IndyCar driver Tony Kanaan and his KV Racing team yesterday "announced a four-race partnership with Sunoco," eliminating the possibility that the Indianapolis 500 winner "would have missed a race" due to sponsorship concerns, according to Matt Weaver of SB NATION. The Sunoco sponsorship covers Saturday night's Firestone 550 at Texas Motor Speedway, as well as later races at Iowa, Pocono and Mid-Ohio. Kanaan said, "We were struggling to fill up some of the races with the sponsorship this year." Weaver noted the sponsorship "comes in tandem with the DreamWorks animated film 'Turbo,'" which is centered around the Indy 500. Sunoco is an "official partner of the film" (SBNATION.com, 6/5). The Sunoco/"Turbo" partnership was the primary sponsor of Townsend Bell’s No. 60 Panther Racing Chevrolet during the Indy 500 (NBCSPORTS.com, 6/5). KV Racing co-Owner Jimmy Vasser had "expressed his belief that a primary sponsor would be identified after winning the Indy 500, and was thankful to have Turbo and Sunoco on board" (SPEEDTV.com, 6/5).
