 8-10, 2019).
For more information, visit portlandgp.com, 'like' its Facebook page @PortlandGP or follow updates on Twitter @Portland_GP and Instagram at @Portland_GP using #PortlandGP.
