Extreme Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq: EXTR), a leader in cloud networking, today announced that it has completed Wi-Fi 6 network deployments at five NASCAR racetracks, including Darlington Raceway, Daytona International Speedway, Martinsville Speedway, Richmond Raceway and Talladega Superspeedway. Verizon Business is the technology integration and managed services lead for the project.  

NASCAR’s U.S. racetracks are some of the largest sports venues based on fan capacity. Daytona International Speedway is a venue that encompasses a 2.5-mile racetrack and required nearly 2,100 access points (APs), making it one of the largest U.S. venues with outdoor Wi-Fi. 

Key Facts 

·       High-Capacity Wi-Fi 6 Connectivity: Some of NASCAR’s venues are located in rural areas and previously did not offer Wi-Fi. In addition to mobile concessions and social media activity, fans use their mobile devices to access real-time, live-streamed video and audio feeds from drivers and race officials – an essential part of the raceday experience. However, that live video traffic can create a huge strain on the network. With a new Wi-Fi 6 network from Extreme, these racetracks can now offer fans the high bandwidth, high-performing Wi-Fi necessary to ensure fans can seamlessly stream content as desired without missing key moments. 
 

·       Network Insights for Data-Driven Operations: With ExtremeAnalytics™ and ExtremeCloud™ IQ, IT teams at each NASCAR track will have full visibility into network activity and performance, giving them access to insights that will help venue officials make data-driven decisions to improve operational efficiencies. This includes identifying bottlenecks in venue foot traffic, when it’s necessary to open new concessions due to crowds and detecting the usage of popular apps that could lead to commercial or marketing partnerships. 
 

·       Seamless Behind-the-Scenes Optimization: Beyond Wi-Fi for fans, NASCAR is also improving fan experiences with digital amenities, including mobile payments, digital ticketing and updated contactless point-of-sales systems. These are also supported by the new Wi-Fi 6 network from Extreme, ensuring enough bandwidth for both operations and high-quality audio and video broadcast systems in addition to fan access.  

Extreme is a member of the NASCAR Technology Partner Platform, an exclusive community of technology companies working together to evolve the racing industry to new levels of innovation and success by pushing technological boundaries.  

Executive Perspectives 

John Martin, VP of Media & Event Technology, NASCAR  

“With Extreme, we are changing the way fans experience the race. These five racetracks now have a network that can support adding more amenities for fans like in-seat concessions ordering, and our venue IT teams have confidence that they can easily monitor everything happening over the network so we can make real-time adjustments and ensure a seamless experience for everyone using a Wi-Fi device. Bringing technologies that enable connectivity, including 5G and high-performance Wi-Fi, to our racetracks is the type of investment that will help us keep growing and modernize experiences for the next generation of fans.” 

Norman Rice, Chief Operations Officer, Extreme Networks 

“At a venue with 125,000 fans, there is no room for error. The Wi-Fi has to be able to support everything happening simultaneously and without interruption. The network is the central nervous system to power these next-generation services and the insights that NASCAR and our other customers can gain from our network analytics will enable them to make better decisions when it comes to improving the consumer experience and streamlining operations. Our experience deploying these large scale networks provides Extreme with a significant advantage across other industries that require connectivity in high-density settings, including healthcare, manufacturing and smart cities.” 

Extreme Networks, Inc. (EXTR) is a leader in cloud networking focused on delivering services that connect devices, applications, and people in new ways. We push the boundaries of technology leveraging the powers of machine learning, artificial intelligence, analytics, and automation. 50,000 customers globally trust our end-to-end, cloud-driven networking solutions and rely on our top-rated services and support to accelerate their digital transformation efforts and deliver progress like never before. For more information, visit Extreme's website at https://www.extremenetworks.com/ or follow us on LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. 

Extreme Networks, ExtremeAnalytics, ExtremeCloud and the Extreme Networks logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Extreme Networks, Inc. in the United States and other countries. Other trademarks shown herein are the property of their respective owners. 

NASCAR officially unveiled the Next Gen Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and livery it plans to race as the Garage 56 entry in the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Garage 56 project, which is anticipated to be approved for entry by l'Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) in the coming weeks, is a partnership between NASCAR, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet and Goodyear – the winningest team, manufacturer and tire in the sport’s 75-year history.

The systems and components of the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 are largely unchanged from the Next Gen race car that competes weekly in the NASCAR Cup Series. Among the changes made to prepare the car for an endurance race are functioning headlights and taillights, a larger fuel cell, carbon brake discs and specially designed Goodyear Eagle race tires.

“From the beginning of this project, it was important to us that the car we bring to Le Mans is a true NASCAR stock car,” said Jim France, NASCAR Chairman and CEO. “While there have been some adjustments to allow the car to compete in a 24-hour endurance race, fans in Le Mans will be treated to the full NASCAR experience.”

On-track testing for the project began last August at Road Atlanta with two-time 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Mike Rockenfeller, who will be joined by seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson and 2009 F1 world champion Jenson Button behind the wheel at the upcoming 100th anniversary of the world-famous endurance race. Altogether the test car and its previous iteration have logged more than 3,600 miles at six separate tests (Road Atlanta, Virginia International Raceway, Goodyear Proving Grounds, Carolina Motorsports Park, Sebring International Raceway and Daytona International Speedway).

NASCAR Next Gen Garage 56 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Specs:

Length:                                     195.4” / 4,961 mm

Width:                                       78.6” / 1,996.4 mm

Height:                                      50.4” / 1,280 mm

Wheelbase:                               110” / 2,794 mm

Weight:                                     2,960 lbs / 1,342 kg

Spoiler:                                     6” / 152.4 mm

Body:                                        2023 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 composite symmetric body featuring integral flap systems, camera mounts and dive planes

Underwing:                               Full carbon undertray w/Le Mans spec splitter, engine panel and rear diffuser

Chassis:                                   Steel tubing w/bolt-on front and rear clips and front/rear bumpers

Transaxle:                                 5-speed paddle shift sequential with ramp and plate differential

Suspension (Front and rear):     Double wishbone billet aluminum control arms w/adjustable coil over shock absorbers

Steering:                                   Rack and pinion

Wheels:                                    Dry Fronts – BBS-G56 forged aluminum 18” x 12.5” / 462 mm x 317.5 mm

                                                Dry Rears – BBS-G56 forged aluminum 18” x 13.5” / 462 mm x 342.9 mm

                                                Wets – BBS forged aluminum 18” x 12” / 462 mm x 304.8 mm

Tires:                                        Dry Fronts – Goodyear Racing Eagles – 365/35R18 (day / night)

                                                Dry Rears – Goodyear Racing Eagles – 380/35R18 (day / night)

                                                Wets – Goodyear Racing Eagles – 365/35R18 (inter / full)

                                                ** Cured in-tire, passive TPMS system, Powered by Goodyear Sightline

Brakes:                                     Six piston monobloc front calipers / four piston monobloc rear calipers – heavy duty carbon disc packages

Front Brake Rotors:                   15” x 1.57” / 381 mm x 40 mm carbon disc w/titanium bell

Rear Brake Rotors:                   14” x 1.26” / 355.6 mm x 32 mm carbon disc w/titanium bell

Engine:                                     NASCAR Cup Series Chevrolet R07 cast iron small block V8

Engine displacement:                358 cu in / 5.8 L

Induction system:                      Naturally aspirated

Fuel system:                             Fuel injection

Oil system:                               Dry sump

Engine cooling:                         Air exits radiator through hood louvers

Exhaust:                                   Split-side exit exhaust

Fuel cell:                                   32 gallons / 127 L (Total Excellium Racing 100)

2022 was a historic year for Indian Motorcycle Racing, capturing an unprecedented triple crown with championships across three different racing classes, including MotoAmerica® Mission® King of the Baggers® (KOTB), Super Hooligan® National Championship (SHNC) and Progressive Insurance® American Flat Track^sm SuperTwins classes. Now America’s First Motorcycle Company enters the 2023 racing season intent on defending its triple crown and raising the bar yet again with its factory racing program.

Running three No. 1 plates, Indian Motorcycle Racing welcomes back reigning champions Tyler O’Hara and Jared Mees, along with KOTB and SHNC factory rider Jeremy McWilliams. The company has also announced more than $405,000 in combined privateer contingency for KOTB, SHNC and AFT.

Founded by racers who developed America’s first motorized bicycles, fueled by a desire to go faster and win races, Indian Motorcycle has been racing, and winning, for 122 years. From founder Oscar Hedstrom’s endurance racing dominance at the turn of the century, to O.C. Godfrey winning the first Mountain Circuit race at the famed Isle of Man in 1911, to Burt Munro’s land speed records or the Wrecking Crew’s domination in flat track in the 1950s and, more recently, it’s six consecutive AFT Championships from 2017-2022, the list of history-making racing milestones is unparalleled. Now the innovative American motorcycle company prepares to defend a triple crown.

“Racing and an overriding spirit of competition has been a driving force for Indian Motorcycle for more than a century, and that competitive fire continues to drive us forward to this day,” said Gary Gray, Vice President – Racing, Technology and Service for Indian Motorcycle. “We’re incredibly proud of the success we had in 2022 with three different championships, but it’s only going to get tougher in 2023, with our competition gunning for us more than ever. But that challenge is what motivates us and pushes us to get better every day, and we’re chomping at the bit to go racing in 2023.”

MotoAmerica® KOTB & SHNC

For 2023, Indian Motorcycle and S&S® will pit a two-man factory race team that will take on double duty across the King of the Baggers® and Super Hooligan® classes. Proudly running the No. 1 plate in both classes, dual-threat champion Tyler O’Hara enters his fourth year aboard the Indian Challenger and his second year piloting an Indian FTR. Pitting alongside O’Hara in both classes is veteran Moto GP racer Jeremy McWilliams, whose technical knowledge and extensive experience at racing’s highest levels proved invaluable to the team’s success in 2022.

In the 2022 Mission King of the Baggers® class, the team’s success was driven by O’Hara’s versatility, the expertise of the S&S® crew, and the consistency and reliability of the Indian Challenger. Through seven rounds aboard his Indian Challenger, O’Hara captured five podiums, including a Daytona win, and two fourth-place finishes.

With the No. 1 plate and an expanded 14-round KOTB series, O’Hara will be the man to beat. But the competition will be tougher than ever, as Harley-Davidson® continues to increase its significant investment in the series, adding even more bikes and riders to the King of the Baggers® grid for 2023.

“The odds were definitely against us in 2022, and that’s what made climbing that mountain and ending up on top all the more special to our entire Indian Motorcycle-S&S® team. We grinded week in and week out to rise to that challenge and in the end, we got the job done,” said O’Hara. “But now we start over and the climb begins again. This team is truly a family, and we could not be more motivated to defend the championship and successfully rise to the challenge again in 2023.”

In addition to its factory efforts, Indian Motorcycle is offering up to $83,000 in KOTB privateer contingency and up to $41,000 in SHNC Contingency.

2023 Indian Motorcycle KOTB Privateer Contingency 

• Championship: $20,000
• 1^st: $3000 
• 2^nd: $1000  
• 3^rd: $500 

2023 Indian Motorcycle SHNC Privateer Contingency

• Championship: $5,000
• 1^St: $3000
• 2^nd: $1000 
• 3^rd: $500 

AFT SuperTwins

Piloting the Indian FTR750 for his seventh-consecutive year, reigning Progressive Insurance® AFT SuperTwins Champion Jared Mees enters 2023 with eight AFT Grand National Championships to his name – just one shy of the historic record of nine held by Scottie Parker. A record that many have assumed would never be matched or broken, Mees is looking to do just that as he chases his ninth.

As Mees chases history, he’ll rely on his trusted team led by Crew Chief Kenny Tolbert, Assistant Mechanic Bubba Bently and Suspension Technician Jimmy Wood. Mees will also receive support from Rogers Racing, SDI Racing, Drag Specialties®, Twigg Cycles, Mission® Foods, Monster Energy®, Bell® Helmets, Service Pro, Öhlins® Suspension, Klotz® Oil, Klock Werks^sm, RK Chain®, Corbin®, Seats, Engine Ice®, RMR Construction, Motion Pro®, VP Racing®, Vertex Pistons, Pro Plates and DBI Motorsports.

In addition to its AFT factory efforts around Mees, Indian Motorcycle is offering the sport’s most robust privateer contingency, equating to more than $280,000.

2023 Indian Motorcycle AFT Privateer Contingency:

• Championship: $25,000
• 1^st: $7,500
• 2^nd: $2,500
• 3^rd: $1,500
• 4^th: $1,000
• 5^th: $750
• 6^th: $350
• 7^th: $250
• 8^th: $150
• 9^th: $125
• 10^th: $100

Indian Motorcycle factory race efforts are presented by Progressive Insurance®, Mission® Foods and Medallia®, with additional support from Indian Motorcycle Motor Oil, S&S®, Parts Unlimited, Drag Specialties®, Performance Finance, and J&P Cycles®.

KOTB, SHNC and AFT seasons begin March 9 at the Daytona International Speedway. For more information on the 2023 AFT season, visit AmericanFlatTrack.com, for KOTB and SHNC, visit MotoAmerica.com.

For information about Indian Motorcycle, visit IndianMotorcycle.com, or follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

NTT INDYCAR SERIES driver Marcus Ericsson combined two of his passions – winning races and ice hockey – when he unveiled the ticket for the 107th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Friday night, Feb. 10 in Indianapolis.

Ericsson earned his first victory in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” last May in the No. 8 Huski Chocolate Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, and one of the many spoils for the winner is the honor of unveiling the ticket for the next year’s race. The honor of the winning driver featured on the next year’s “500” ticket dates to Mauri Rose’s appearance in 1948.

Swedish native Ericsson lifted the cover from the colorful ticket, featuring a photo of him dousing his head in the winner’s famous bottle of milk, during Indy 500 Night at the Indy Fuel hockey game at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis. He is an avid hockey fan and played the sport as a youth before focusing on racing.

“I’m super excited to be here for Friday night hockey,” Ericsson said. “I’m a big hockey fan, playing hockey as a kid. I’ve been to a few (Fuel) games. It’s always a good time. Obviously, being the Indy 500 Night is extra special, and unveiling this year’s Indy 500 ticket is really exciting.”

It was the second Indy 500-related honor in as many weeks for Ericsson, who is entering his fifth NTT INDYCAR SERIES season this year. He and team owner Chip Ganassi also received their “Baby Borg” replicas of the Borg-Warner Trophy for winning the Indy 500 last week during the series’ open test at The Thermal Club near Palm Springs, California.

Ericsson will defend his Indianapolis 500 victory Sunday, May 28 in the 107th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with live coverage starting at 11 a.m. ET on NBC and the INDYCAR Radio Network.

Tickets for the Indy 500 and all Month of May activities are on sale at IMS.com, by calling the IMS Ticket Office at 317-492-6700 or by visiting the Ticket Office.

The 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season starts Sunday, March 5 with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding in St. Petersburg, Florida (live, noon ET, NBC and INDYCAR Radio Network).

As the 2023 Formula DRIFT season ramps up to the start of the series’ 20th anniversary, fans are able to visit the official website at formulad.com to purchase tickets for seven of the eight championship rounds. Currently, tickets for the FD PRO Championship Final at Irwindale Speedway in October are scheduled to go on-sale in the near future. However, the opening round on the Streets of Long Beach city course is just ten weeks away and tickets sell out fast, so we urge fans to purchase early to avoid disappointment. 

With teams and drivers continuing preparations for what promises to be the most exciting season in two decades of close fought competition, the Long Beach round will give everybody a chance to see the new teams, cars and liveries among the contenders for the Formula DRIFT PRO Championship. Round Two at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta on May 11-13 will also see the opening round of the FD Link ECU PROSPEC Championship. And with the limit on eligible teams lifted, allowing more drivers to qualify for competition, spectators are again promised an action-packed weekend of non-stop drifting. 

As always, Formula DRIFT attendees are able to watch the intense Formula DRIFT action and visit the paddock to rub elbows with the teams, join the driver autograph session, visit the vendor area, grab some food, and find inspiration at the Tuning 365 car shows that take place at each round. Dedicated fans can also sign up for a VIP package, which includes a track walk and collectible Formula DRIFT items, while keen photographers can join one of Larry Chen’s photo experiences. Details of all the ticketing options are available at formulad.com/schedule.

“We’re getting impatient to start our 20th anniversary season at Streets of Long Beach,” said Ryan Sage, President of Formula DRIFT. “We’re confident this will be the most spectacular season of what’s been an incredibly exciting 20 year run. We’ve already announced a few of the changes for 2023 but there are still a few surprises to come that will make the season and the Championship title chases even more compelling. And with the opening round in Long Beach traditionally being a sell-out event, we strongly encourage fans to purchase tickets online while they can!”

2023 FORMULA DRIFT CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE

Please visit formulad.com for the 2023 PRO and PROSPEC Championship schedules, event details, ticket purchases, driver profiles, livestream information and more.

Al Unser, Jr. and Mark McAlister announced today that Unser has resigned from the team on entirely amicable terms. Unser decided to focus on promotional opportunities with his book, "A Checkered Past." Among his plans is an audiobook version of his successful book, released in late 2021. He will continue with his responsibilities with Vintage Indy and additional projects.

“Al has been an invaluable asset to our company,” said Future Star Owner and President McAlister. “He has brought us to a top caliber level, allowing us to win races and regularly putting our drivers on podiums. This success gives me complete confidence we can sustain that level of performance. We wish Al all the best fortune with his book promotional efforts."   

McAlister established Future Star Racing in the spring of 2021, with Unser joining at the same time. Since then, they have enjoyed a great deal of success across several ladder series, including USF2000, FRA, and F4. The team has scored three wins and an additional six podium finishes. Notable drivers racing with Future Star include Trans Am Champion Ernie Francis Jr., Mac Clark and Andre Castro.

"I am so grateful to Mark and the entire Future Star Team for two years of very satisfying and rewarding experiences," said Unser. "It became obvious that I could not pursue the promotional work I wanted to do and still meet my obligations at Future Star. We will soon launch the audiobook, and I have other plans, but it would be premature to announce them today."  

Follow Future Star Racing on social media @futurestarracing and at www.futurestarracing.com

Future Star Racing is an Indianapolis-based race team that empowers and improves young talented drivers to guide them to the next level. Future Star Racing utilizes years of winning racing experience and team members’ knowledge for their driver’s growth.

Polaris Off Road and iconic motocross and mountain bike brand Troy Lee Designs (TLD) have come together once again to unleash two new limited-edition offerings – the 2023 Polaris RZR Pro R Troy Lee Designs Edition and matching RZR 200 EFI Troy Lee Designs Edition. This Polaris-TLD collaboration leverages the powerful influence of two industry leaders, combing the legendary artistry of Troy Lee with the performance-engineering prowess of Polaris. 

Starting at $44,999 MSRP, the 2023 RZR Pro R Troy Lee Designs Edition will be available in both two-and four-seat configurations with approximately 1,000 units of each model available worldwide. Featuring custom Troy Lee Designs styling and graphics, factory installed RIDE COMMAND+, Rockford Fosgate® Stage 5 audio system, Pro Armor tires, and a RIGID light bar, this RZR Pro R Troy Lee Designs Edition combines artistic vision with the power, strength and control of the most revolutionary side-by-side on the market.

Designed to empower the next generation of youth riders, the RZR 200 EFI Troy Lee Designs Edition combines the same race-inspired styling, with kid-friendly performance and industry-leading safety features. At $7,499 MSRP, this vehicle includes a 180cc EFI engine, helmet-aware technology, pin code start, digital speed limiting and geofencing. 

To celebrate 100 days until the FORMULA 1 CRYPTO.COM MIAMI GRAND PRIX 2023, Formula 1® race winner Pierre Gasly paid a visit to the Miami International Autodrome. He took part in a 100-yard dash with Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill — one of the fastest players in the NFL who is known as the ‘Cheetah’ for his speed.

Hill beat Gasly in the 100-yard sprint at the Dolphins’ Baptist Health Training Complex – where the Miami Dolphins train adjacent to the track and Hard Rock Stadium – and afterwards presented the Alpine driver with a signed Dolphins jersey featuring the number 10, which is both the Frenchman’s race number and Hill’s jersey number. Hill also signed the jersey with the message: “Beat you in a race!” And “My feet… faster than your car!”

Gasly’s visit to the Miami International Autodrome marked 100 days until the second FORMULA 1 CRYPTO.COM MIAMI GRAND PRIX  gets underway in Miami Gardens on May 7, 2023. The 26-year-old is already looking forward to event in May.

“I’m super excited as last year this was one of the most epic races on the calendar,” said Gasly. “There is a great hype around the event, as it’s not just about the race — it’s the whole weekend — the energy and the atmosphere. The race track is cool, very technical and what matters to me is winning, so I’m getting prepared to hopefully leave Miami in May with a trophy in our hands.”

After taking part in the 100-yard sprint alongside Tyreek Hill, Gasly was given a tour of and took part in a workout at the Baptist Health Training Complex where he learnt about the workout programmes undertaken by the Dolphins players.

“Although I don’t like to lose, I liked meeting Tyreek as I have so much respect for him and all the other guys as I know what it takes to be a top athlete,” said Gasly. “Personally, I always like coming here and interacting with the Miami Dolphins and being able to exchange gifts with some of the players. You really feel the team spirit, because when you compare this to Formula 1 we are just two drivers in a team. Here is a much bigger facility and I really like this environment and these vibes.”

While in Miami Gardens, Gasly surprised the vendors of two local minority-owned restaurants by presenting them with a set of golden tickets to this year’s race. The first lucky recipients were the owners of Reggae Beets, an outlet that specializes in Jamaican cuisine, while the second was Italian Vice, Italian ice vendor. Gasly also participated in a tasting of the local businesses’ featured menu that will be offered to patrons at the event. In total, 14 minority-owned restaurants local to Miami Gardens and surrounding communities have been selected to participate as a food vendor at this year’s event in May.

“I’m always happy to help support people and local businesses here and to bring them a bit of excitement by surprising them with a golden ticket,” added Gasly. “It’s important to recognize the positive impact this has and I’m sure they’ll have a great time at the race. Last year was a huge success and definitely I’m looking forward to racing in Miami again this season.”

In 100 days, the Miami International Autodrome will host the second annual FORMULA 1 CRYPTO.COM MIAMI GRAND PRIX 2023, which will have increased spectator capacity and grandstand seating, as well as a new Paddock Club and Team Village. Additionally, a new General Admission Campus Pass has gone on sale here which will allow more fans to experience Formula 1® as they will enjoy access to various spectator zones around the circuit.

B-roll footage and hi-res photography of Gasly’s race with Tyreek Hill, his visit to the Baptist Health Training Complex and the gifting of golden tickets to the minority-owned restaurants are available rights free on the links below, which also includes a short interview with the Alpine driver.