With the name Fueled By Bacon Special, what guy won’t be following the No. 43 Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda driven by Conor Daly during the Month of May?
Smithfield Foods will be the primary sponsor of the team’s third entry in the 99th Indianapolis 500 Mile Race. The global food company, founded in 1936, is the world’s largest provider of high-quality pork products.
Smithfield Foods vice president of Corporate Marketing Bob Weber said the partnership with the Verizon IndyCar Series team for the iconic American event is a “dynamic marketing tool for our brands.”
“We’ve been in motorsports, as most people know across the country, now in Sprint Cup. It’s exciting for us to finally step forward with the Indy 500,” Weber said. “It’s the next logical step for us. Our motorsports has proven very effective for us, not only in expanding our brand nationally but also in generating sales for our company.
“Our partnership with Schmidt Peterson Motorsports and driver Conor Daly, whom I have monitored since his days in karting, is a very special opportunity. I’m not sure how we could make our debut into this sport at a better venue than at ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.’ ”
Daly, who made his Verizon IndyCar Series debut in the 2013 Indianapolis 500 with AJ Foyt Racing, participated in the Opening Day on-track activities on the 2.5-mile oval May 3. He competed for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports in Indy Lights in 2011 before venturing to Europe to compete in the GP3 and GP2 series.
“I have had a great relationship with Sam Schmidt since driving for him in Indy Lights and I’ve always wanted a shot with his Verizon IndyCar Series team,” said Daly, who made his second series start April 19 at Long Beach as a replacement driver for the injured Rocky Moran Jr. in a Dale Coyne Racing entry. “It’s an honor to make my second attempt at running the Indy 500 representing a company like Smithfield, which has a great passion for motorsports.”
