MOORESVILLE, N.C. — The American Legion is “reporting for duty” with IndyCar as the 103-year-old military veterans’ organization has attained official partnership status with the auto racing series.
The multi-year agreement that makes The American Legion an official charity partner of IndyCar was announced Thursday in Indianapolis.
The American Legion is the largest veterans service organization, with nearly 2 million members and more than 12,000 posts in communities throughout America.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway opened in 1909. The American Legion was founded in 1919, just after the conclusion of World War I. The Legion’s National Headquarters is based in Indianapolis, just a few miles away from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The Indianapolis 500 began in 1911 as a Memorial Day or Memorial Day weekend sporting spectacle that has become a grand tradition.
It may have taken more than 100 years for the two to get together, but it seems a natural that The American Legion and the Indianapolis 500 have joined forces.
“Thinking in terms of Indy, think about the time of year that it falls,” said Dean Kessel, chief marketing officer of The American Legion. “Memorial Day Weekend is a big time of honor and remembrance for those that have fallen that have served in the military. Just from a date on the calendar, it’s a huge event for us.
“Couple that with IndyCar is based in Indianapolis and The American Legion is based in Indianapolis, we will have a ton of stuff going on. Jimmie is working on some special things for us from a promotional standpoint. Poppy Day falls during that weekend as well, and that is another big thing in terms of honor and remembrance perspective and our activation plans as well. We are also working with NBC as part of the broadcast and how we can make sure The American Legion and veterans are showcased in the right manner as well.”
The multi-year agreement gives The American Legion a chance to use additional assets during an IndyCar weekend including a new activation area.
“The American Legion performs an incredibly vital role for our veterans, for whose service and sacrifice we’re eternally grateful,” said Mark Miles, president, and CEO of Penske Entertainment Corp., which owns IndyCar and the NTT IndyCar Series. “This partnership will help to accelerate The Legion’s goals through various promotions, and we hope Legionnaires everywhere will join our team and follow our exciting series with its bold, hyper-competitive drivers and precise teamwork.”
This partnership increases The American Legion’s involvement with the series that started with Chip Ganassi Racing.
“Partnering with IndyCar is a no-brainer for The American Legion,” said Kessel, who helped bring Lowe’s and Nextel into to NASCAR earlier in his career E. “For 103 years, Indianapolis has been the host city of our national headquarters. It is also the home of The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.
“Pairing these two legendary institutions makes sense on so many levels. This partnership enables us to tell the story of how American Legion posts strengthen communities across the country. Race fans are patriotic. Like Legionnaires, they believe in supporting veterans and their families. The bottom line is that this partnership makes both The American Legion and IndyCar even stronger.”
The Legion is a major associate sponsor on the No. 48 Carvana/American Legion Honda driven by Jimmie Johnson and will be the primary sponsor of fan favorite Tony Kanaan’s Honda in the 106th Indianapolis 500 on May 29.
“Jimmie will continue to be the centerpiece,” Kessel said. “We will continue to use the TV spots on NBC that feature Jimmie. We will start to use drivers that IndyCar has access to and other Ganassi drivers as well. Alex Palou, Tony Kanaan and of course, Jimmie Johnson is a big part of that. We haven’t put it all together yet but think about PSAs at the track with other drivers telling fans to join The American Legion and help our veterans.
“I think it’s incredibly valuable to have different voices involved and speaks to our desires to be more part of the fabric of IndyCar. It’s extending our relationship beyond our one-car deal with Chip Ganassi and working across the entire sport. It gives us broader awareness of us across the sport.”
IndyCar and The American Legion will collaborate to promote a variety of Legion programs, including raising awareness of the growing problem of veteran suicide.
Programs at the track will include patriotic displays, flag raising and lowering ceremonies, giveaways, and public address announcements, while both groups will cross-promote on social media and through constituent communications and advertising.
“The reaction internally, not from everybody, but they asked how is it going to work? How is it going to help our mission in serving veterans? We’ve been able to demonstrate that,” Kessel said. “We’ve been able to expand our awareness inside the sport and now expand our footprint inside the sport. I think our membership is very happy with where we are right now.
“We will be doing something at every race market for The American Legion with our membership. Think in terms of we might bring a driver to a Post one night. That will enable them to do a fundraiser or even a membership drive. Then, we will be bringing people out to the track.
“This year, if you sign up to become a member of The Legion, or you donate or are a member and come by and say hello, we have an opportunity to take a winner every race from that pool of folks who have signed up to victory lane, which is an experience you can’t really get anywhere else. That’s part of the experience as well.”
Keyword: American Legion Reports For Duty With IndyCar