Advance Auto Parts will step up their involvement with local short track racing in 2021 by using their associate sponsorship with Team Penske driver Ryan Blaney to showcase NASCAR-sanctioned facilities around the United States and Canada.
With the company taking over as the primary sponsor of the NASCAR Weekly Series in 2020, chief marketing officer Jason McDonnell sees the initiative as an ideal opportunity to bolster Advance Auto Parts’ partnership with Blaney and NASCAR, while also bringing some much-needed attention to local competitors and venues in North America.
“We are delighted to partner with Team Penske to advance local racing through this activation,” McDonell said. “We believe this program will create a sense of pride with each of NASCAR’s local tracks while drawing more attention to the vital role these tracks play in their communities.”
During each week of the NASCAR Cup Series schedule, up to two different tracks will be featured on Blaney’s car. For each race Blaney ends up winning, the feature tracks on his car receive $1,200 that will be used for track operations, purse money or to a charity of the track’s choosing.
This initiative by Advance Auto Parts begins with the Daytona 500 this weekend with New Smyrna Speedway as the track on Blaney’s car, which is currently in the middle of its annual season-opening event in the World Series of Asphalt that has attracted drivers such as Bubba Pollard, Peyton Sellers and Ryan Preece, among others.
Having raced alongside several strong short track competitors himself in his progression towards the Cup Series, Blaney has observed all of the hard work local short track drivers and promoters put in towards making their weekly events successful and is confident that they will be able to obtain more positive recognition through Advance Auto Parts’ efforts.
“Every driver in the Cup Series garage got their start racing locally on short tracks, so it’s meaningful for me to carry the flag with Advance Auto Parts to represent NASCAR’s local tracks on my No. 12 Ford,” Blaney said. “I look forward to being part of this program, winning races and benefiting a lot of short tracks in the process.”
Advance Auto Parts will serve as a primary sponsor for Blaney in four races during the 2021 season, with the first being the Food City Dirt Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on March 28.
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