SPEEDWAY, Ind. — Allison Transmission Inc. has announced it will partner with Sarah Fisher Racing (SFR) for the historic 100th Anniversary Indianapolis 500 race in May 2011.

Lou Gilbert, Allison Transmission’s Director of North American Marketing, said, "Sponsoring Sarah Fisher’s No. 67 car and driver Ed Carpenter makes good sense for Allison Transmission."  

Allison and Sarah Fisher Racing are neighbors in Speedway, Ind., and Carpenter is a well-known Hoosier open-wheel driver. "Over the years, we have all worked together in various community and customer-related activities," Gilbert added, "We are especially happy to be a part of this historic 100th Anniversary Indianapolis Motor Speedway race."

Team owner and former IZOD IndyCar Series driver Sarah Fisher said, "Allison Transmission and the many people I know who work there continue to support me and all the members of my racing team.  It’s a great feeling, and I appreciate Allison’s sponsorship of our car this year.  Everyone is looking forward to this year’s Indianapolis 500."  Sarah Fisher Racing Team driver Ed Carpenter said, "My enthusiasm for Allison’s commitment to the team is off the charts.  We’re ready to go racing."

Jim Allison, 100 years ago, was one of the four founders of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the founder of what has today become Allison Transmission Inc. Much like Sarah Fisher, Jim Allison was also a team owner and his teams competed in many Indianapolis Motor Speedway races which culminated in a win during the 1919 Indy 500.  Allison Transmission’s sponsorship of the Fisher car will include the placement of its logo on six locations on the No. 67 car.

In 2008, Sarah Fisher and her husband Andy O’Gara formed Sarah Fisher Racing (SFR) and she made her first start as a team owner in that year’s Indianapolis 500.  In May 2010, Fisher qualified for her ninth start in the Indianapolis 500 and has achieved more Indy 500 starts than any other woman driver in the 100 year history of the race.