Open-Wheels Staff
September 3, 2019 | 11:00 AM
With just one race left in the 2019 NTT IndyCar Series season, it is never too early to begin looking towards the inaugural Open-Wheels.com 500 Mile Race – to be held on November 17, 2019. Just 75 days separate us from race day, and the Lionheart Racing Series has joined the fray as an associate sponsor.
“The Lionheart Racing Series, a well-respected sim-racing league on iRacing that honors the late Dan Wheldon, is an awesome addition to our growing list of partners for the inaugural Open-Wheels 500,” said Tanner Watkins, the owner and editor of Open-Wheels.com and the president of the Open-Wheels.com 500 Mile Race, presented by Mitchell Transmissions.
“Lionheart provides some of the closest, most exciting, most authentic racing across the sim racing community, and their league is as well-run an operation that you could find. The competition is fantastic, the prizes and awards offer great incentives, and their online exposure is second-to-none.”
From the league’s official website: The Lionheart IndyCar Series was founded in 2014 by a group of like-minded racers who wanted to take American open-wheel racing on iRacing to the next level. From its initial 16 race season, Lionheart has grown exponentially and now offers 2 broadcasted premier open-wheel racing leagues. Lionheart runs races nearly every week from March until December.
“The Lionheart Racing Series is proud to attach its name to the Open-Wheels.com 500 Mile Race presented by Mitchell Transmissions,” said Jorge Anzaldo, founder of the Lionheart Racing Series. “Lionheart is committed to the IndyCar community and the growth of Simulation Racing. Associating our series with this event is part of our goal to bring additional awareness to the ever-growing world of iRacing and simulated racing eSports events.”
The Lionheart IndyCar Series uses the Dallara IR-18 chassis to create the ultimate test of speed and racing discipline. Lionheart showcases their league and drivers at some of the most popular and exciting venues of recent years. Their goal is to emulate as closely as possible the real-world NTT IndyCar Series.
The Lionheart Retro Series uses the high horsepower Lotus 79 model recreating the glory days of IndyCar from the 1970’s and 80’s. Manufactured before the advent of drivers aids or electronics, this car and this series showcases the raw racing talent of its drivers. The Lotus’s are designed with quick acceleration and power which makes for a very difficult car to control.
Both Lionheart leagues are “Fixed Setup” racing leagues. All drivers are provided the same engineered setup with limited ability to make any adjustments to the car. This equalizes the field and makes the race entirely about ability and racing strategy. The racing is intense, and drivers are so focused that many drivers use real crew chiefs and spotters to help along the way.
To learn more about the Lionheart Racing Series and all they have to offer, visit their official website at LionheartRacingSeries.com.
The 2019 Open-Wheels.com 500 Mile Race will be held on Sunday, November 17. Entries for the race will be accepted between October 1 and 25, and Qualifications Weekend will be November 9 and 10. The race (and parts of qualifications) will be shown live by RaceSpot TV.
For companies or individuals looking to join our respected portfolio of partners, please check out our sponsorship page to see the packages available for purchase! For further questions, please contact Tanner Watkins at Tanner@Open-Wheels.com.
