INDIANAPOLIS — IndyCar wants open-wheel racing to be more diverse, and it's helping take steps to make that happen.
Thursday, African-American business leader and former team manager, Rod Reid, announced the formation of "Force Indy." The race team is set to compete in the 2021 USF 2000 Championship. That series is a pipeline for future stars of open-wheel racing, and some reach the IndyCar series.
Reid brings an expanded relationship with NXG Youth Motorsports, which has introduced thousands of students from underrepresented communities to open-wheel racing.
"We always had a dream of having a Black enterprise that would be oriented towards people of color," Reid said. "And I wanna be clear this is not the first time that we've had Black ownership or cars or teams. but I think this is one of the first times that we will be able to do something that's sustainable."
Team Penske will mentor the new Force Indy team. IndyCar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway say this is part of their"Race for Equity and Change" Initiative.
