HOUSTON — After a 20-year absence from IndyCar racing, Pennzoil is returning to the sport in a big way. In addition to being back on the track through the brand’s multi-year alliance with Penske Racing and Penske Corp., the brand’s premium Pennzoil Ultra Euro 5W-40 motor oil has been approved for use in all Honda Indy V8 engines that will compete in the 2011 IZOD IndyCar Series. The Pennzoil Ultra Euro formulation that will be used by IndyCar’s top teams is the same motor oil available to consumers today.
“Pennzoil is no stranger to Indy racing, so we are happy to add Pennzoil Ultra Euro 5W-40 to the short list of motor oils approved to keep our engines in pristine condition and working at optimum efficiency,” said Roger Griffiths, technical director of Honda Performance Development. “The engines we build are designed to deliver extremely high power outputs and reach very high engine speeds in each race, and our dyno testing has demonstrated that Pennzoil Ultra provides the top-tier lubrication performance that our engines require.”
In 2011, Pennzoil embarks on a multi-year alliance with Penske that expands Pennzoil’s motorsports presence to include the IZOD IndyCar Series. Pennzoil will be a primary sponsor of the No. 3 Shell V-Power-Pennzoil Ultra Dallara/Honda, driven by three-time Indianapolis 500 champion Helio Castroneves. Pennzoil Ultra Euro 5W-40 will be running in not only Helio’s IndyCar, but also in the cars of each of his Penske Racing teammates, Ryan Briscoe and Will Power.
Pennzoil has a long history of involvement in motorsports, beginning with Russ Snowberger in 1930. Pennzoil’s history in Indy car racing has been highlighted victories by esteemed drivers Johnny Rutherford (1980), Rick Mears (1984, 1988), Danny Sullivan (1985) and Al Unser (1987).
“The opportunity to be in the engines of some of the top teams in Indy racing provides us with an environment to test our lubricants in extreme conditions,” said Pennzoil Global Brand Manager Debbie Van Schalkwyk. “Pennzoil scientists gain insights from the track that can be translated directly into the formulation of our consumer motor oils.”
