Iconic NASCAR Sponsor Partners with Richard Petty Motorsports for Retro-themed Weekend
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (August 25, 2015) -Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) announced today that Winn-Dixie will serve as the primary sponsor for Sam Hornish Jr. and the No. 9 Ford team at the Darlington (S.C.) Raceway The Tradition Returns weekend in September.
The Southeastern-based grocery store has a long history in NASCAR, serving as a primary and associate sponsor within the top NASCAR series. At The Tradition Returns weekend, Hornish will sport a retro black, gold and red Winn-Dixie paint scheme, like the car previously driven by former NASCAR driver Mark Martin.
Winn-Dixie’s NASCAR heritage began in 1980 with their debut in the Sprint Cup Series at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway with Lake Speed behind the wheel. NASCAR fans mostly recognize Winn-Dixie as Martin’s primary sponsor for nine years in the XFINITY Series, in which Martin set the standard. Martin visited Victory Lane 39 times and accumulated 77 Top-Five and 94 Top-10 finishes in 128 races with Winn-Dixie as a sponsor. At Darlington alone, Martin won eight times and picked up 14 Top-Five and 18 Top-10 finishes during the sponsorship.
No. 9 Winn-Dixie Ford
This September, Winn-Dixie takes their involvement one step further by partnering with RPM, co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer and seven-time Champion, Richard Petty.
“We are honored to partner with Richard Petty Motorsports and celebrate this historic NASCAR weekend by bringing the famous Winn-Dixie paint scheme back to the track,” said Southeastern Grocers Sales and Marketing Manager, Rich Romano. “The classic paint scheme is a great representation of our 30-year history with NASCAR – a natural partnership as a passion for our customers and a culture in the Southeast. We cherish being the trusted destination for every NASCAR celebration from tailgates to victories and look forward to celebrating once again with our customers during  The Tradition Returns weekend!”
Hornish, the driver of the No. 9 Ford, is looking forward to representing Winn-Dixie at Darlington.
“Winn-Dixie has a long history within NASCAR,” said Hornish. “They’ve had a presence in the sport since I can remember, and I’m looking forward to representing their throwback paint scheme on the track. Mark [Martin] and Winn-Dixie set a precedent of winning, and that’s exactly what we’re hoping to do in Darlington.”
The Tradition Returns weekend kicks off in Darlington on Friday, September 4, 2015 and will be capped off by the Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday, September 6, 2015. NBC will cover the race beginning at 7 p.m. EDT.
About Richard Petty Motorsports
A performance- and marketing-driven company, Richard Petty Motorsports, co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty and successful business entrepreneur Andrew Murstein, is one of the most recognized brands in all of motorsports. With a history of over 200 wins and business partnerships with national and global leaders, today the race operation fields two teams in competition in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Aric Almirola pilots the famous No. 43 Ford Fusion with primary partners Smithfield Foods, U.S. Air Force, STP and Fresh From Florida, and Sam Hornish Jr. drives the No. 9 machine with primary partners Medallion Bank and Twisted Tea. In addition, Dakoda Armstrong wheels the No. 43 WinField Ford Mustang full-time in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. The team is headquartered in Mooresville, N.C.
About Southeastern Grocers
Southeastern Grocers, LLC, parent company and home of BI-LO, Harveys and Winn-Dixie grocery stores, is the fifth-largest conventional supermarket chain in the U.S. and the second-largest conventional supermarket in the Southeast based on store count. The company employs nearly 72,000 associates who serve customers in approximately 790 grocery stores, 143 liquor stores and 527 in-store pharmacies throughout the eight southeastern states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.BI-LO, Harveys and Winn-Dixie are well-known and well-respected regional brands with deep heritages, strong neighborhood ties, proud histories of giving back, talented and loyal associates, and strong commitments to providing the best possible quality and value to customers. For more information, please visit www.bi-lo.com, www.harveyssupermarkets.com and www.winndixie.com.
