INDIANAPOLIS – Officials from IndyCar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway unveiled a diversity initiative Saturday morning to try to bring more inclusivity into the sport.
The program is known as the Race for Equality & Change, a major effort to support diversity and inclusivity across the IndyCar industry. A key pillar of Race for Equality & Change will be a $1 million fund to fuel internal and external programs and initiatives that will create fundamental change.
“As our country has grappled with systemic issues related to race, equality and access to opportunity, we’ve been doing a lot of listening, learning and reflecting,” Penske Entertainment Corp. President and CEO Mark Miles said. “Race for Equality & Change will create a more diverse and inclusive IndyCar community that fundamentally transforms our sport.”
Key focuses of the Race for Equality & Change include:
- Recruiting and developing a diverse workforce throughout all levels of IndyCar and IMS
Diversifying the competitive driver field at the grassroots, Road to Indy and NTT IndyCar Series levels - Supporting impactful grassroots youth motorsports programs, including enhancing the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s longstanding partnership with Nexgeneracers, a 501c3 that introduces minority students to the world of motorsports
- Diversifying employment, leadership and ownership within the NTT IndyCar Series and with IndyCar promoters
- Investment in minority communities to encourage greater engagement with IndyCar and IMS
- Establishing a procurement program to meaningfully increase the number of minority-owned businesses that contract with IndyCar and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway each year
As part of Saturday’s announcement, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway pylon will light up with a special Race for Equality & Change message during the NTT IndyCar Series GMR Grand Prix Saturday afternoon on the IMS road course. The NBC broadcast also will feature a conversation on the initiative between host Mike Tirico and Miles.