THREE ANDRETTI DRIVERS NAMED TO RACE OF CHAMPIONS TEAM USA
Hunter-Reay, Rossi and Speed
Selected to 2017 ROC Miami Roster
Three
Andretti Autosport drivers will battle head-to-head with the some of the
fastest motor sports drivers from around the world when Race Of Champions (ROC)
comes to American soil for the first time in its 27 years of running. Andretti’s American racers
Ryan Hunter-Reay, Alexander Rossi and Scott Speed will compete at ROC Miami
Jan. 21 and 22 to prove their home country is the fastest in motor sports.
Indianapolis
500 winner and Verizon IndyCar Series Champion Hunter-Reay is no stranger to
the Race Of Champions crowd. The 35-year-old has participated in the event for
the past three years. The South Florida resident was the first of the three
drivers from Andretti Autosport to be confirmed for this year’s event.
“I’m delighted to be making my fourth
straight appearance at the Race Of Champions – and especially this time with
the event taking place on American soil, better yet my own backyard!”
Hunter-Reay said, “It is a spectacular
event and a unique challenge to jump in and out of all the different cars as
you go head-to-head with some of the best drivers in the world, it is a
tremendous honor to be selected as a competitor for ROC. I’m proud to represent
America, IndyCar and the Indy 500 and I look forward to hearing the noise of
the crowds in Miami and feeling that hometown support.”
Rossi,
the 2016 Indianapolis 500 winner and Verizon IndyCar Series Rookie of the year
will join the line-up of Champions to fight for the United States’ first win
since 2002 when Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Colin Edwards won the ROC
Nation’s Cup.
“I’m honored to be invited to race in this
year’s Race Of Champions,” said Rossi. “ROC
is so well respected in motor sport, bringing together the best drivers from
around the world and across every series. This international event is always
ultracompetitive and I’m looking forward to the competition and the very first
US race venue in Miami. It will also be great to race with my Andretti
Autosport teammates, Ryan Hunter-Reay and Scott Speed. I can assure you, the
three of us will not be holding back.”
Two-time
Red Bull Global Rallycross Champion and three-time X Games Gold Medalist, Speed
will also make his debut in the Race of Champions. Having competed in Formula
1, IndyCar, NASCAR, Formula E, A1GP and Global Rallycross, the 33 year-old will
be one of the most diverse drivers on the track trying to earn his home country
a victory.
Speed
said: “I am beyond excited to join Race
Of Champions Miami. Being selected to represent the USA on home soil is such an
honor. I have always been a huge fan of this event; having so many greats of
motor racing in one place is a very rare thing. I am sure that Miami will prove
to be a fantastic host of such a prestigious event.”
The
Race Of Champions brings together the fastest drivers of various disciplines in
auto racing to compete for the title of ‘World’s Greatest Driver.’ The annual
event began in 1988 and has been held in 12 different cities across the globe. The
Race of Champions begins with plenty of action from every driver in a group
stage. Each competitor races each of the drivers in their group, swapping the
style of car every round to ensure they prove themselves a diverse winner. The
most successful drivers of each group move on to the quarter finals. Once the
drivers move to the quarter-finals stage, there are no second chances. The
world’s best drivers compete knockout-style, head-to-head on the same track in
the same car, proving any mistake can be terminal. The final round consists of
a best-of-three shootout where the fastest driver is crowned the ‘Champion of
Champions.’
The
ROC Nations Cup has been a featured event since 1999 and targets to find the
fastest country on the planet. Drivers are paired up amongst their respective
countries and each driver has an initial run against a driver from an opposing
country, racing head-to-head. If the score is tired at the end of both driver’s
runs, the two winning drivers then take on each other to see which country
comes out on top.
Hunter-Reay,
Rossi and Speed join fellow Americans Travis Pastrana and Kurt Busch to make up
Team USA. The home team will take on competitors such as IndyCar’s Tony Kanaan
and Juan Pablo Montoya, Formula 1 race winners Sebasitan Vettel and Felipe
Massa, FIA World Rallycross Champion Petter Solberg and nine-time Le Mans 24
Hours winner Tom Kristensen. The race will be held at Marlins Park in Miami,
Florida, with tickets now available at www.raceofchampions.com.
For more information on the event, visit the Race Of Champions website,
like Race Of Champions of Facebook or follow @raceofchampions on Twitter using
#ROCMiami.