Landon Huffman lands ‘Trash Pandas’ partnership after CARS Tour Hickory incident

Before getting suspended for fighting by CARS Tour this week, Andrew Grady called Landon Huffman a ‘trash panda’ and it actually resulted in a sponsorship this weekend for the Hickory Motor Speedway champion and former Old North State Nationals winner.

The Rocket City Trash Pandas, a Double-A Minor League Baseball team in Madison, Alabama out of the Southern League has entered into a partnership with Huffman this weekend in the CARS Tour race at North Wilkesboro Speedway.

Making his second start for Carroll Speedshop, Huffman will have the minor league team’s logo adorned on both the hood and around the No. 57 font on the roof and door panel.

“What an incredible opportunity to combine two American past times in stock car racing and baseball this weekend at North Wilkesboro,” Huffman told Short Track Scene over text on Wednesday. “Minor league baseball is very comparable to our weekly grassroots racing scene and the opportunity to represent an organization such as Rocket City is an honor.

“I love everything about minor league ball and spent loads of time cheering on my local minor league team in the Hickory Crawdads. I can’t wait to introduce the Trash Panda staff to our world and show how much value we can provide!

“Our sport needs more collaborations like this. Don’t be surprised if I’m throwing out a first pitch in Alabama before the season is out.”

The Trash Pandas spent much of its existence this century as the Mobile Baybears before moving upstate in 2019. Rocket City is derived from nearby Huntsville, where a NASA facility is located, and the Trash Pandas name was selected by fans after the Baybears announced its impending move in 2018.

Following an on-track incident between the two, one that sent Grady into the backstretch wall at Hickory Motor Speedway on Saturday night, this was the viral quote of the night.

“In the words of Denny Hamlin, Landon Huffman, you’re a hack, it’s no wonder you lost your ride with the No 22. You’re trash panda, bud,” Grady said about Huffman.

Grady was later involved in a confrontation after the race, one that involved shoving CARS Tour founder Jack McNelly onto the ground, receiving a three-race suspension as a result.

But he left the track with a shirt idea.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

First came the shirt.

And then the wrap for the Window World 125 on Saturday night at North Wilkesboro.