IndyCar officials have closed the Santa Monica, Calif., office opened by former CEO Randy Bernard two years ago to facilitate contacts with the entertainment industry. The most prominent result was an association with the DreamWorks movie studio on the production of Turbo, a theatrical animated movie scheduled for theatrical release in July 2013 which revolves around a snail racing in the Indianapolis 500 (ABOVE). However, IndyCar says its Indianapolis-based staff were the primary mover behind that project.
“As we look ahead to 2013, INDYCAR is focusing resources on our core business objectives, growing television ratings and event attendance, and therefore has decided to close our Los Angeles operation and realign those resources to better achieve these objectives," IndyCar explained in a statement. "Our partnership with DreamWorks on the animated feature Turbo remains a top priority for the upcoming season and will be handled internally by our marketing, sales and public relations staff here in Indianapolis, which is where the relationship originally began and where much of the day-to-day work has continued to reside.”