FRIDAY, JUNE 16 – SUNDAY, JUNE 18, 2023

RACE: Sonsio Grand Prix
TRACK: Road America
LOCATION: Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, USA
TRACK LAYOUT: 4-mile, 14-turn road course
RACE LENGTH: 55 Laps/220.55 Miles

PRACTICE: Friday – 3-4:15 p.m. CT (Peacock Premium)
Saturday – 9:55-10:55 a.m. CT (Peacock Premium)
Sunday – 9:15-9:45 a.m. CT (Peacock Premium)
QUALIFYING: Saturday – 12:55-2:25 p.m. CT (Peacock Premium)
RACE: Sunday – 12:30 p.m. CT (USA Network, 12 p.m. CT)

RYAN HUNTER-REAY, NO. 20 BITNILE.COM CHEVROLET

RYAN HUNTER-REAY, No. 20 BITNILE.COM Chevrolet: “I am looking forward to Road America! Obviously, it’s a tough situation, especially mid-season. A lot has happened in a short amount of time and it’s going to be a huge undertaking. I’ve been out of the car, at least in terms of turning right, for a year and a half. I have stayed current in prototypes and just came out of the Indy 500, but this will be new all-around. Even the small things I knew about Road America since I began driving there at age 17, all of the little nuances are gone. It’s a new track surface, new team, new car and a new group of people to work with! I look forward to the challenge, but I am also a realist. I am approaching this from a pretty disciplined standpoint and curbing some expectations. There’s a lot to digest and consider, but we are plugging away, taking it hour by hour, day by day and looking forward to the race weekend ahead.”

OF NOTE: 

• Ryan Hunter-Reay has joined Ed Carpenter Racing as driver of the No. 20 BITNILE.COM Chevrolet. Hunter-Reay, recognized as one of the most successful American open wheel racing drivers, brings a wealth of experience to the team with an INDYCAR career that spans two decades. He will make his debut with ECR at Road America, a circuit where he has five Top 10 finishes in nine starts.

• The Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based driver is an NTT INDYCAR SERIES Champion (2012) with 18 career wins, including a victory in the 2014 Indianapolis 500. Hunter-Reay also has multiple overall IMSA sportscar wins, the 12 Hours of Sebring and Petit Le Mans among them, has been invited to the Race of Champions five times and has won two ESPY ‘Driver of the Year’ awards (2013 and 2014). Most recently, he competed in the 2023 Indianapolis 500 with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, leading eight laps in the closing stages of the race and ultimately finishing 11th.

• The No. 20 BITNILE.COM Chevrolet will debut an updated look in Road America, blending the two designs the car has carried this season. An Early Release version of the BITNILE.COM metaverse was launched on March 1 to coincide with the start of the 2023 season and already has over 1,000,000 engaged users. A number of new features and functionality continue to be added to the rapidly growing virtual world, including eCommerce, live streaming entertainment, and social networking.

RINUS VEEKAY, NO. 21 DIRECT SUPPLY CHEVROLET

RINUS VEEKAY, No. 21 Direct Supply Chevrolet: “Race week! I am very excited to drive the Direct Supply car, it is a really cool paint scheme and I always love to race in their colors. It’s nice to get back to Road America, it’s my favorite track. America’s National Park of Speed! Can’t wait to get there and go for a good result. I am also ready to begin learning from Ryan Hunter-Reay, my new teammate!”

OF NOTE: 

• Rinus VeeKay has spent his entire NTT INDYCAR SERIES career with Ed Carpenter Racing and is the team’s longest-tenured full-time driver, now in his fourth season behind the wheel the No. 21 Chevrolet. The 22-year-old recently made his 50th career start and qualified on the front row of last month’s Indianapolis 500. 

• Born in Hoofddorp, Netherlands, Rinus van Kalmthout began karting in 2009 at the age of 8. With sights set firmly on the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, he transitioned to the Road to Indy in 2017 and launched his U.S. career driving as Rinus VeeKay. That same year, VeeKay earned his first win in the U.S. at Road America. It was also his first victory in an open-wheel car. 

• This weekend, the No. 21 Chevrolet showcases the blue and white colors of longtime ECR partner Direct Supply. Headquartered in nearby Milwaukee, Direct Supply is committed to enhancing the lives of seniors and those who care for them. Since 1985, the company has helped Senior Living providers create amazing environments, improve care and outcomes, optimize building operations, streamline procurement and more. Direct Supply has been featured on the No. 21 at Road America since the NTT INDYCAR SERIES returned to the track in 2016.