Andersen Racing marketing news 2010-09-30

Wide Open Performance Introduces Revolutionary Infused Calcium Technology For Beverages Via Marketing Program With Andersen Racing

PALMETTO, Fla., Sept. 30 - Wide Open Performance and Infused Calcium Technologies have teamed up with Andersen Racing to promote calcium-enhanced beverages in Firestone Indy Lights, the official development series of the IZOD IndyCar Series, beginning with this weekend's season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Fla.

The marketing program is called Racing 4 Bone Health.

Infused Calcium Technologies (ICT), based in Irvington, N.J., developed the technology to dissolve calcium in beverages. Wide Open Performance, which is based in Abingdon, Va., has an energy drink, teas, bottled water and cranberry juice in the marketplace. Wide Open Performance's most recent product development includes ICT's technology for its lines of teas and calcium waters that will be in the marketplace later in 2010.

The companies are using Andersen Racing's teams to bring awareness not only to its beverages but also to the global health concern of osteoporosis, a disease in which bones become increasingly brittle and subject to fracture due to a lack of calcium as one ages.

The companies' decals will be displayed on Andersen Racing's No. 4 Firestone Indy Lights car this weekend at Homestead, which is being driven by Sean Guthrie.

The marketing program will also feature Andersen Racing in promotional posters. In addition, Wide Open Performance's beverages will also be sold to karters and corporate karting participants at Andersen RacePark, a 1-mile road course in Palmetto, Fla. where the team is headquartered.

"After several years of development I am pleased to announce that this relationship can serve as a catalyst to not only bring awareness to the global menace of osteoporosis, but also to help increase the dialogue between medical professionals and patients for the testing, treatment and prevention thereof," said Thomas Underdahl, founder and chief executive officer of Wide Open Performance and director of ICT. "By being able to deliver 500 mg of completely absorbable calcium in each 20-ounce bottle of water beverages, we can make a difference by encouraging our customers to not only stay hydrated, but to intake the daily recommended calcium requirement at the same time.

"I cannot thank Dr. Rifat Parvez, a formulation scientist, enough for his dedicated effort in the past four years to make this technology happen," Underdahl continued. "By combining this technology with the global sport of auto racing we can make a difference to help reduce the incidence of osteoporosis."

"Our technology is flexible enough to be applied to multiple products," said Dr. Parvez. "This technology is revolutionary because it solubilizes the otherwise insoluble calcium and makes it completely assimilated by the body, which is something that has never been accomplished before."

"We hope the Racing 4 Bone Health program brings attention to ways to battle the problem of osteoporosis," said Dan Andersen, Andersen Racing's chief executive officer. "Racing has long been a showplace for the newest technology and drivers are always searching for ways to improve their physical conditioning. We hope that racing's 'wide-open' lifestyle will encourage the public to get the recommended amount of calcium daily, and will contribute to improving the health of people around the world for years to come."

-source: andersen racing