Features Indianapolis 500 Competitors Veach, Mann at IMS
ATLANTA (May 10, 2018) – Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil competitors Zach Veach and Pippa Mann will be the featured speakers May 15-16 during the Honda STEAM Connections Tour in conjunction with Purdue University’s M-STEM3 500 Student Fair at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The two-day event in the East Chalet will showcase the science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math behind motorsports and the automotive industry to Indiana middle school and high school students.
On Tuesday, May 15, Mann and her Honda Performance Development trackside engineer Hiro Yamaguchi will address middle school students about characteristics of the Honda 2.2-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine that powers Mann’s Dale Coyne Racing Indy car. Mann, an Indianapolis resident, will seek to qualify May 19-20 for her seventh Indianapolis 500.
On Wednesday, May 16, Andretti Autosport driver Veach and his Honda Performance Development trackside engineer Tasher Willett will address high school students about how STEAM curriculum aided in Veach’s development as a professional race car driver. Veach, of Stockdale, Ohio, is seeking to qualify for his second Indianapolis 500.
Both Verizon IndyCar Series drivers will conduct question-and-answer sessions with students in the East Chalet.
The Student Fair, in its fifth year, will also feature hands-on experiences, including the Honda UNI-CUB personal mobility device and an INDYCAR driving simulator, and displays from area colleges and universities that showcase how STEAM applies to exciting fields of study and careers.
“We anticipate more than 1,300 high school and middle school students during these two days,” said Danny White, director of motorsports at Purdue University’s Office of Engagement. “The STEM focus of these two days, where we can showcase the science, technology, engineering, and math behind motorsports, pays huge dividends in helping students understand real-life applications. And having marquee talent from Honda’s IndyCar program really gets the students’ attention.”
Media is invited to attend both days of the Student Fair in the East Chalet (behind Pagoda Plaza) at Indianapolis Motor Speedway from 10:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. ET to conduct interviews with event principals and capture video.
The Honda STEAM Connections Tour of universities across the nation, in its third year, emphasizes the science, technology, engineering, arts, and math that play a critical role in motorsports and automotive development. The tour is organized and managed by STEAM Sports Group.
For more information
Megan Huckaby (Purdue University), mhuckaby@purdue.edu, 765-496-1325Dave Lewandowski (STEAM Sports Group), david@dickinsonpg.com, 317-331-9385
Honda Performance Development
HPD was founded in 1993 to spearhead Honda’s entry into Indy car racing and is marking its 25th anniversary in top-level North American motorsports. No other manufacturer has matched Honda’s success in Indy cars, which includes more than 225 race victories, 15 drivers’ championships, six competitive manufacturers’ championships and 12 Indianapolis 500 victories.
In addition to Indy car competition, HPD and Honda have a history of success in the classic endurance sports car races, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 12 Hours of Sebring.
HPD offers a complete line of race engines for cars from grass roots to pinnacle; for professional, amateur and entry-level racers. For more information about HPD and the company’s racing product lines, please visit http://hpd.honda.com.
Purdue University’s College of Engineering is among the largest in the United States and includes 13 academic programs, all with high rankings. The Agricultural and Biological Engineering (ABE) graduate program has been ranked No.1 for seven consecutive years, and ABE's undergraduate program has been ranked No.1 for six consecutive years.
STEAM Sports Group
A marketing and special events firm that focuses on how to integrate corporate STEM and STEAM initiatives (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math) with sporting events, leagues, conferences, governing associations and athletes. STEAM Sports Foundation is SSG’s ancillary 501c3 that seeks funding primarily for educational programs, curriculums and scholarships in an effort to unite business, education and sports.
Recognizing workforce and economic development as an integral part of corporate growth, SSG and SSF work with companies, educators and sports groups to develop initiatives around science, technology, engineering, arts and math that prepare and excite America’s youth to create tomorrow’s vibrant workforce.
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