IRL: Andretti Green Racing 7-11 continues

Andretti Green Racing and 7-Eleven Stores today confirmed their agreement to renew a partnership that began last year with the 86th running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race. The company will, once again, serve as the primary sponsor of driver Tony Kanaan and the #11 Team 7-Eleven Dallara/Honda in the Indy Racing League's premier IndyCar Series.

President and CEO Jim Keyes said 7-Eleven, Inc., based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area will continue with the team for three very important reasons: The firm appreciates the reputation of abilities of Andretti Green Racing, after coming close twice in the last two years at the Indianapolis 500 (2nd in 2002, 3rd in 2003), Keyes believes AGR has a distinct opportunity to win next year and, thirdly, the partnership gives 7-Eleven customers the unique chance to participate and celebrate the success of the team.

Bonding with participatory promotions, 7-Eleven Inc. intends to sell performance products used by AGR, items such as performance-enhancing nutritional bars and drinks, among others. The company has also produced a 7-Eleven convenience prepaid card to allow its point-of-sale clientele to conduct faster transactions at the cash register. The first examples of the convenience card have the firm's Big Gulp( logo on the side of a #26 7- Eleven Andretti Green Racing Indy car.

Kanaan is one of five drivers eligible to take the 2003 IndyCar Series championship, lying third and just seven significant points out of the lead. 2004 will by the Brazilian's second season in a two-year contract with Team 7-Eleven and Andretti Green Racing. "We've accomplished a lot this year as a new team in a new series," Kanaan recognizes. "We've been very consistent and been able to put ourselves in the position to, well, be where we are.

"I hope to come back here next year as champion and help keep Team 7-Eleven in the IndyCar Series for many years to come," Kanaan continued. "I feel we made the right choice in coming to this series and I hope we can come back and celebrate" later in the day.

Andretti was quite coy about the immediate future of his team. Stating his belief that "continuity is very important for this team," he either would not or could not make definitive statements about the balance of the Andretti Green Racing team for 2004. "We are working to keep the entire team intact," he revealed," and we're close to making it happen but not there yet."

Michael Andretti did indicate he wants to continue with a three-car team that could include Dan Wheldon, Bryan Herta and/or Dario Franchitti, currently recovering from surgery to correct injuries suffered in a motorcycle accident this spring.