Marco Andretti will have primary sponsorship from Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana for the 105th running of the Indy 500.
The campaign, anchored by the hashtag #NoOneRunsOnEmpty, was launched last year as Gleaners Food Bank sponsored Colton Herta in all three races held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Herta gave the sponsor a perfect record of top-10 finishes, including an eighth in the Indy 500.
With the sponsorship, Gleaners hopes to raise awareness of food insecurity in the state of Indiana during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Last year’s campaign plateaued at more than double the families served before the outbreak. COVID-19 has left a larger number of families in need of assistance, and more than 40 percent of them are currently being served by Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana.
“The No One Runs on Empty awareness campaign launched last July with key goals of raising awareness of the impact of food insecurity on the lives of our neighbors, and spurring action in the form of advocacy, volunteerism, or donations,” said John Elliott, CEO, Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana in a release. “By any measure, that effort was a success.
“We also hoped for continued development of our partnership with Andretti Autosport, and the addition of new mission partners who were drawn to our mission and to those we serve. The Andretti family became part of the Gleaners team in every way and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway stepped forward in a big way, allowing us to host mobile pantries on site, and engaging with Gleaners as an official charitable partner.
“And today, we welcome a new mission partner – Group1001 – who heard our message in 2020 and wanted to be a part of it in 2021. No one runs on empty – certainly not Marco – but even more critically, the nearly one million Hoosiers who may face food insecurity at this very moment.”
Thur, Apr. 8: Gleaners hosts 5 drive-up food distributions – Warren, Westland, Southfield and Melvindale. Times and locations: https://t.co/jIngUuyc6u Please RT and share! pic.twitter.com/OPw6J6dnUH
— Gleaners Community Food Bank (@Gleaners) April 8, 2021
Group1001 is a division of Gainbridge, the presenting sponsor of the Indy 500.
“It’s been an honor to team up with organizations like Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana and Group1001 to help drive out hunger in our hometown,” stated Michael Andretti, CEO of Andretti Autosport. “It’s been a tough year for a lot of people and the work that Gleaners is doing during this pandemic has been impressive to say the least. We’re proud to be able to provide a platform for them to not only raise awareness but also elevate their mission through our IndyCar program.”
Marco Andretti sat on the pole for last year’s Indy 500 before finishing 13th. This year, Andretti will run only a part time schedule and the Indy 500 will be his first race of the season,
“I’m ready to get back on track at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this May and I’m very excited that I get to do that while representing such a great organization like Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana and Group1001 to help make sure No One Runs On Empty,” said Marco Andretti. “I have put all of my focus into winning the Indianapolis 500 this year and I feel that the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is where I bring the most to the table as a driver. I have come so close to winning over the years and after winning the pole last year, I’m more determined than ever to get an Indianapolis 500 win.”
The announcement comes during a month in which Indianapolis Motor Speedway has teamed with the University of Indiana Health System to deliver up to 100,000 vaccinations in a drive through of the famed tracks garages and alongside pit road.
In addition to the entries already announced, Indy Star’s Nathan Brown is reporting that Michael Andretti hopes to field a sixth entry for the 105th Indy 500.
.@michaelandretti said his team is gearing up with the goal of fielding a 6th car in next month’s Indy 500.
— Nathan Brown (@By_NathanBrown) April 6, 2021
Said the team is in talks with a couple drivers and hope to have something to announce soon.