Zedd to Ride with Racing Legend Mario Andretti in Honda’s Fastest Seat in Sports
INDIANAPOLIS (Saturday, May 27, 2017) – Global EDM superstar Zedd will take the ride of his life in Honda’s Fastest Seat in Sports with racing legend Mario Andretti to kick off the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil on Sunday, May 28.
Immediately following the thrill ride, when Zedd and Andretti will help lead the field of 33 Verizon IndyCar Series drivers to the green flag to start “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” Zedd will be transported to the Indy 500 Snake Pit presented by Coors Light to perform before a huge crowd at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
When he takes the ride Sunday, Zedd joins a select group of music, sports and film stars who have been passengers in the Honda Fastest Seat in Sports. Previous participants include Lady Gaga, who rode with Andretti last year before the start of the 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500, and Academy Award nominee Mark Wahlberg, who took the ride in 2010 when the program began.
Zedd’s ride and subsequent performance connects the Indianapolis 500, the world’s largest single-day sporting event, and its spectacular, sold-out EDM show, which attracts thousands of young fans to the Snake Pit annually on Race Day. The unique event features a festival-like atmosphere with a twist: it takes place inside Turn 3 of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with the headlining acts performing while the Indianapolis 500 is taking place.
The activation also supports an Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Verizon IndyCar Series strategy to market race events to a younger audience, said C.J. O’Donnell, chief marketing officer, Hulman Motorsports.
“The Verizon IndyCar Series and Indianapolis Motor Speedway have been working with our partners like Honda to attract a new generation of fans to our events,” O’Donnell said. “The Snake Pit is a massive success and an absolutely unique experience that can’t be found elsewhere. Like INDYCAR and the Indy 500, it continues to grow by leaps and bounds.
“By putting Zedd in Honda’s Fastest Seat in Sports, we connect Snake Pit fans with the fastest and most daring sport in the world.”
Zedd and Andretti will meet immediately before getting into the Fastest Seat in Sports, which occurs at the start of the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 at 12:20 p.m. (ET) Sunday.
Zedd released his debut LP “Clarity” in 2012 to critical acclaim. The album’s lead single, “Spectrum,” earned massive global attention, soaring to No. 1 on the Billboard Dance Club Song chart and ultimately earning Dance Club Song of the Year as well as iTunes Breakthrough Album of the Year (Dance).
In 2015, Zedd released his second studio album, “True Colors,” led by the smash hit “I Want You to Know” featuring Selena Gomez. The song peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Dance/Electronic Songs chart and was certified platinum. Zedd has been named both a Rolling Stone and MTV “Artist to Watch” and has performed at top festivals, including Coachella, Lollapalooza and Electric Zoo. He also has collaborated with top artists, including Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande.
Visit IMS.com to purchase tickets for the 101st Indianapolis 500 Presented by PennGrade Motor Oil on Sunday, May 28 and for more information on the complete Race Weekend schedule at IMS.
About Honda
Honda offers a full line of reliable, fuel-efficient and fun-to-drive vehicles with advanced safety technologies sold through over 1,000 independent U.S. Honda dealers. The Honda lineup includes the Fit, Civic, Accord and Clarity Fuel Cell passenger cars, along with the HR-V, CR-V and Pilot sport/utility vehicles, the Ridgeline pickup and the Odyssey minivan.
Honda has been producing automobiles in America for 34 years and currently operates 19 major manufacturing facilities in North America. In 2016, more than 95 percent of all Honda vehicles sold in the U.S. were made in North America, using domestic and globally sourced parts.
Sources: Curt Cavin/Verizon IndyCar Series PR