Indiana-based Ruoff Home Mortgage is serving as the primary sponsor of Carlos Muñoz' No. 29 car attempting to qualify for the Indianapolis 500, and having a program "in place well in advance of May" has allowed the lender to "not only enjoy the month but also maximize the sponsorship effectiveness," according to Justin Kenny of the Ft. Wayne NEWS-SENTINEL. Ruoff President & CEO Mark Music "praised Andretti Autosport for its efforts to get its corporate and racing partners together in a hospitality setting at various points of the month" at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Muñoz, who has four top-10 finishes in the Indy 500 in five starts, is a "one-off entry" for the race, but Ruoff will "continue to be a consistent presence on Andretti Autosport cars for the rest of the IndyCar season." It will be the "primary sponsor for the dual Detroit Grand Prix" for Alexander Rossi on June 9-10, as well as the primary sponsor for Marco Andretti in late July at Mid-Ohio. The company also will be an "associate sponsor for Andretti Autosport throughout the season." Ruoff last year signed to sponsor Andretti's ride for Takuma Sato "barely seven days" before Indy 500, meaning a lot of "networking, hospitality events and media outreach had to be compressed into a short period of time." Sato went on to win the race. Music said, "The odds to win the race back-to-back years are not very good. ... But we feel like we have as solid of a chance of winning as anybody to be relevant in the race" (Ft. Wayne NEWS-SENTINEL, 5/15).
GIVE ME THE WHEEL: In Indianapolis, Jim Ayello notes Muñoz "makes no qualms about his desire to return to a full-season slate" after driving a full IndyCar season the past four years. Muñoz knows he is "capable of much more than being relegated to one race a year." Other than "bringing a big-time sponsor to the table, he ticks almost all of the boxes for a driver deserving of a quality full-season ride" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 5/16).
