Penske Entertainment, the parent company of the Indycar open-wheel motor racing series as well as the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) venue, has announced a new partnership with US communications tech firm Cisco to cover both properties.
The two-way partnership will see Cisco become a partner of the Indycar series and the IMS, with both leveraging the tech company’s range of solutions to enhance infrastructure, wireless connectivity, cloud management, and digital security.
Furthermore, Cisco will serve as the presenting partner of the IndyCar Series Business Hub on-site hospitality area at events across the season, including at the IMS-hosted Indianapolis 500 tentpole event.
This will include the upcoming 108th edition of the Indianapolis 500, which will take place on May 26 and is sponsored by presenting partner Gainbridge.
Speaking on the partnership Cisco global sports marketing leader Ashley Marusak stated: “The Penske Entertainment portfolio includes some of the marquee races and venues in all of motorsports, and we are thrilled to build upon our existing customer relationship to continue to provide a wide range of Cisco technology solutions to meet the demands of their first-in-class properties.”
Penske Entertainment president and chief executive Mark Miles added: “We look forward to leveraging each other’s strengths to enhance fan experiences while continuing to drive our sport.”
The deal follows last week’s (May 13) announcement of a renewed partnership with vehicle protection firm Sonsio to cover the annual Grand Prix of Indianapolis, which is the traditional lead-in to the Indianapolis 500.
Sonsio was first announced as a sponsor of the 2024 edition of the race (which took place on May 11) in November, and will now continue to do so for at least the 2025 edition.