SPEEDWAY, Ind. — IndyCar and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway announced Saturday a “Race for Equality & Change” effort to support diversity and inclusion in the sport.
A $1 million fund has been established to fund initiatives to create opportunities for a more diverse and inclusive community within the racing series.
“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 as part of a statement announcing the new initiative.
The “Race for Equality & Change” will include:
- Recruiting and developing a diverse workforce throughout all levels of IndyCar and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
- Diversifying the competitive driver field at the grassroots, Road to Indy and NTT IndyCar series levels
- Supporting grassroots youth motorsport programs, including enhancing the Speedway’s longstanding partnership with Nexgeneracers, a 501c3 that introduces minority students to the world of motorsports
- Diversifying employment, leadership and ownership within the series and with IndyCarpromoters
- Investment in minority communities to encourage greater engagement with IndyCar and the Motor Speedway
- Establishing a procurement program to meaningfully increase the number of minority-owned businesses that contract with IndyCar and IMS each year
To mark the announcement, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway pylon will light up with a special “Race for Equality & Change” message during the NTT IndyCar GMR Grand Prix Saturday on the IMS road course.
NBC Sports host Mike Tirico and Miles are scheduled to talk about the initiative during the live race broadcast on WTHR.
