March 9, 2016, ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.- Global technology company Arrow Electronics, Inc. is sponsoring the Schmidt Peterson Motorsports (SPM) No. 5 car driven by James Hinchcliffe in this year’s Verizon IndyCar series, which kicks off Saturday at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. This is Arrow’s second year sponsoring SPM.
The No. 5 car aligns to Arrow’s forward-looking mission to operate in the world of Five Years Out—the tangible future of new technologies, new materials, new ideas and new electronics that will make people’s lives better, smarter and more inspired.
“Arrow Electronics is proud to sponsor Schmidt Peterson Motorsports and the No. 5 car,” said Michael J. Long, Arrow’s chairman, president and chief executive officer. “All of us at Arrow are rooting for Hinch and looking forward to an exciting season of great racing.”
James Hinchcliffe won the inaugural Indy Grand Prix of New Orleans race in 2015. When he was side-lined with a season-ending injury while practicing for the Indianapolis 500, Long visited him in the hospital and Arrow employees all over the world sent him personal messages of encouragement.
“I can’t wait to get back behind the wheel of the No. 5 Arrow car and take a few checkered flags for SPM and my fans this season,” said Hinchcliffe.
SPM team co-owner Sam Schmidt initially collaborated with Arrow on machine-to-machine technologies back in 2014. Schmidt, whose crash in 2000 during an Indy car practice lap left him a quadriplegic, rediscovered the joy of driving again through a modified 2014 Corvette Arrow built for him called the Semi-Autonomous Motorcar, or SAM car.
“Arrow’s forward-looking vision is perfectly aligned with SPM and IndyCar’s key focal points: speed, innovation and technology. We look forward to an exciting race season and a great partnership with Arrow for years to come,” said Schmidt.
Follow #hinchi5back, @SPMIndyCar and @ArrowGlobal on Twitter for live updates on Saturday and throughout the season.
