Indianapolis, IN
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS CHOOSE HELLAS’ MATRIX HELIX® TURF, GEO COOLFILL®, AND CUSHDRAIN® FOR SAFETY AND PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT
INDIANAPOLIS, April 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The Indianapolis Colts will kick off the 2024 NFL season on a new synthetic turf system that has environmentally friendly organic infill and a shock pad designed with safety in mind. Hellas, which is the largest vertically integrated sports contractor in America, has successfully installed a Matrix Helix® monofilament 120 yard synthetic field at the Colts’ Indiana Farm Bureau Practice Center.
Hellas, which is the Official Turf Partner of the Indianapolis Colts, has prior experience working with 13 other NFL teams installing the same Matrix Helix turf system across the league. Lucas Oil Stadium, where the Colts have played home games since 2008, is also getting a Matrix Helix turf synthetic system later this summer.
Matrix Helix turf by Hellas offers several key strengths, including optimal cleat interaction, stable footing, and excellent shock absorption. The innovative shape memory technology of helix involves curled monofilament fibers that securely hold the infill in place, preventing migration and splash-out.
In addition to the Matrix Helix turf installation, Hellas crews have implemented the Cushdrain® shock pad. This elastic layer, expertly paved over a laser-graded drainstone foundation, ensures a level playing surface that maintains its integrity through multiple life cycles. The Cushdrain pad significantly reduces the risk of athlete injuries caused by hard impacts with the surface. Furthermore, the Colts have chosen Geo Coolfill® infill, which is 100% organic and boasts optimal energy restitution and superior foot control. The outdoor facilities will further benefit from the Geo Coolfill material, as it reduces field surface temperatures by up to 40⁰.
Beyond the Colts’ facilities, Hellas has installed Geo Coolfill infill at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, as well as practice facilities for the Tennessee Titans, Philadelphia Eagles, and Miami Dolphins. Hellas has also installed Matrix Helix turf at Michigan City High School in Northern Indiana and plans to install the same turf system at Salem Community Schools later this summer.
Expressing his enthusiasm regarding the partnership with the Indianapolis Colts, Hellas President and CEO Reed J. Seaton stated, “Hellas is committed to providing the highest quality turf system, including the Cushdrain pad and organic infill, to ensure the safest playing surface for athletes at the highest level.” Seaton further added, “When renovations were needed for the Colts’ indoor practice facility, Hellas crews successfully completed the installation process in less than four weeks.”
With the NCAA Swimming and Diving National Championships and the concert season wrapping up at Lucas Oil Stadium, Hellas crews now turn their attention to the Colts’ home stadium. The same Matrix Helix turf system with Cushdrain pad, and Geo Coolfill infill will be installed at Lucas Oil Stadium this summer.
In addition to making remarkable strides in the United States, Hellas is also expanding its presence in Europe. As the Indianapolis Colts visit Germany and Austria as part of the NFL’s Global Markets Program in April 2024, Hellas will be making its own impact by installing a Matrix Helix turf field at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England. With a prevailing sense of optimism surrounding the Colts’ upcoming season, Indianapolis is buzzing with excitement.
About Hellas – Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Hellas is America’s largest sports contractor specializing in the manufacturing, construction, and installation of sports surfaces and amenities. With complete control over product manufacturing and the ownership and operation of heavy construction equipment, Hellas provides a comprehensive one-stop-shop for turf, tracks, courts, and sports lighting projects. Alongside hundreds of successful K-12 and collegiate sports construction projects, Hellas has installed turf at both practice and home fields for various NFL teams, including the Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys, Tennessee Titans, and Houston Texans. Hellas has also installed Matrix Helix turf at SoFi Stadium, home of the LA Rams and LA Chargers, as well as Allegiant Stadium, home of the Las Vegas Raiders. Practice facilities for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Arizona Cardinals, Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers, and Washington Commanders are among those that have also chosen Hellas to install Matrix Helix turf. For more information, please visit www.hellasconstruction.com.
About Indianapolis Colts – Based in Indianapolis, the Colts are an American professional football team competing in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference South Division. Since 1987, the Colts have been the host team for the NFL Scouting Combine. The team played in the RCA Dome from 1984 to 2007, and their home games are currently held at Lucas Oil Stadium, which opened in 2008. For more information, visit Colts.com
Contact: Jeff Power
Hellas Director of Communications
[email protected]
SOURCE Hellas
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The National Waste & Recycling Foundation and the National Waste & Recycling Association launched a national public service campaign in January 2026 aimed at reducing battery-related fires in the waste and recycling industry.
The initiative, titled “Skip the Bin – Turn Your Batteries In!,” encourages residents to properly dispose of lithium-ion batteries and is designed to protect sanitation workers, waste facilities and surrounding communities.
The campaign follows a surge in fires linked to discarded batteries. Industry officials reported more than 1,000 battery-related fires nationwide in 2025 at locations including collection trucks, transfer stations, recycling facilities and landfills.
The effort comes as Indiana emerges as one of the fastest-growing manufacturing states for electric vehicle batteries.
Michael E. Hoffman, president of the National Waste & Recycling Foundation and CEO of the National Waste & Recycling Association, said many households now contain numerous lithium-ion batteries but residents often lack information about how to safely discard them.
“There were over a thousand fires in 2025,” Hoffman said. “There’s basically one every single day in every state in just the waste and recycling infrastructure, whether it’s collection, transfer, the recycling facility, or at the landfill, or a waste energy plant. We have a fire every day.”
The campaign warns that lithium-ion batteries operate through chemical reactions rather than simple electrical storage. When damaged or improperly handled, they can undergo thermal runaway — a rapid reaction that can cause temperatures to rise to several thousand degrees Fahrenheit within milliseconds. These fires cannot be extinguished with water, creating significant hazards in homes and waste facilities.
The foundation partnered with the U.S. Forest Service to feature the agency’s mascot, Woodsy Owl, in the campaign — one of the character’s most prominent public appearances in about two decades.
Hoffman said the Forest Service joined the initiative because of concerns about campers discarding batteries into campfires in national forests.
“We went to the U.S. Forest Service knowing that Woodsy had been around for almost 54 years at that point,” Hoffman said. “The Forest Service has concerns about fires in the national forest. So they were thrilled with the idea that Woodsy could get behind something like this.”
In addition to fire safety, the campaign highlights the importance of recycling batteries to recover valuable materials. Lithium-ion batteries contain rare earth metals that can be difficult to obtain. Hoffman said about 60% to 70% of these materials can be recovered and reused to manufacture new batteries.
“These are rare earth precious metals, particularly in the lithium-ion batteries,” Hoffman said. “And these are hard to find rare earth metals.”
The campaign’s website, Batterysafetynow.org, includes a ZIP code locator to help residents find nearby drop-off locations. About 20,000 retail sites nationwide participate in the program, including Home Depot, Lowe’s, Walmart, Best Buy, Target, Tractor Supply Company and Staples.
“You put your zip code in and there are 20,000 retail locations around the country, one pretty much within 10 miles of most zip codes, not all, but most,” Hoffman said.
The program promotes a three-step disposal process: Prepare, Locate and Deliver. Residents are advised to tape the ends of batteries to prevent contact, place them in a resealable bag or box and bring them to a participating retailer.
Once collected, the Battery Network coordinates transportation to processing depots, where batteries are sorted by chemical composition and prepared for recycling.
Hoffman said the foundation hopes to expand the program by partnering with grocery stores.
“Our next big objective is, can we get the grocery industry to agree to let us do this in grocery stores as well?” Hoffman said. “And then we’re pretty much wrapped around the consumer almost everywhere you might go.”
Ryan Nitzen | March 7, 2026
It’s time to go racing in Indianapolis! Round nine of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross invades Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana for another night of Triple Crown racing. Points are still tight in both classes as we gear up for tonight’s gate drop. Only the top 18 riders head straight to the main event so the pressure is on for qualifying.
QUALIFYING
Eli Tomac is fresh off his eighth win at Daytona and carrying that momentum into qualifying today. He was fastest in both sessions today as he sets the pace with a 45.435. Justin Cooper looked up to the challenge as he was a close second overall, just 0.02 seconds off Tomac. The 450SX points leader, Hunter Lawrence clocked third overall with a 45.5. Jorge Prado returns to action this weekend in fourth overall with Cooper Webb rounding out the top five. The top eight riders all ran a 45-second lap which goes to show how close the racing will be tonight.
450SX OVERALL QUALIFYING RESULTS (Top 10)
| 1. | Eli Tomac | (KTM) | 45.435 |
| 2. | Justin Cooper | (Yam) | 45.456 |
| 3. | Hunter Lawrence | (Hon) | 45.580 |
| 4. | Jorge Prado | (KTM) | 45.644 |
| 5. | Cooper Webb | (Yam) | 45.675 |
| 6. | Ken Roczen | (Suz) | 45.795 |
| 7. | Joey Savatgy | (Hon) | 45.945 |
| 8. | Justin Hill | (KTM) | 45.954 |
| 9. | Shane McElrath | (Hon) | 46.238 |
| 10. | Malcolm Stewart | (Hus) | 46.346 |
250SX
Just like the 450 class, last week’s winner is on top of the board once again. Seth Hammaker topped both sessions in the 250SX East division and leads the way before tonight’s three main events. Hammaker is actually the fastest rider in either class as his 45.1 is three-tenths better than Tomac’s time. Cole Davies grabbed second overall but was half a second off Hammaker. His whoop speed will certainly come into play as the track breaks down. Jo Shimoda jumped to third overall late in the second session and showed he can post a fast time even in the rutted conditions.
250SX OVERALL QUALIFYING RESULTS (Top 10)
| 1. | Seth Hammaker | (Kaw) | 45.148 |
| 2. | Cole Davies | (Yam) | 45.675 |
| 3. | Jo Shimoda | (Hon) | 45.741 |
| 4. | Daxton Bennick | (Hus) | 46.203 |
| 5. | Coty Schock | (Yam) | 46.332 |
| 6. | Caden Dudney | (Yam) | 46.355 |
| 7. | Cullin Park | (Hon) | 46.555 |
| 8. | Luke Clout | (Kaw) | 46.615 |
| 9. | Pierce Brown | (Yam) | 46.634 |
| 10. | Gavin Towers | (Hon) | 46.700 |
Indy Notes
- Chase Sexton is still out as he recovers from a crash prior to Daytona
- Jorge Prado returns after a shoulder injury suffered at Seattle
- Jason Anderson is MIA as he’s taking a break for the forseeable future
- Dylan Ferrandis is out with a thumb injury
Click here for more Supercross racing news.
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