INDIANAPOLIS (19 Sept. 2022) – A leading rapid-response life insurance company has signed on to utilize the upcoming Indianapolis 8 hour presented by AWS as part of a comprehensive marketing effort by partnering with the No. 39 Hero Life / Kids for Kids Mercedes-AMG GT3 effort set to be piloted by Chris Cagnazzi, Shane Lewis and Guy Cosmo. The effort will be fielded by Stephen Cameron Racing in the Pro-Am division of the Intercontinental GT Challenge.
From the cockpit to the pit lane, quick decisions are critical to success in motorsport and that is also a key differentiator for Hero Life, which uses lightning-fast, proprietary algorithms to underwrite applicants in seconds for high-value term life insurance where traditional carriers can take weeks. Hero Life is an affordable and flexible way to help financially protect loved ones, and provides protection much more quickly than more traditional routes.
The Hero Life effort will feature three drivers that have strong histories at the fabled Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Cosmo returns to Indianapolis Motor Speedway as a defending class winner, while Cagnazzi has raced to the Indianapolis podium in Ferrari Challenge competition and is looking forward to making his professional debut next weekend in the prestigious Intercontinental GT Challenge. Lewis’s history at Indianapolis includes a run to the podium in Trans Am competition as he looks to add to that history next weekend.
The Hero Life partnership is part of a range of new ambitions for the campaign as the Indianapolis weekend sees the trio move to the GT3 class for the North American round of competition.
“This is a new adventure for us,” Cosmo said of the step up to Intercontinental GT Challenge in the GT3 ranks. “Chris (Cagnazzi) has raced GT3 cars before, and last year Shane (Lewis) and I shared an AMG GT3 Mercedes in IMSA. Shane has been racing a Mercedes in the Creventic 24H Series for several seasons, and recently won the championship. We’re all pretty experienced in these cars, but it’s a new endeavor for the team, and for all of us as a group. It is a thrill to have Hero Life come on board-they are all about speed and hopefully we can deliver for them with this new program.”
With previous experience at the Speedway, Cagnazzi is looking forward to making his Intercontinental GT Challenge debut at a track that he knows and loves.
“Indy is a special place, especially when you can podium there and kiss the bricks,” Cagnazzi said. “I think we know what kind of challenge there is with this level of competition and the 8 hour format, but we’ve got a good team behind us and this driver line up has lots of speed and experience so we are looking forward to this next step for us.
Lewis recently clinched the Creventic 24H European championship with a class victory and third-place overall finish in the CP Racing Mercedes at Barcelona. A 33-year veteran, he is a former class winner in the Rolex 24 At Daytona and was a race winner on many levels, ranging from IMSA Supercar to SCCA Trans Am and the ALMS.
“Driving a GT car at Indy will be a completely unique experience,” Lewis said. “I’m honored to be invited to come to Indianapolis with these guys. It’s a great synergy with the drivers and the team, and it’s going to be a very special program.”
After taking delivery of the car in mid-September, the team did a shakedown test at Carolina Motorsports Park in Kershaw, S.C. to become familiar with the systems for the advanced machine that has proven potent in endurance events around the globe.
In addition to the partnership with Hero Life, the effort will also look to raise awareness for Kids for Kids, a community of friends, families, and colleagues raising money for organizations that support children and families struggling with medical challenges. Kids for Kids family-focused events celebrate all that we have to be grateful for and serve to inspire the next generation of humanitarians – our children.
Practice for the Indy 8 Hour begins on Thursday, Oct. 6, with qualifying on Friday at 1:55 p.m. (all times ET). The race takes the green flag at noon on Saturday.