Ryan Hunter-Reay Wins IZOD IndyCar Series Championship with Chevrolet IndyCar V6 Power
 
FONTANA, Calif (September 15, 2012) – With a fourth place finish in the MAVTV 500 season finale at Auto Club Speedway, Ryan Hunter-Reay is the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series driver’s champion.  Piloting the No. 28 Team DHL/Sun Drop Citrus Soda Andretti Autosport Chevrolet, Hunter-Reay took the crown with six podium, and nine top-10 finishes that included a Series’-high four wins in the 15-race schedule.
 
“Congratulations to Ryan Hunter-Reay and the No. 28 Andretti Autosport Chevrolet team on winning the coveted 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series driver’s championship,” said Jim Campbell, U.S. Vice President of Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “Everyone at Chevrolet is very proud of Ryan and his team for securing their first driver’s crown with Chevrolet IndyCar V6 power. This championship caps off an exciting first year back in IndyCar competition for Chevrolet. We are looking forward to competing next season, and beyond.”
 
His finish tonight also clinched the Oval Championship commemorated with the A.J. Foyt Oval Championship trophy. On his way to the prestigious title, Hunter-Reay won two of the five oval track races and posted a top-five finish tonight in the season ending race.
 
The Championship is a culmination of Hunter-Reay’s ninth season in IndyCar, and his third season with Andretti Autosport. He is the first American driver since 2006 (Sam Hornish Jr.) to win the IndyCar title.
 
In addition to Hunter-Reay’s championship effort, Chevrolet won the Series’ Manufacturers title with 11 wins in the 15-race season in its first year back in IndyCar competition. Chevrolet competed previously in Indy-style competition as an engine manufacturer in 1986-93 and 2002-05 with V-8 engines, winning 105 races. The wins powered Chevrolet to six driver champions, and included seven Indianapolis 500 victories.