Pepsi Gearing Up for Indy 500 With Fun Day, Contest

Just as winter becomes a fading memory and warm, sunny days return to Indiana, the Pepsi Bottling Co. is about to embark on an ambitious promotional campaign to remind race fans that The Greatest Spectacle in Racing, the 2001 Indianapolis 500, is just a few weeks away.

Pepsi's enthusiasm for the 85th Indianapolis 500 will come to a crescendo May 19 with Pepsi Fun Day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Throughout the months of April and May, more than 11.3 million 12-ounce cans of Pepsi Cola soft drink brand will carry the complete 2001 Indianapolis 500 schedule.

Pepsi's campaign boasts other impressive numbers: 321,000 Pepsi 24-can packs will be delivered to retailers featuring special Indianapolis 500 graphics, and 76 Pepsi delivery trucks will carry graphics highlighting the Indianapolis 500-Pepsi partnership.

"Our hat is off to Pepsi for their intense involvement with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and their enthusiasm for this year's Indianapolis 500," said Bob Reif, Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing, and Chief Marketing Officer for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "Pepsi's campaign will be a pleasant reminder to fans that the long, cold winter is over and another great month of May at Indianapolis is just around the corner."

Opening day for Indianapolis 500 practice is May 6, and the 85th running of The Greatest Spectacle in Racing gets underway at 11 a.m. (EST) May 27.

Indianapolis 500 fans will be particularly interested in Pepsi's Indianapolis 500 contest, conducted with Marsh Supermarkets. By simply scanning their Marsh Fresh Idea Card when purchasing Pepsi products at participating Marsh stores from April 15 through May 18, fans will be entered to win one of five prizes, including:

Grand Prize: A 2002 Oldsmobile Bravada sport utility vehicle. The restyled Bravada is the Official Pace Vehicle of the 2001 Indianapolis 500, the first SUV to earn the honor.

1st Prize: A ride in the Indy Racing Experience two-seat open-wheel race car, similar to the cars that compete in the Indy Racing Northern Light Series.

2nd Prize: A ride in the Oldsmobile Bravada Pace Vehicle and two tickets to the 2001 Indianapolis 500.

3rd Prize: Indianapolis 500 pit passes and two tickets to the race.

4th Prize: Two tickets to Pepsi's suite at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Look for Pepsi outdoor billboards, television and radio advertisements, Marsh in-store signage and an ad in the REACH magazine distributed May 7 for details of Pepsi's Indianapolis 500 contest.

Pepsi Fun Day on May 19 is the final practice day before Bump Day qualifications on May 20. Bump Day is the final qualifying day, making Pepsi Fun Day the last opportunity for drivers to find enough speed to qualify for the elite 33-car starting field.

The day will also feature the Pepsi/Marsh Indianapolis 500 ticket and ride-along giveaway drawings (the Oldsmobile Bravada grand prize drawing is May 26), and an Extreme Freestyle Motocross exhibition featuring X Games and Gravity Games standouts such as Mike Jones, Dan Pastor and Kenny Bartram.Bob Reif Indy Racing League IRL Pepsi