Hitachi Continues Partnership with Helio Castroneves and Team Penske

Hitachi announced that Hitachi America, Ltd. will serve as the primary sponsor for eight races on the No. 3 Team Penske Dallara/Chevrolet driven by Helio Castroneves in the 2014 IndyCar Series season.

“Through our collaboration with Team Penske we have been able to transfer both technology and application experience from racing components into production vehicles that are on the road today. The relationship in 2013 with both Team Penske and Chevrolet has truly been a collaborative partnership,” Rob Sharpe, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Hitachi Automotive Systems Americas, Inc. said. “We are thrilled to continue this relationship in 2014.”

Hitachi partnered with Team Penske in 2012, serving as primary sponsor on Ryan Briscoe’s No. 2 Team Penske IndyCar. They then shifted to Castroneves’ ride in 2003.

“The 2014 sponsorship will provide Hitachi Group companies ‘as a whole’ with the opportunity to leverage the tremendous branding and social media value for Hitachi’s more than 70 companies in North America as well as globally for Hitachi,” Lauren Raguzin, Director, Branding and Corporate Communications, Hitachi America, Ltd., said. “Partnering with such well-established and successful entities like Team Penske and Helio Castroneves puts Hitachi in a strong position as we continue to refine our new global brand business strategy around Hitachi’s Social Innovation Business.”

Castroneves is a three-time Indianapolis 500 winner and finished second in points last year to Scott Dixon.

“I’m excited to represent Hitachi again during the 2014 IndyCar Series season,” Castroneves said. “We were so close to winning a championship together last year. Through hard work and their continued support, I believe an even better season is on the horizon for us.”

Hitachi added that they will also serve as an associate sponsor on  the No. 2 Dallara/Chevrolet driven by Juan Pablo Montoya and the No. 12 Verizon Dallara/Chevrolet driven by Will Power.

The season opener for the 2014 IndyCar season is the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 30th.

“One of our goals at Penske Racing is to create true, integrated global partners for our race teams,” Roger Penske said. “Hitachi Automotive Systems and the Hitachi Group have certainly represented this type of partnership with Team Penske. Working closely with Chevrolet on the fuel injection systems on our IndyCars, Hitachi has been instrumental in many of our race wins, but our relationship extends far beyond what you see on the racetrack.”