by Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Takuma Sato will return to Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL) to compete in the 108th edition of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” this May, team officials announced Feb. 15.
AMADA AMERICA, Inc. a leading global machine tool manufacturer and supplier in the sheet metal industry, will be the primary sponsor for 2017 and 2020 Indy 500 winner Sato’s No. 75 Honda-powered entry in the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Sunday, May 26 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
“I’m absolutely thrilled to make my return to the 108th Indy 500 with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing,” Sato said. “A heartfelt thank you to Bobby (Rahal), Mike (Lanigan) and David (Letterman) and the entire organization for this incredible opportunity.
“Gratitude overflows as I am driving the No. 75 entry with primary sponsorship from AMADA. My journey with RLL spans over a decade, marked by shared successes and rejoining the team fills me with immense excitement. Here’s to reconnecting with familiar faces and forging new alliances. I just can’t wait to get to work.”
Sato competed for RLL in 2012 and from 2018-2021. He has earned six NTT INDYCAR SERIES wins, four of which have come with RLL, including the team’s second Indy 500 win in 2020. Sato earned his first Indy win with Andretti Global in 2017.
Tokyo native Sato competed in oval races with Chip Ganassi Racing in 2023. The 2024 Indy 500 will mark his 15th time to participate in the world’s most prestigious auto race and sixth with RLL.
“We’re very pleased to welcome back Takuma to the team,” RLL co-owner Bobby Rahal said. “We obviously had a great deal of success together, and as I’ve said many times, Takuma’s spirit is something that motivates not only me and the entire team but also his fans. We’re looking forward to his contributions and having a successful Indy 500.
AMADA was the primary sponsor of the team’s No. 30 entry at the Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix at Barber Motorsports Park on April 30, 2023, and this will be the company’s first time to participate in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” AMADA also will be a major associate sponsor of the No. 30 entry driven by Pietro Fittipaldi at the 2024 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on Sunday, April 21.
“We were actively looking for a machine tool company a few years ago that could give us a competitive advantage, and we got to know AMADA and learn more about the tremendous machines and the technology services they provide,” Rahal said. “And, of course, our facility is a showcase for some of their technology in our production area. After having them with us as a primary sponsor in 2023, we’re thrilled that the relationship continues to grow. I can’t imagine a better match than AMADA, Takuma and our team.”
The 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season opens Sunday, March 10 on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding.
Originally posted on indianapolismotorspeedway.com