CONCORD, N.C. — Charlotte-based body shop company Maaco will join Martin Truex Jr. and Furniture Row Racing as a partner on the No. 78 Toyota this weekend for the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
The announcement was made Thursday afternoon, in advance of the opening NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice session at the 1.5-mile quad oval, and the auto paint and collision repair franchise will appear on the rear quarter panels of Truex’s machine.
Truex enters the opening race of the Round of 12 having won three of the last five Sprint Cup events, and won the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte in May by leading 392 of 400 laps.
“Anytime you can have a Charlotte-based company displayed on your race car it carries a special feeling of pride, knowing that you’re being supported locally in the hub of NASCAR racing,” said Truex. “It’s even more special to have Maaco, a leader in its industry, on our car at Charlotte Motor Speedway — their home track and the home track for a majority of drivers competing this weekend at the historic oval.”
“We’re proud to partner with Martin and Furniture Row for the Charlotte race,” added Jason Ryan, president of Maaco Paint and Collision, a member of the Driven Brands family. “He’s a great driver and more importantly, he’s a great representative for the hundreds of Maaco franchisees who will be cheering him on this weekend. We look forward to seeing the No. 78 Furniture Row/Maaco Toyota in victory lane.”
Truex and the Furniture Row Racing team have combined for career years for both driver and team this season, with four wins setting a new high-water mark and placing them atop the Sprint Cup standings entering Charlotte.
Team president Joe Garone added that he welcomes Maaco to the team’s sponsor portfolio at a time when team confidence has “never been higher.”
“From a business standpoint, when you have an industry-leading company such as Maaco supporting your team, it can only serve as a resume builder when seeking additional sponsorships and successes,” Garone explained. “We’re proud and thrilled to have Maaco onboard with our team this weekend and look forward to giving them a strong performance.”
“This is a huge period for our team, with the wins we’ve had and our performance so far in the Chase. We hope to continue that here at Charlotte.”
About the Writer
Jacob Seelman is the Managing Editor of Race Chaser Online and creator of the Motorsports Madness radio show, airing at 7 p.m. Eastern every Monday on the Performance Motorsports Network.
Seelman grew up in the sport, watching his grandparents co-own the RaDiUs Motorsports NASCAR Cup Series team in the 1990s.
The 22-year-old is currently studying Broadcast Journalism at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., and is also serving as the full-time tour announcer for the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series.
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