Promoting Autoimmune Disease Awareness, Ed Jones will Pilot the Striking No. 63 Ed Carpenter Racing Scuderia Corsa Chevrolet at the 103rd Running of the Indianapolis 500

INDIANAPOLIS, May 17, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- In anticipation of the 103rd Indianapolis 500, Scuderia Corsa, along with Ed Carpenter Racing (ECR), released the new livery for the No. 63 Indy car, a striking red-and-white design that includes an organization that is thrilled and grateful to be at The Brickyard: Race for Relapsing Polychondritis (RP).

At this year's Greatest Spectacle in Racing on Sunday, May 26th, nearly 300,000 in-person spectators and 5 million fans on TV will watch Ed Jones pilot the No. 63 Ed Carpenter Racing Scuderia Corsa Chevrolet with livery that includes Race for RP – a campaign associated with the Relapsing Polychondritis Awareness and Support Foundation (RPASF). RP is a debilitating, and in some cases fatal autoimmune disease that causes the patient's own body to attack the cartilage.

"We are thrilled by this extraordinary branding opportunity provided by Scuderia Corsa and ECR," says Nancy Linn, founder of Race for RP and chair of RPASF. "Last weekend, Spencer Pigot and Ed Jones scored fifth and sixth place at the INDYCAR Grand Prix. The Chevrolets were quick – in the dry and wet – and Ed Jones outqualified the other Chevy-powered cars." Linn added "Last year, Ed Carpenter, a hometown favorite and three-time pole sitter, finished in second place, and Scuderia Corsa narrowly missed victory in its Indy 500 debut. This year, with Ed Carpenter, Spencer Pigot and Ed Jones in the race, it will be a fantastic Indy 500 and we will be cheering for a team win!"

Giacomo Mattioli, Team Principal of Scuderia Corsa, has been a close friend of Race for RP since 2015, when he graciously provided one of his dealerships, Ferrari South Bay, as the venue for the premiere of RPASF's signature documentary, "RP The Ride of My Life." In the documentary, RP patient Linn recounts how she went for years without a diagnosis and explains how the cartilage in her body was constantly causing pain.

More recently, at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, Scuderia Corsa and Ed Carpenter Racing provided the Allegheny Health Network Autoimmunity Institute and Race for RP with an incredible up-close look at their impressive operation and what it takes to run a high-performance team. "Scuderia Corsa and Ed Carpenter Racing were incredibly generous to us at the 2019 NTT IndyCar Series season opener." says Dr. Joseph Ahearn, Chair of the AHN Autoimmunity Institute. "Watching their outstanding teamwork, and passion to win, inspires us to win our race – to eradicate autoimmune diseases, including RP."

Watch the AHN Autoimmunity Institute event at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

About Edward Jones

Born of English descent in Dubai, Ed Jones began his racing career in local karting competitions at age 9. He moved to single seaters in 2011, climbing up the European ranks. In 2015, Jones shifted his focus to North America and transitioned to Indy Lights. The next year, he won the championship and secured himself a place in the 2017 NTT IndyCar Series field. His first two Indy car races resulted in Top 10 finishes, but it was May when he burst onto the scene with a third-place finish in his Indianapolis 500 debut. His year-long performance with Dale Coyne Racing earned him 2017 Rookie of the Year honors. Driving for Chip Ganassi Racing in 2018, Jones scored eight Top 10 finishes in the 13 races in which he was running at the finish. His sophomore season also featured two more podium celebrations with third place results at Long Beach and Detroit. The races which will make up the 24-year-old's third season of Indy car competition will include the 12 road and street course events and the 2019 Indianapolis 500. For more information, visit http://www.edjonesracing.com/about.html.

About Scuderia Corsa

In 2019, Las Vegas-based team Scuderia Corsa enters IndyCar Series season, including the 103rd Indianapolis 500, after expanding it's racing efforts to open-wheel in 2018 running in the 102nd Indianapolis 500. GT results include: IMSA GTD Champion (2017, 2016, 2015), Grand-AM GT Champion (2013), Pirelli World Challenge GTA Champion (2016), 24 Hours of Le Mans GTE-AM Winner (2016), 24 Hours of Le Mans GTE-AM Podium (2017, 2015), 12H of Sebring Winner (2016), 12H of Sebring Podium (2018, 2017), 10H of Petit Le Mans Winner (2018), 6H of Watkins Glen Winner (2016), 6H of Watkins Glen Podium (2017). Championship winning, Scuderia Corsa was founded in 2012 by Giacomo Mattioli and Art Zafiropoulo. Follow Scuderia Corsa on Twitter @Scuderia_Corsa, Facebook at Scuderia Corsa, Instagram at @Scuderia.Corsa and ScuderiaCorsa.com.

About Ed Carpenter Racing

Ed Carpenter Racing (ECR) first entered the NTT IndyCar Series in 2012. The Indianapolis-based race team has proven its versatility by collecting seven wins on each type of track the series competes on – street and road courses, short ovals and speedways. ECR is led by IndyCar's only owner/driver, Ed Carpenter, three-time pole winner for the Indianapolis 500 (2013, 2014 and 2018). In 2019, Carpenter will race at all oval events in the No. 20 Chevrolet while Ed Jones will take over for the road and street courses. Both will be entered in the 2019 Indianapolis 500 alongside Spencer Pigot, who will compete for the NTT IndyCar Series championship as he races the No. 21 Chevrolet throughout the entire season. More information on Ed Carpenter Racing may be found athttp://www.edcarpenterracing.com.

About Relapsing Polychondritis

Relapsing polychondritis (RP) is a systemic inflammatory disease of unknown etiology that can be fatal. The disease affects multiple organs, particularly cartilaginous structures such as the ears, nose, airway and joints as well as eyes, skin, vasculature, heart valves, and brain.

About Race for RP

Race for RP supports research, awareness programs, and cares for those who are affected by relapsing polychondritis and related diseases. For more information, visit https://raceforrp.org/.

About RPASF

RPASF's purpose is to increase awareness about relapsing polychondritis, provide for those who are affected by RP, support research to advance a cure, and promote quality care for patients with RP. For more information, visit http://www.polychondritis.org/.

About AHN Autoimmunity Institute

The AHN Autoimmunity Institute is an unprecedented venture focused on advancing the diagnosis, treatment, prevention and cure of all autoimmune diseases, of which there are more than 100. The Institute's focus is on improved outcomes, increased patient satisfaction and quality of life, and decreased cost of care, through collaborative multispecialty care, cutting-edge research, advocacy and education in attacking these chronic diseases. For more information, visit http://www.ahn.org/autoimmunity-institute.

SOURCE Ed Carpenter Racing