IMSA: Hinchcliffe to drive Starworks Riley-Honda DP at Road America - MotorSportsTalk

James Hinchcliffe will make a cameo appearance in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship this weekend at Road America, co-driving with Scott Mayer in the No. 78 Honda-powered Riley Daytona Prototype from Starworks Motorsport.

Hinchcliffe has raced at Road America in Formula Atlantic and has made one TUDOR Championship start this year, as part of SpeedSource Mazda’s P2 lineup at the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

“I’m really excited to be at Road America this weekend with Starworks and HPD. I don’t have a ton of time in the DP cars, but I know Road America well and I’m sure, with a team like Starworks, they will get me up to speed quick,” he said in a team release. “Already having a relationship with HPD makes this an even cooler proposition and should help make the transition easier. More than anything I’m just happy to be in a car on an off weekend!”

Mayer and Brendon Hartley won the GRAND-AM race overall last year. The 3.5L twin-turbocharged Honda itself has gone through a reworking and the Riley chassis has had some aero upgrades.

This is an interesting development to note because the appointment of Hinchcliffe to the Honda-powered DP – when other IndyCar drivers could be available – could be a sign the Canadian is set to continue with the manufacturer in 2015.

While IndyCar is off this weekend, Hinchcliffe and Jack Hawksworth will be in the TUDOR Championship field. Hawksworth makes his second consecutive start aboard RSR Racing’s No. 08 Oreca FLM09, which he co-drove to the Prototype Challenge win with Chris Cumming last race at Indianapolis.

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The IndyCar Series has re-signed NTT as its title sponsor in a multiyear agreement starting in 2024.

NTT, a global information technology and communications company based in Japan, became the series’ title sponsor before the 2019 season after starting as a sponsor of the No. 10 Dallara-Honda for Chip Ganassi Racing.

NTT Data (a subsidiary of parent company Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp.) will remain the official technology partner of IndyCar, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Indy 500 and the NASCAR Brickyard weekend.

With the extension, an IndyCar spokesman said NTT would become the second-longest title sponsor in series history. The longest title sponsor was PPG from 1980-97 (under the CART sanction of the Champ Car Series).

NTT replaced Verizon, which was IndyCar’s title sponsor from 2014-18 after IZOD from 2010-13.

“NTT is an excellent partner across our enterprise with strong expertise and a deep commitment to our sport,” Penske Corp. chairman and IndyCar owner Roger Penske said in a release. “From Smart Venue technology at the Racing Capital of the World to the reimagined Series mobile application, NTT is transforming the fan experience in new and innovative ways. We look forward to a bright future together.”

NTT has used artificial intelligence-enabled optical detection technology at IMS to provide information to the track’s operations and security teams, helping improve fan traffic flow and safety, the track said.

“IndyCar is a great partner for NTT Data because of our shared commitment to driving innovation, increasing sustainability and delivering amazing experiences,” NTT Data CEO Kaz Nishihata said in a release. “We also appreciate how IndyCar is so diverse, with drivers from 15 different countries, and races that range from short ovals and superspeedways to road and street courses. It’s both an incredible sport and a wonderful example for our world.”

NTT also has been instrumental in helping redesign the IndyCar app and providing more race and driver data for use in NBC Sports’ broadcasts by utilizing 140 data points from every car in the field.

“NTT is fully invested in the development and growth of our sport and has already established a terrific track record in our industry with problem-solving capabilities and access to top talent and tools,” Penske Entertainment president and CEO Mark Miles said.

Said NTT Data Services CEO Bob Pryor: “We’re thrilled to continue our collaborations that enhance and expand the fan experience for motorsports and serve as proof points for data analytics, AI, and other innovative digital technologies. For more than a century, this racing series has pioneered innovations making driving safer for everyone, and by continuing this relationship, we will accelerate the pace of innovations and new technologies, particularly related to sustainability that ultimately can benefit organizations, communities and individuals around the world.”

Starting as a Japanese telephone company, NTT grew into a $100 billion-plus tech services giant with U.S. operations based in Plano, Texas.