HVM on the Air, in Print and Online in St. Pete
Team Draws Coverage by TV, Radio, Newspaper, Web
 
 
Indianapolis, Indiana (April 9, 2009) - Even when the No. 13 PDVSA HVM Racing Honda Dallara wasn’t on track, HVM Racing still drew plenty of media attention at the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.  Driver E.J. Viso and the HVM team participated in interviews and photo opportunities throughout the race weekend, appearing on television, radio, the Web and in newspapers.
 

Gotta Be Fit to Be in the Pit
HVM launched a weight-loss challenge for all team members with an event at the team transporter.  E.J. Viso and sponsor Herbalife challenged the team to lose 100 pounds – about the weight of a set of tires – by the Indy 500.  A photo and recap were published by more than a dozen media outlets. 


All Wet Behind the Gears
The Tampa Tribune quoted E.J. Viso in a pre-race feature about driving in the rain (as drivers were forced to do in St. Pete in 2008). The article noted that Viso was more prepared for it than others because he “cut his teeth in England, ‘where most of the races are run in the rain.’”

 
Hometown Hero
HVM team member and Florida native Mel Rivera talked racing with KGKI Radio, live from the station’s broadcasting booth by the bay.

Betting on Red or Black?
HVM team owner Keith Wiggins commented in an Associated Press story on the new, softer “red tires” introduced in the IndyCar Series this season. “It's another element and opportunity to get the tire combination right. It can go either way, right or wrong, and that's exciting for the fans, too.”  USAToday.com also picked up this AP story.

Keep Your Eye on E.J.
The St. Pete Times included E.J. Viso in its list of “Five Drivers to Remember,” which was published in a special tab in its Friday edition of the race weekend.


Life Lessons
The HVM team welcomed at-risk students from Bishop Hall Charter School in Thomas, Ga., for a tour in the paddock.  Team manager Vince Kremer spoke to the students about the importance of teamwork, and E.J. Viso answered questions about the car and being an IndyCar Series driver.  IndyCar.com featured the visit in a homepage article.

 
HVM is based in Indianapolis, Indiana. In its eight years of competition, the team has earned six wins, two pole positions, and an additional 16 podiums since 2001. The team finished fourth and third, respectively, in the Champ Car championship standings in 2006 and 2007, and earned its drivers Mario Dominguez and Robert Doornbos Rookie of the Year honors in 2002 and 2007, respectively. In 2008 with driver E.J. Viso, the team earned seven top-10 finishes, including a fourth at St. Petersburg in its inaugural year in the IRL Championship.