BROWNSBURG, Ind. (February 9, 2018) - Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL) announced today that One Cure, an initiative from the Flint Animal Cancer Center at Colorado State University (CSU), will be the primary sponsor of the No. 15 Verizon IndyCar Series entry of Graham Rahal at ISM Raceway on April 7 and Portland International Raceway, September 2. One Cure will also be an associate sponsor for Rahal's entry for the full 2018 season with the goal of bringing awareness to, and understanding for One Cure.
"We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with Graham and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing to raise awareness for One Cure," said Dr. Christine Hardy, One Cure Program Lead, Flint Animal Cancer Center. "Thanks to a generous One Cure supporter, we will be able to bring our message to millions of race fans this year and share the story of what is possible when we work together in the quest to improve the lives of all cancer patients - pets and people."
One Cure, a project led by CSU's Flint Animal Cancer Center, utilizes research from innovative cancer treatments for pets involved in clinical trials to benefit people. The center sees more than 1,500 new animal cancer patients every year, with approximately 130 patients enrolling in these carefully monitored clinical trials. These canine and feline patients help to pioneer cancer research, moving treatments out of the laboratory and into clinical practice, ultimately providing hope to the next generation of animal and human cancer patients.
"I am beyond excited to partner with One Cure and bring more focus and energy to discovering ways to help find a cure to save the lives of our loved ones, including our pets, who we consider family members," said Graham Rahal, who grew up in a household full of pets, especially dogs. "One Cure is a tremendous addition to our program. As an animal lover and lifelong supporter of animal charities, this is going to be a powerful movement for our team as well as something our fans, sponsors and competitors can work together on to make an impact."
"I visited the One Cure facility at Colorado State University and was impressed by the work the men and women do to bring about a cure for pets and humans alike," added Bobby Rahal, co-owner of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing with former late night talk show host David Letterman and Mi-Jack co-owner Michael Lanigan. "Anyone who has ever been exposed to the devastating effects of cancer in either a pet, loved one or even an acquaintance would be impressed with the program and be moved to support it. We are proud to help spread awareness of this ground breaking research."
To create awareness of the Flint Animal Cancer Center and its groundbreaking work in comparative oncology, One Cure will have a two pronged program in motorsports in 2018. One Cure will be the primary sponsor of Clint Bowyer's #14 Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing in Las Vegas, Sonoma and Kansas in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series as well as sponsoring Rahal's entry in Phoenix and Portland.
The 2018 Verizon IndyCar Series season begins March 9-11 with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Graham Rahal won the event in 2008 and won pole in 2009 - both feats earned him the distinction of being the youngest in series history to do so. Reigning Indianapolis 500 champion Takuma Sato has returned to the team as Rahal's teammate. His highest start in St. Pete is pole in 2014 and highest finish is fifth in 2011. For more details about the Series, please visit www.indycar.com
About One Cure
Cancer is cancer. One Cure is founded on the principle that cancer affects all creatures and that treatment breakthroughs come through collaboration between scientists and doctors who are working with both people and animals. This approach is known as comparative or translational oncology, and it is the core of the One Cure concept. At the Flint Animal Cancer Center at Colorado State University, their mission is to improve the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer in pet animals, translating our research and knowledge to also benefit people with cancer. More information about One Cure is available at www.onecure.com