Championship Trio of Cargill, Stenhouse and Kelley Reunite on No. 17 Sprint Cup Team
CONCORD, N.C. (May 22, 2014) – Roush Fenway Racing has announced that long-standing partner Cargill Beef will move to the Sprint Cup Series, serving as a primary partner for the No. 17 team with NASCAR Champion driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. The pair will make its debut together at Daytona International Speedway in the July 5th Coke Zero 400.
Click to watch video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYui7e-VOZM
“We are pleased to continue to grow our partnership with Roush Fenway Racing and to reunite with Ricky Stenhouse Jr.,” said John Keating, president of Cargill Beef. “We recognize that NASCAR fans love beef and they have proven to be brand loyal by supporting companies that back teams within the sport.
“This makes NASCAR an ideal marketing venue for Cargill and our customers,” added Keating “Beef is a perfect choice for NASCAR racing fans everywhere, including trackside grilling, and this partnership provides us the avenue to make Cargill Beef products their top choice.”
Cargill previously partnered with Stenhouse and NASCAR champion crew chief Mike Kelley during the duo’s back-to-back NASCAR Nationwide Series Championships in 2011 and 2012. Cargill first joined Roush Fenway Racing during the 2010 season.
“It’s only fitting that Cargill has opted to make the move up to Sprint Cup with Ricky,” said team owner Jack Roush. “Cargill entered the sport in 2010 and took a chance on a young and unproven driver in Ricky. They went on to play a major role in his back-to-back Nationwide Series Championships, and we are excited to extend our relationship into the Sprint Cup Series as Ricky’s career continues to grow and as his potential is further realized.”
“I’m thrilled to have Cargill become a part of the No. 17 team,” said Stenhouse. “They have been a great partner with Roush Fenway for the past four seasons and we had a great run with them in the Nationwide Series. It is our intention to pick up where we left off in 2012. I can’t think of a better way to bring them into the Sprint Cup Series than racing for a win at Daytona on July 4th weekend — the biggest grilling weekend of the year.”
In addition to serving as a primary partner with Stenhouse in 2010, 2011 and 2012. Cargill teamed with Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne in 2013 in the Nationwide Series.
“We are delighted to grow our partnership and to team up with Ricky coming off his Sprint Cup rookie-of-the-year season,” stated Tammy Shaw, Cargill Beef vice president of marketing. “The enthusiasm we have experienced from our customers, employees, and race fans during our time with Roush Fenway Racing has confirmed that high quality beef products and NASCAR racing fit perfectly together. Our customers provide consumers value by promoting Cargill beef and our affiliation with Roush Fenway Racing on the NASCAR circuit has served as a clear point of differentiation. We look forward to another terrific season with Roush Fenway, Ricky and Mike and to continue to find unique ways to market our products and support our customers through NASCAR.”
Cargill will serve as the primary partner on the No. 17 car for five races during the 2014 season.
Roush Fenway Racing is the winningest team in NASCAR history, fielding multiple teams in the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series with championship drivers Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Trevor Bayne, Ryan Reed and Chris Buescher. Having celebrated 25 winning years in 2012, Roush Fenway is the leader in NASCAR marketing solutions, pioneering motorsport’s first team-focused TV show and its award-winning marketing campaigns for “RFR Driven”, “Let Ricky Race”, Pillow Pets, RickyvsTrevor.com, “25 Winning Years” and Google+. Visit RoushFenway.com, circle on Google+, become a fan on Facebook and Instagram and follow on Twitter at @roushfenway.
About Cargill
Cargill provides food, agriculture, financial and industrial products and services to the world. Together with farmers, customers, governments and communities, we help people thrive by applying our insights and nearly 150 years of experience. We have 143,000 employees in 67 countries who are committed to feeding the world in a responsible way, reducing environmental impact and improving the communities where we live and work. Cargill is also one of the largest beef producers in the U.S. For more information, visit Cargill.com and our News Center.
