British driver Pippa Mann has today confirmed that she will take part in her seventh Indianapolis 500 later this year in May. Mann will once again race with Dale Coyne Racing, this time with the primary sponsor of Donate Life Indiana.
A digital render of Mann’s #63 Donate Life Indiana Dale Coyne Racing Honda was released today alongside the official announcement of the deal at the Indiana State Museum in Indianapolis. At the event, Donate Life Indiana, who manage the Donor Register for the state, announced that the deal with Pippa and DCR was part of an effort to increase the number of drivers on the road who are on the Donor Register.
The effort is primarily targeted at younger drivers who are just getting onto the roads. Because of this, part of Pippa’s commitment with Donate Life Indiana as a spokesperson will be to conduct numerous school visits to increase awareness of the importance of being an Organ Donor.
“I am honoured to have been asked to drive the Donate Life car this May, and to partner with Donate Life Indiana as an ambassador to raise awareness on our mission to help reach even more Hoosiers through our education efforts,” said Mann at the announcement event, “This is obviously a campaign with a pretty deep personal meaning for me, and I am humbled to have the opportunity to join the racers carrying this cause forward.”
“I also want to thank Dale and Gail Coyne for once again giving me this opportunity to pilot one of their entries this May. This will be my sixth year with Dale Coyne Racing and I’m truly grateful that they allow me to do this every year.”
Pippa’s entry into the 2018 Indianapolis 500 will be her seventh visit to Indianapolis Motor Speedway and her sixth with DCR. The 34-year-old from Ipswich made her debut in the Verizon IndyCar Series with Conquest Racing at the 2011 Indianapolis 500 where she finished twentieth.
For 2012, Mann joined Dale Coyne for the 500 and has raced at the Brickyard every year since. Her best result at Indy came last year when she finished seventeenth, however, the best result in her fifteen races so far is two thirteenth place finishes at Fontana and Pocono in 2015. This year, Mann will be hoping that she can take her highest finish yet.
“We’re very happy to welcome Donate Life Indiana to the team through their partnership with Pippa. It will certainly be different to see her in new colours this May, but it’s also very exciting,” expressed Team Owner Dale Coyne.
“We’re looking forward to working with Pippa and Donate Life Indiana with their mission of educating new drivers about the importance of donor registration. We also look forward to having Pippa back in the #63 car this May.”
Pippa’s entry is the fourth car that Dale Coyne will field in this year’s Indy 500. She will be joined by full-time DCR driver Sebastien Bourdais in the #18, part-time rookie Pietro Fittipaldi in the #19 and Conor Daly; who will race only at Indianapolis in the #17.
The first day of practice for the 102nd running of the Indianapolis 500 will take place on May 15. Qualifying will take place on the following weekend on May 19 and 20, with the race itself being run on May 27.
