Wix Filters will return to Dreyer & Reinbold Racing and driver Sage Karam as chief technical partner for the 2019 Indy 500. It will be the seventh season as a partner of the team.
“Dreyer & Reinbold Racing and WIX Filters have formed a tremendous partnership for many years now and we’re very excited to continue our technical relationship for another year at the legendary Indy 500 with talented young driver Sage Karam,” said Jeff Blocker, director of sales for WIX in a release. “Dennis Reinbold’s racing team is very experienced and always comes to the world’s biggest race with a solid chance to contend for victory.
“And Sage has been outstanding to work with on and off the race track. Each year, Sage charges up the Indy 500 field and puts the WIX car in contention and we look forward to another strong performance this year with the No. 24 WIX Filters race car.”
As a rookie in 2014, Karam won the Hard Charger award after starting 31st and climbing to ninth. With that run, he developed a reputation for racing through the field, although his last three efforts have ended behind the wall with crash damage in 2016 and 2018, as well as battery failure in 2017.
“It’s hard to believe this Indy 500 will be my fifth with DRR and each year we have had a strong race car,” Karam continued. “We’ve run in the top 10 each time and we just need to get to that checkered flag again. My racing mindset has improved each year and I’m ready to take the No. 24 WIX Filters DRR car to the front.”
This will be Karam’s sixth career Indy 500 and fifth with the team.
After his incredible top-10 finish as a rookie, Karam was eliminated in a Lap 1 accident in 2015 while racing for Chip Ganassi.
In 2016, Sage drove from 23rd to fourth before his accident. Last year, he came from 24th to sixth on Lap 154.
“Dreyer & Reinbold Racing and WIX Filters have enjoyed a great seven-year partnership and we’re thrilled to bring WIX back to the Indy 500 in 2019 with Sage,” said Dennis Reinbold, team owner. “WIX has been a leader in its category for 80 years and has made numerous valuable contributions to motorsports industry as well as to Dreyer & Reinbold Racing.”
Karam will hit the track on Tuesday, May 14 in practice. All practice session will air live on IndyCar Pass - NBC’s, available for subscription at the IndyCar Pass on NBC Sports Gold site.
The Indy 500 will air Sunday, May 26 at 12:15 on NBC.