WIX Filters® And Paul Tracy Join Dreyer & Reinbold Racing For The 100th anniversary Of The Indianapolis 500

Monday, 21 March 2011

Dreyer & Reinbold Racing is excited to announce that WIX Filters will join the team as the primary sponsor for the DRR machine piloted by Paul Tracy during the 100th Anniversary of the Indianapolis 500. WIX, whose highly-engineered filtration products have become a staple in auto racing around the country, will unite with the team for the first time as the primary sponsor for the Indianapolis 500 as well as serve as an associate partner on the No. 22 car of Justin Wilson for the 2011 season.

“Dreyer & Reinbold Racing is extremely happy to welcome WIX Filters to the team for the Indianapolis 500 and for the 2011 season. We have worked hard to maintain a strong relationship with our sponsors and to build new ones. We couldn’t be happier to have WIX Filters on board with us and we look forward to growing with them in the future. We are also very excited to have Paul drive the WIX Filters car. He’s a great personality and driver and we believe he will be very competitive during the Indy 500,” commented Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Co-Owner, Robbie Buhl.

Since 1939, WIX has been an innovator in filtration products. WIX designs, manufactures and distributes products for automotive, diesel, agricultural, industrial and specialty filter markets. Its product line includes oil, air, cabin interior, fuel, coolant, transmission and hydraulic filters for automobiles, trucks and off-road equipment.

“WIX has a strong history of racing excellence, from dirt tracks and drag strips to super speedways, and it is with great anticipation that we join forces with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing for our first expedition into IndyCar racing,” said Jeff Blocher, vice president of sales for WIX Filters. “With this year marking the 100th Anniversary of the Indianapolis 500, there could be no better time for WIX to make its debut into this exciting competition. We look forward to sharing the WIX brand with the millions of IndyCar Series fans around the globe.”

Piloting the DRR WIX Filters entry for the 100th Anniversary of the Indianapolis 500 will be Paul Tracy. The Canadian was the sensible choice for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing as not only does he have experience on ovals and at the Indianapolis 500, over his entire career, he has competed in 273 IndyCar-type events. Tracy, the 2003 Champ Car World Series champion, will be competing with DRR for the 4th time.

Tracy, now in his 21st season, has had a storied career that has made him one of the top drivers in open-wheel racing and the ‘winning-est active driver’ in the Series to date. He is among the top-10 in almost every Champ Car career statistical category including wins, 31 (tied for seventh all-time), poles, 25 (ninth all-time), and laps led, 4,238 (sixth all-time).

Over the last 20 years, Tracy has earned 75 career podium performances, 102 top-five finishes and 144 top-10 showings in 273 starts (262 in Champ Car and 11 in IZOD IndyCar, tied for seventh all-time). In the 15 seasons in which Tracy has competed in over 80 percent of the races, he has finished in the top-10 in the championship standings 10 times including eight times in the top-five, four in the top-three and captured the championship in 2003.

“Obviously it feels great to be back with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. It’s been a chaotic winter, but it’s good to have the deal stowed away with a competitive program lined up with WIX Filters and DRR for the Indianapolis 500. I’m really happy to have signed a deal with Dennis and Robbie. It’s great to be with a team like DRR, they have quality equipment and a solid engineering group with Larry Curry. It’s a relief to have this deal done from that standpoint. I’m super excited, and want to thank WIX Filters for placing confidence in me as their brand ambassador at the Indy 500,” commented Tracy.

Please stay tuned for more announcements to come in the following days. For more updates on the team, please visit www.dreyerreinboldracing.com .

About Dreyer & Reinbold Racing:

Dreyer & Reinbold Racing is entering its 12th season of full-time competition in 2011, making it one of the longest-tenured teams in IZOD IndyCar Series competition. Current Co-Owners, Dennis Reinbold and Robbie Buhl, first teamed in full-time competition at the Walt Disney World Speedway in January of 2000. With Buhl behind the wheel, the two owners tasted victory in their debut race. The 2009 IZOD IndyCar Series season-opener, on the streets of St. Petersburg, marked Dreyer & Reinbold Racing’s 200th series start. DRR now has over 270 starts to tuck under its belt and has qualified a total of 27 cars for the Indianapolis 500. In its history, the team has boasted a championship list of alumni drivers. Besides Buhl, the team has run Indianapolis 500 winners, Al Unser, Jr., Buddy Lazier, and Buddy Rice, along with IZOD IndyCar Series race winner, Ryan Briscoe. The team has one of the longest lines of heritage in American open-wheel racing and the Indianapolis 500 as Dennis Reinbold’s grandfather, "Pop" Dreyer, built leading roadsters that raced at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the 30s, 40s, and 50s.

More information on the team can be found at www.dreyerreinboldracing.com

More information on the IZOD IndyCar Series can be found at www.indycar.com.