Marathon Petroleum Corporation is a U.S. based oil refining, marketing, and pipeline transport company. The company was formed as a subsidiary on September 1, 2005, from the former Marathon Ashland Petroleum, LLC, and is based in Findlay, Ohio. Marathon Petroleum operated as a subsidiary of the Marathon Oil Corporation until July 1, 2011.
The IZOD IndyCar Series is the premier level of American open wheel racing. The current championship, founded by Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George, began in 1996 as a competitor to CART known as the Indy Racing League . Citing CART's increasing reliance on expensive machinery and overseas drivers, George aimed to create a lower-cost alternative. In 2008, the IndyCar Series merged with the Champ Car World Series . The series is sanctioned by IndyCar.