Ed Carpenter Racing and Chevrolet announce partnership

[Ed Carpenter Racing press release]

DETROIT (Feb. 13, 2012) — Ed Carpenter Racing and Chevrolet announced today that the legendary automaker will provide its new Chevy IndyCar V-6 racing engine to the Indianapolis-based racing team. Ed Carpenter Racing will field the No. 20 Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka car driven by Carpenter during the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series.

Carpenter, 30, will be the lone driver/car owner in the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series and is the most recent series race winner with his spectacular victory at Kentucky Speedway last October. On Nov. 4, 2011, Carpenter announced the new racing organization in association with Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka as the primary sponsor. Carpenter will campaign a single-car entry in 2012. PGA and Champions Tour professional Fuzzy Zoeller is the owner of Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka.

Chevrolet, a racing leader for more than 100 years, has recorded 104 Indy car wins, including six series championships and seven Indianapolis 500 victories. The 2012 Chevrolet IndyCar V-6 will have an aluminum block and cylinder heads, direct injection and twin-turbochargers. The engine will also be a fully-stressed chassis member supporting the gearbox and rear suspension.

“We are extremely excited to partner with Chevrolet for the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series,” said Carpenter, a Butler University marketing graduate. “Chevrolet has been an American legend for over a century and a winner in all forms of competition. It will be great to have the famed Bowtie back in the IndyCar Series. Being an American driver with an American engine makes me very proud to represent the Chevrolet brand. I can’t wait to have the Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka Chevrolet-powered machine on the track.”

“American made, American driven. Outstanding. We’re looking forward to having the trifecta between Ed Carpenter Racing, Chevrolet and Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka in 2012,” said Zoeller, the former Masters and U.S. Open champion. “We’ve teed it up a few times with the IZOD IndyCar Series in the past and now we’ve hit the hole-in-one with Ed and Chevrolet in 2012. On the tee, on the track, it’s the perfect finish to a great drive.”

“We are proud to announce Ed Carpenter Racing has now joined the Chevrolet family and that Ed will compete with the new Chevy Indy V-6 beginning in 2012,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet’s vice president of Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “Ed and his family have a long history with Chevrolet. Ed is a winning driver and we hope he’ll put the new Chevrolet engine back in victory lane this year. We are anxious to see Ed’s new car on the track with our new partnership.”

Chevrolet’s best-selling model, the new Cruze compact incorporates an Ecotec 1.4L turbo on LT, LTZ and Eco models. Its exhaust-driven turbocharger helps the engine perform like a larger engine when needed, but retains the efficiency of a small-displacement four-cylinder in most driving conditions. America’s favorite sports car, the Camaro is equipped with a 3.6L direct-injected V-6 as standard equipment, delivering an estimated 30 mpg on the highway on LS and LT models. These are just two examples of key Chevrolet products powered with advanced engine technology, offering fun-to-drive performance and outstanding fuel efficiency.