IZOD Zooms Into Las Vegas for Biggest IZOD IndyCar Series Autograph Session of the Season

 BY BRUCE MARTIN

MEET MARIO ANDRETTI WEDNESDAY AT MACY’S LAS VEGAS FASHION SHOW MALL AT 6PM.  

 LAS VEGAS – “Drivers, Start Your Sharpies” as IZOD prepares for the one of the largest IZOD IndyCar Series Autograph Sessions of the year that takes place at Macy’s Fashion Show Mall on the Las Vegas Strip, Wednesday, October 12th at 6pm PST.  

It’s a fitting way to conclude the highly successful IZOD IndyCar Series Autograph Sessions at Macy’s for the 2011 IZOD IndyCar Series season. Drivers such as series points leader Dario Franchitti of Target/Chip Ganassi Racing, his championship challenger Will Power of Team Penske along with three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves, Andretti Autosport drivers Marco Andretti and Danica Patrick and the rest of the drivers that will make up the largest field for an IZOD IndyCar Series race since 35 drivers made the field for the 1997 Indianapolis 500.

These drivers will be in the presence of greatness as 1969 Indianapolis 500 winner Mario Andretti will also be featured at the IZOD Macy’s IndyCar Autograph Session. Andretti also won the 1978 Formula One World Championship and the 1967 Daytona 500 – the only driver to win all three prestigious titles.

IZOD IndyCar Series fans and Macy’s customers are invited to the event that begins with media availability at 5:30 p.m. local time followed by the autograph session from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the first floor interior mall entrance to Macy’s just off Las Vegas Boulevard. 

For those fans that purchase any IZOD merchandise, they will receive a free IZOD IndyCar Series cap. Plus, customers who make a purchase of $50 or more will receive a pair of tickets to the IZOD INDYCAR World Championships Presented by Honda Sunday, October 16th.

“The IZOD IndyCar Series autograph sessions are great for the fans - they have a DJ and the music really creates the feeling of a big event,” Power said. “Coming to the IZOD event at Macy’s is definitely huge.”

Other drivers love to have a chance to get to meet the race fans in person.

“It’s great to be able to come out and meet the fans in an environment that is completely different from the race track,” Castroneves said. “I can see the fans really enjoy it too. The energy of the IZOD autograph session is awesome. It’s been great and I’m sure next year and the years to come these will be even better. It’s cool to meeting the racing fans because in my situation because of `Dancing with the Stars’ it’s so cool to hear people say they voted for me and bring me pictures not wearing a racing suit but a tuxedo, I really care about that. They put on a dancing competition with the fans and you always discover some talent.

One of those drivers that will be signing autographs is two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon, who has a chance to split $5 million with a fan if he wins from the last starting position in Sunday’s IZOD IndyCar Series World Championship Presented by Honda as part of the GoDaddy.com IndyCar Series Challenge.

His week will get revved up at the IZOD Macy’s IndyCar Series Autograph Session on Wednesday night.

“In previous years we have done a lot of autograph sessions at the track and since IZOD has brought us to Macy’s and the way it is put together and the atmosphere it creates it is fun, high energy and glamorous,” Wheldon said. “It is more attractive to the fans and for us it’s more enjoyable to do it because of the environment, it has been cool.

One of the biggest lines is for Patrick, who will be starting her final race in the IZOD IndyCar Series at Las Vegas. 

“The kids are the best,” she said. “They make it all worth it. I love the kids.”

Don’t be surprised to see several of the drivers shopping for their favorite IZOD apparel at Macy’s after the autograph session.

“First of all I don’t have enough of it,” said Alex Tagliani, who lives in Las Vegas with his wife, Bronte. “I travel with IZOD T-shirts all the time. They are very comfortable. I like them. They are a very good fit. The slim-fit is my style. Some of the polo shirts I have with the sponsor are lightweight fabric. You can put them in your dryer and they don’t shrink so it is very convenient for us when we are on the road. They don’t have any wrinkles, either, when you get them out of your luggage. I want more. Whatever I can do to get some more of those clothes because no matter if I’m at the track or going out with Bronte on a casual movie run or dinner sometimes I have IZOD stuff on me. They are really good pieces.”

IZOD features some great looking apparel that brings together the fast-paced sport and some of its historic looks.

“I think it is really cool especially with the old IndyCar designs and the lines they have; the vintage era of IndyCar they have been able to capture some of that history and the glory days of the Indianapolis 500,” said Ed Carpenter, who scored his first career victory at Kentucky on October 2. “It’s very cool to see all that stuff that they have at Macy’s when you go in there.”

Ryan Hunter-Reay is another driver who loves the chance to meet the fans and promote the IZOD brand.

“I think it’s fresh; it’s young and really showcases the American side of it,” Hunter-Reay said. “You can see it through their image and branding they appeal to that fresh, young American group. Sports oriented, and that’s a great fit with IndyCar – cutting edge with the Perform-X line.”