Red Horse Racing announced today that Local Motors, a cutting-edge technology company, will partner with Ben Kennedy in 2015. The multi-race sponsorship of the No. 11 Local Motors Toyota Tundra will kick off with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season opener at Daytona International Speedway on Friday, February 20.
The partnership between Local Motors and Kennedy introduces co-creation to the NASCAR world. Similar to crowdsourcing, co-creation has been perfected by the Local Motors team, who uses the concept to bring groundbreaking vehicles to market at breakneck speeds. Notable Local Motors vehicles that have been co-created include the Rally Fighter, the world’s first co-created car and the Strati, the world’s first 3D-printed car.
“Local Motors is leading the industry in 3D-printing and co-creation, two concepts I very strongly think will play a role in the future of racing,” said Kennedy. “The opportunity to partner with them allows me to be on the forefront of innovation while also giving me the chance to extend that to fans, who can expect a variety of new and really deep ways to engage with the sport.”
Co-creation will offer fans of racing unprecedented access to interact with the driver, the race team and the No. 11 Local Motors Toyota Tundra. Using the Local Motors web-based application, fans will have the opportunity to be part of the race experience like never before. The fans are invited to co-create alongside Kennedy and the RHR team online, where they can join discussions about the technical aspects of the races, meet and converse with other fans, upload and share photos, offer ideas on how to improve, and participate in a variety of challenges – all to benefit the team, the sport and vehicle innovation at large.
The first challenge, launching this April at LocalMotors.com, will be a Design Challenge to crowdsource a custom graphic for one of Kennedy’s race helmets. The winning design will be chosen by fans, Kennedy and the RHR team, and will debut at the May 15 race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Later challenges will include aspects up to and including vehicle dynamics, aerodynamics, race set-ups and more.
“At Local Motors, we believe in investing in what’s next,” said John B. Rogers, Jr., CEO and co-founder of Local Motors. “Which is why it makes sense that our first foray into NASCAR would be to team up with Ben, who shares our same fearless spirit of innovation. Together, we are pioneering the latest in vehicle technology – both on and off the track.”
Live coverage of the NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona International Speedway on Friday, Feb. 20 begins at 7:30 p.m. EST on FOX Sports 1.
