Cargill Beef Renews NASCAR Deal With Roush Fenway
Cargill Beef renewed its agreement with Roush Fenway Racing as the primary sponsor of the team’s No. 6 Ford Mustang driven by defending NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr. The 24-year-old Olive Branch, Miss., native will drive the Cargill Beef Mustang for 12 races in the series during the 2012 season that began in late February, with multiple brands represented on the car during the season.
The first 2012 Nationwide Series race in which Cargill Beef is the primary sponsor will be at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tenn., on March 17, with the remaining racing dates to be set by the end of March.
“The enthusiasm we experienced from our customers, employees and race fans confirmed that high quality beef products and NASCAR racing fit well together,” said Tammy Shaw, Cargill Beef VP of marketing and sales. “This is a win for everyone involved and we’re looking forward to another terrific season of racing.”
Team owner Jack Roush said his organization is “very pleased to have Cargill back on Ricky's Ford. They have been a part of the program for the past two seasons, taking a chance on a young driver two years ago and having the opportunity to celebrate a championship with Ricky last season. We are certainly happy to continue this relationship as we see Ricky's career continue to grow and his potential further realized."
For his part, Stenhouse said he’s “thrilled to have Cargill back as a sponsor on our No. 6 Ford Mustang. They have been great partners,” he continued, citing the Wichita, Kan.-based company’s support that enabled Roush Fenway’s No. 6 team last year to contend for the championship. “ I look forward to continuing our partnership and winning another championship for them.”
Shaw returned the high praises, for both Stenhouse and the entire Roush Fenway organization. “Ricky has been an excellent spokesperson for Cargill Beef and we are very pleased with how well Roush Fenway Racing skillfully collaborates with sponsors to maximize the value of the return on their racing investment,” said Shaw, noting NASCAR fans’ fierce brand loyalty and support of companies whose names and logos appear on car hoods. “We are leveraging our racing sponsorship to drive brand buzz and excitement with our retail and foodservice customers, who can use it as a point of differentiation to increase beef sales.”
The 2012 NASCAR racing season marks the third consecutive year Cargill is a primary sponsor with Roush Fenway Racing and with Stenhouse as the driver. Prior to winning the 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series championship, in 2010 Stenhouse was rookie of the year in that same series.