Multi-Year Sponsorship Agreement Announced for Kimball in IZOD IndyCar Series
Firm Client Charlie Kimball to Pilot No. 83 IndyCar Entry
Indianapolis, Ind. and Princeton, N.J. - Novo Nordisk, a world leader in diabetes care, and Chip Ganassi Racing Teams, Inc. announced today that the two organizations have entered into a multi-year extension of their partnership. Novo Nordisk will remain the primary sponsor of the No. 83 Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing entry, driven by Hoover Hull LLP client Charlie Kimball in the IZOD IndyCar Series.
Kimball, 26, from Camarillo, Calif., is the first licensed driver with type 1 diabetes in the history of INDYCAR to race at the highest level of the series. Diagnosed in 2007, he monitors his blood sugar before, during and after each race. Charlie also uses the Novo Nordisk insulin Levemir® (insulin detemir [rDNA origin] injection) and NovoLog® (insulin aspart [rDNA origin] injection) to help manage his diabetes, administering it with a pre-filled insulin pen device called FlexPen®.
2012 marks the fourth consecutive year of partnership between Novo Nordisk and Kimball. Following two years of sponsorship of Kimball in the Firestone Indy Lights Series, Novo Nordisk partnered with Chip Ganassi Racing to form Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing and, in December 2010, became the title sponsor of Charlie in his IndyCar rookie season.
Novo Nordisk has also been actively involved in providing information about diabetes awareness at INDYCAR events through the Drive the Switch device awareness program and the award-winning Race with Insulin™ campaign. The team extension also retains the company’s primary sponsorship of Kimball’s race car, race suit and other branding opportunities. Kimball will continue to make appearances on behalf of Novo Nordisk throughout the term of the agreement.
Kimball has posted two top-10 finishes in 2011 at Birmingham and New Hampshire and finished 13th in his debut at the Indianapolis 500. He launched his single-seater racing career in 2002 and has raced in several international series since then, highlighted by a five-win effort in the 2005 British Formula 3 Championship. At that time, Kimball established himself as the first American to win a British Formula 3 race in 11 years.
"My partnership with Novo Nordisk is very unique because they make the insulins I take every day and they produce the delivery device I use to manage my diabetes," Kimball said. "I am fortunate to have Novo Nordisk and Chip Ganassi Racing support me in my career and I am proud and honored to be associated with these two outstanding organizations."
Follow Kimball and his work with Novo Nordisk on Twitter @racewithinsulin or www.drivetheswitch.com. For more information about Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing, visit www.novonordiskchipganassiracing.com.