Imagine driving around in an IndyCar going 220-plus miles-per-hour while listening to the all-time great hit Don’t Stop Believin.
That’s something rookie IndyCar driver Ryan Norman might very well be on the verge of making a reality. Norman, who is a part of Andretti’s 2017 Indy Lights roster, has partnered with the legendary music group Journey for the remainder of the 2017 season.
“I am very excited to have Journey on board for the rest of my 2017 season,” Norman said in a press release, via NBC Sports. “It’s unique to have a rock band sponsoring a race car. Journey was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, which is my hometown, so it makes the next race at Mid-Ohio very special to me.”
To say that this is unique would be an understatement. Most race car drivers are sponsored by corporations. It’s where they get some of their financial backing throughout a given season. That’s obviously not going to be the case here.
Norman, 19, is a rising star within the racing ranks. At just 18 years old, he won the 2016 Pro Atlantic Championship Series title and earned 10 first-place finishes. Fast-tracked to the top circuit here soon, he could very well become the face of Andretti racing in the not-so-distant future.
As it relates to Journey, the group was formed in San Francisco back in 1973. It originally consisted of former members of Santana and other groups. Journey has gone on to put out six top-five Billboard albums and eight multi-platinum albums.
With past cast members such as Steve Perry and Randy Jackson, it remains an institution within the music industry. Journey itself was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame back in April and is still performing around the country 45 years after its creation.