Dan Towriss revealed as co-owner of Andretti Autosport after Kyle Kirkwood's IndyCar win

LONG BEACH, Calif. – Dan Towriss never intended to get involved with racing, even after Zach Veach called six years ago as the young driver, in need of sponsorship to make his Indy 500 debut, made his best pitch.

“But I liked his story, and within the weekend, it was, ‘Hey, what if our (LPGA) golf tournament (at the time held at Brickyard Crossing) was the sponsor of the car?’” Towriss told IndyStar last May in an exclusive sit-down.

What started as the ‘Indy Women in Tech Championship presented by Guggenheim’ sponsoring Veach’s 500 ride with AJ Foyt Racing turned into Group1001 – Towriss is its CEO – latching on as Veach’s primary sponsor for a full-time ride with Andretti Autosport in 2018 as part of a three-year deal. In 2019, Group1001’s subsidiary Gainbridge took over the deal and subsequently became the presenting sponsor of the 500.

And now, the man who swore he’d never sponsor cars or drivers co-owns an IndyCar team, having purchased a stake in Andretti Autosport. That deal was revealed Sunday as Towriss and Michael Andretti were welcomed up to the Victory Podium at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach to jointly accept the owners’ race-winning trophy.

The deal, which had been rumored in the paddock for several months, was struck last May around the same time as Towriss and Gainbridge signed a multi-year extension with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to carry on its role with the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. Last fall, Towriss and Gainbridge were believed to have played a major role in Colton Herta inking a contract extension through 2027 still with a year left on his current deal. Herta is now one of the highest pair drivers in the paddock at just 23.

Towriss's introduction to IndyCar: How a pastor played a part in Zach Veach's deal with Andretti Autosport

Not going anywhere: Gainbridge signs multi-year extension as Indy 500's presenting sponsor

“We love the sport, and we just want to continue to invest in it,” Towriss told IndyStar Sunday moments after celebrating Kyle Kirkwood’s maiden IndyCar victory and the team’s first of the 2023 season. “There’s an owner hat and a sponsor hat, and it’s an interesting set of conflicts.

“I saw some untapped potential in the Andretti team, and with what it can mean while we’re seeing motorsports growing in the US – and not just in Formula 1 – there’s this growing excitement, and it’s a great time to invest in the sport and try to elevate our performance.”

When asked if the influx of capital from his own pocketbook could be directly tied to the heightened level of performance in the team in 2023 – including a pair of poles, a 1-2-4 finish Sunday and what was very nearly Romain Grosjean’s first-ever IndyCar win last month in St. Pete – Towriss offered a hearty chuckle.

“We’ll see,” he said. “You never know, but hopefully this becomes a pattern. This is such a competitive series, and these teams are so good, and the drivers are so talented, but that’s what also makes it exciting.”

Without diving into the specifics of his percentage stake in the team, Towriss described the role he’s held the last 11 months as “an adviser and consultant” to Andretti on the business side. The team also races in Indy NXT, Formula E, IMSA, Supercars, Super Copa and Extreme E – and if Andretti and Towriss get their way in a matter of months, F1.

“It’s his team, and Michael, (team president) J.F. (Thormann) and (COO) Rob (Edwards) make the racing decisions,” Towriss said. “We’re partners, and that means talking about which things make the most sense from time to time.

“But I probably have never been on the same page more with a business partner than I have with Michael. It’s been a lot of fun. I’m excited about it, and it’s nice to finally see some of these things paying off.”

How he won: Kyle Kirkwood captures first IndyCar win from pole in Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach

And with that success, combined with the news now out in the public, Towriss has begun to talk like an IndyCar owner – revealing he’d taken offense to the insinuation that IndyCar’s ‘Big Three’ of last decade had dwindled to a two-team battle between Ganassi and Penske. Those programs have won each of the last 10 championships.

“I’m a naturally competitive person, so when I hear (Arrow McLaren driver) Pato (O’Ward) say his only competitors are Penske and Ganassi, let’s take that and put it on the bulletin board and run with it.”

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IndyCar: Dan Towriss revealed as Andretti Autosport co-owner