INDYCAR Partners with Creators for Historic Event at The Thermal Club
Content Creators Take On Social Correspondent Roles for $1 Million Challenge
INDIANAPOLIS (Tuesday, March 19, 2024) – INDYCAR is teaming up with a select group of content creators to bring fans behind the scenes and closer to the drivers, teams and racing action ahead of its nationally televised special event at The Thermal Club.
The creator team is comprised of NTT INDYCAR SERIES driver Conor Daly, motorsports streamer and creator Ash Vandelay, and hosts of the “Track Talk” podcast, Emma Novak and Hannah Picknicki.
Across the weekend, this group will play a heavy role in content planning and delivery, while serving as on-screen talent and correspondents across INDYCAR social channels.
“Thermal is an innovative and exciting event, and we want the social coverage to match,” said Mackenzie Williams, senior director of marketing for INDYCAR. “We’re excited to partner with these creators to build engaging, immersive content and leverage their unique perspective and voices to tell the story of the weekend.”
The non-points The Thermal Club $1 Million Challenge will bring fans the first INDYCAR SERIES heat racing in more than a decade.
To see this partnership in action, fans should follow the NTT INDYCAR SERIES social channels on Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube and TikTok.
Peacock will provide coverage of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES Open Test from The Thermal Club from noon-2 p.m. and 5-8 p.m. ET Friday, March 22. Coverage of the Open Test will continue from noon-2 p.m. and 4-6 p.m. ET Saturday, March 23, with coverage of The Thermal Club $1 Million Challenge qualifying beginning at 8 p.m. ET on Peacock and the INDYCAR Radio Network.
Coverage of The Thermal Club $1 Million Challenge starts at 12:30 p.m. ET Sunday, March 24 on NBC broadcast television, Peacock and the INDYCAR Radio Network.
About Conor Daly:
Conor Daly is an American professional racing driver who competes in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and NASCAR Cup, Xfinity and Craftsman Truck Series.
Dalyʼs career started racing go-karts as a 10-year-old. In 2005, he won 19 races, two championships, and Junior Driver of the Year. Daly won the 2008 Skip Barber National Championship followed by the 2010 Pro Mazda Championship on his way up the open-wheel racing ladder system. In 2016, he competed for Dale Coyne Racing, complimented by a second-place finish in Detroit.
In 2019, he competed for Andretti Autosport and the U.S. Air Force at the Indianapolis 500, finishing 10th after running as high as fourth. Daly earned his first NTT INDYCAR SERIES pole position in Iowa during the 2020 season. In May 2022, Daly achieved his Indy 500 career best with a sixth-place finish. In 2023, he defied all odds to qualify for the NASCAR Cup Seriesʼ Daytona 500, highlighting his competitive spirit and passion for the sport. He also became the first driver to compete in both NASCAR and INDYCAR on back-to-back Texas weekends.
Daly is one of just 29 drivers to race in the Daytona 500 and the Indianapolis 500 within the same year.
About Ash Vandelay:
Ash Vandelay is an American motorsport streamer and content creator. Her love of the sport is the foundation for her community, aiming to inform and inspire anyone who wants to learn more about the industry, about racing, or simply looking for a space to be themselves and enjoy chatting about motorsports. Ash works with other series, including NASCAR, Formula One, and Fanatec GT World Challenge America.
About ‘Track Talk’ podcast:
From the track to the paddock to everything in between, “Track Talk” hosts Hannah and Emma recap the latest news in motorsport, while aiming to create a fun and inclusive space for all fans alike. “Track Talk” is a place for all spectators that is both educational and uplifting, with a focus on the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, Formula One and the feeder series of each. They advocate for female representation and aim to create a “group-chat-with-your-besties” feeling with the community.
Sources: Dave Furst/INDYCAR PR