SPEEDWAY, INDIANA (APRIL 9, 2024) – Dreyer & Reinbold Racing/Cusick Motorsports is thrilled to announce Polkadot as the primary sponsor for the No. 24 car piloted by Conor Daly in the upcoming Indianapolis 500. This partnership represents the first time a major athlete’s sponsorship has been decided by a vote using blockchain technology.
The Indianapolis 500, often referred to as “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” is a premier event in motorsports, drawing worldwide attention and featuring top drivers and teams. With Polkadot’s support, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing/Cusick Motorsports aims to make a strong statement on the track and showcase the power of collaboration and innovation in the racing world.
The proposal to sponsor Daly passed with an overwhelming 95.8% approval, demonstrating the community’s eagerness to showcase blockchain technology’s real-world applications and Polkadot’s vision for a freer, more open web (Web3). Launched in 2020 by Ethereum Co-Founder Gavin Wood, Polkadot is positioned to serve as the powerful, secure core of Web3. Polkadot’s decentralized governance places the community at the center of decision-making processes; every holder of the Polkadot token (DOT) has a voice towards shaping the platform’s future direction.
This collaboration represents a significant shift from the traditional models of sports sponsorships, which are typically negotiated behind closed doors. By utilizing Polkadot’s OpenGov platform for decentralized governance, the Polkadot community is pioneering a new, transparent way to engage with sponsorships, showcasing the immense potential of blockchain technology to enable transparent, community-led decision-making in the realm of sports and beyond.
“We are delighted to welcome Polkadot as the primary sponsor of the 24 car for the Indianapolis 500,” said Dennis Reinbold, Team Owner of Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. “Polkadot’s commitment to technological advancement and pushing boundaries aligns perfectly with our team’s ethos of excellence and continuous improvement. Together, we aim to make a significant impact on and off the track and reach fans worldwide.
“The fact that thousands of individuals in the Polkadot community – not a corporate marketing team – used their voices to vote and select me as their ambassador is an incredible honor and reflective of the power of what a more free and open internet can look like in the future,” Conor Daly said. “The fact that I’m racing not just for a brand name or logo, but representing developers, investors and regular people that are building tomorrow’s web, is thrilling and overwhelming. We’re bringing power back to people, while making sports history.”
Chris Wade, the Polkadot community member who championed the proposal, remarked, “This landmark sponsorship proves the transformative power and trust of blockchain technology in making a previously exclusive process open and inclusive. It’s a testament to Polkadot’s forward-thinking innovative community, robust network, and progressive governance model. It’s a blueprint for future collaborations.”
Polkadot, a leading blockchain platform enabling interoperability between different blockchains, sees this partnership as an opportunity to connect with stakeholders and showcase its commitment to innovation and performance.
As the countdown to the Indianapolis 500 begins, the collaboration between Polkadot and Dreyer & Reinbold Racing/Cusick Motorsports promises to captivate audiences worldwide and leave a lasting impression on the motorsports community. Additional partnership announcements will be made in due course as the excitement gears up for the 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500.
About Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing was founded in 1999 by Indianapolis car dealer Dennis Reinbold. The legacy of the Dreyer and Reinbold family dates back to the 1920s with Reinbold’s grandfather, the legendary Floyd “Pop” Dreyer, a former Indian factory motorcycle racer. Dreyer served as a crewman and mechanic on the famed Duesenberg team. Dreyer went on to build Indy 500 cars in the 1930s, many of which started on the front row. In addition, Dreyer constructed championship-winning sprint cars and midgets. Dreyer & Reinbold Racing captured its first win in 2000 with driver Robbie Buhl at Walt Disney World Speedway in Orlando, FL, and has fielded a variety of drivers including Al Unser Jr., Buddy Rice, Buddy Lazier, Sarah Fisher, Ryan Hunter-Reay, and J.R. Hildebrand. Dreyer & Reinbold Racing has successfully qualified 48 drivers for the Indy 500 in its history. DRR competed in Rallycross for the first time in 2015 and captured the 2016 Lites rallycross championship. The team competed in the Nitro RX series with a 1-2-3 Championship win in the 2022-23 Nitro RX Group E class with Robin Larrson, Andreas Bakkerud, and Fraser McConnell.
About Cusick Motorsports
Cusick Motorsports, founded in 2021 by entrepreneur Don Cusick, was created to make the racing industry more accessible to all. Cusick Motorsports creates bespoke programs for its partners and creates unforgettable experiences that help drive meaningful relationships and business. The threshold for getting into the industry has not been easy for most individuals and companies. As an entrepreneur in the healthcare industry for over 40 years, Don Cusick saw the opportunity to make the motorsports industry more accessible for all, and Cusick Motorsports was founded.
About Polkadot
Polkdaot is the powerful, secure core of Web3 for boundary-defying developers. It enables Web3’s biggest innovators to get their ideas to market fast, with flexible costs and token options. By making blockchain technology secure, composable, flexible, efficient, and cost-effective, Polkadot is powering the movement for a better web. For more information, visit polkadot.network
