Ragan and McCall Farms Team Up to Beat the Odds in Darlington

[media-credit name=”darlingtonraceway.com” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]STATESVILLE, N.C. (May 2, 2012) – History, superstition and common logic would all advise against placing green and peanuts on a racecar.  However, when David Ragan takes the green flag at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway on Saturday, May 12, he will be doing both of those things.

Ragan, a native of Unadilla, Ga., will have support from Effingham, S.C.’s McCall Farms for the event. The driver, who holds a career-best finish of fifth at Darlington, will be carrying the colors of “The South’s Favorite Snack ™” – Peanut Patch™ Boiled Peanuts during the historic Bojangles’ Southern 500. While the No. 34 Sprint Cup Series car will primarily feature the Peanut Patch Brand™, it will also feature associate branding from McCall’s Margaret Holmes™ and Glory Foods™ brands as well.

“Our company has been considering NASCAR for some time now. We were waiting for the right opportunity to come along and I believe we have now found that opportunity,” said McCall Farms representative Woody Swink.  “Not only will our car be racing at Darlington Raceway, a historic NASCAR venue located just miles from our corporate headquarters, but we have also partnered with a young and talented driver with strong southeastern roots in David Ragan, and a team that provides a unique value proposition and a strong understanding of sponsorship and activation in Front Row Motorsports.

“I couldn’t think of a better fit for McCall Farms, Peanut Patch, Margaret Holmes and Glory Foods to collectively make our NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut.  We are a fifth-generation, family-run company that values heritage, tradition, family and Americana.  NASCAR’s brand attributes possess a strong correlation with our corporate values.”

While McCall Farms is a family-run business, it is no small outfit. The company employs more than 550 people in the Darlington area and its products can be found in many retail locations in the southeast, including: Walmart, Kroger, Bi-Lo, Publix, Piggly Wiggly, Food Lion, I.G.A. and Harris Teeter.

“NASCAR provides us with a prime opportunity to strengthen our relationship with the very retailers that provide our product offering,” commented Swink.

McCall Farms will receive primary branding on Front Row Motorsports’ No. 34 Ford, driven by Ragan for the Darlington race, as well as associate rights for the remainder of the season and official partner status with the team. Peanut Patch is “The Official Boiled Peanut Snack” and Margaret Holmes “The Official Canned Vegetable” of Front Row Motorsports.

Starting May 7, fans can visit the Front Row Motorsports Facebook page and enter to win a David Ragan Peanut Patch T-shirt via the “Go Nuts for David Ragan” promotion. Fans will need to upload a video stating why they “love David Ragan and boiled peanuts” to a promotion tab on the page and then campaign to become the contestant with the most votes on their video in order to win.

A David Ragan Peanut Patch T-shirt and hat will be made available for online purchase once the team hosts its paint scheme unveiling.

Special edition Peanut Patch and Margaret Holmes products featuring Ragan and the No. 34 car on packaging will be made available this summer. Point-of-sale displays will also appear at select Southeast retailers.

“We are racing a car sponsored by a company that was founded in 1838 on a track that broke ground in 1949,” said Ragan. “I couldn’t think of a better fit for our race team. Growing up in the Southeast, I’ve been familiar with Peanut Patch and Margaret Holmes products my entire life. I think it is really neat that McCall Farms is a family-run business and I come from a family of racecar drivers. While I’m only slightly superstitious about our paint scheme, coming out of Darlington with a strong finish will only go to show our willingness to be different in order to achieve success at Front Row Motorsports.”

McCall Farms will also leverage Front Row Motorsports assets and Ragan to launch a large sweepstakes program. More information on this effort will be made available in late June.

Lastly, the team will announce the date and location of its paint scheme unveiling later this week. While the car receives its finishing touches in the paint booth, fans can expect to see two things at the unveiling: green and peanuts.

About Margaret Holmes:

Based in Effingham, South Carolina, Margaret Holmes is owned by McCall Farms, a canner and distributor of southern-inspired vegetable products grown on 2,000 acres of family farmland, with an additional 3,000 farming acres contracted from other farmers in the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida. McCall Farms produces Peanut Patch Boiled Peanuts, as well as several lines of fresh canned products under the Margaret Holmes name including southern classics such as: butter peas; triple succotash; and cut okra; as well as seasoned southern classics such as: collard greens, butter beans, cabbage and southern peaches.  To learn more about Margaret Holmes, visit www.margaretholmes.com or www.facebook.com/MargaretHolmesFresh.

About Front Row Motorsports:

Front Row Motorsports is a Statesville, N.C.-based race team in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Formed in 2005 by restaurant and transportation entrepreneur Bob Jenkins, the team has competed in NASCAR racing in each year since its inception, expanding full-time to the premier Sprint Cup Series in 2009. The team partners with ModSpace, MHP, Scorpion Coatings, Ford Racing and Roush-Yates Racing Engines to field the No. 34 Ford driven by David Ragan and the No. 38 Ford driven by David Gilliland.  For sponsorship inquiries contact Mike Laheta, Director of Marketing and Business Affairs, at (440) 773-2701.