I totally called it, but it was pretty obvious. At this weekend’s race at New Hampshire International Speedway Carl Edwards will be driving the No. 99 Lumber Liquidators/Red Sox Ford Fusion with a big ole Red Sox Logo on the car.
Everybody is very “proud” of this endeavor, as is stated in this Roush Fenway press release:
Roush Fenway Racing announced today that Boston Red Sox sponsors, Lumber Liquidators and Gillette, have signed on as sponsors of the No. 99 Ford Fusion driven by NASCAR NEXTEL Cup driver Carl Edwards during this weekend’s race at New Hampshire International Speedway (NHIS). The companies will celebrate their relationship with the Boston Red Sox and NASCAR fans by featuring the Red Sox logo on the No. 99 Lumber Liquidators/Red Sox Ford Fusion during the race in Loudon, N.H. on July 1.
“I’m really proud to have Lumber Liquidators and Gillette on board as the primary sponsors of the No. 99 Ford at Loudon,” said Edwards. “Both organizations have deep ties in the New England area and it is truly an honor to represent a team like the Boston Red Sox that has so much respect and history. There is an obvious cross-over between the NASCAR fan base and Red Sox fans and I’m excited that Lumber Liquidators and Gillette have chosen me to represent them at New Hampshire International Speedway.”
As Red Sox sponsors Lumber Liquidators and Gillette have secured the rights to utilize Boston Red Sox marks for marketing and promotional activation. These rights allow the companies to feature the Red Sox logo on the No. 99 Ford Fusion and Edwards as a means of further leveraging their association with the Red Sox through regional sponsorship of Roush Fenway Racing at Loudon. In addition to being highlighted on the Roush Fenway Racing entry, the sponsors will look to reach a broader audience of NASCAR fans by tapping into Roush Fenway Racing’s public relations and marketing services.
“We are excited to have Lumber Liquidators and Gillette sponsoring the No. 99 Ford Fusion and using the opportunity to promote their affiliation with the Boston Red Sox,” said Jack Roush, owner of Roush Fenway Racing. “It is our intention to be New England’s NASCAR team. We hope Red Sox fans watching the races in Loudon will support us with the same intensity as they do when watching the Red Sox”.
With this agreement, Lumber Liquidators, the largest independent retailer of hardwood flooring in the country, is expanding it’s involvement in NASCAR after entering the Craftsman Truck Series as a team sponsor in 2006. “This is a dream partnership. Lumber Liquidators has a long history with the Red Sox and Fenway Sports Group was a big part of why Lumber Liquidators entered NASCAR racing last year,” said Tom Sullivan, chairman and founder of Lumber Liquidators. “As a native Bostonian myself, I can’t wait to see the No. 99 Lumber Liquidators/Red Sox Ford Fusion running up front on Sunday for all the great Red Sox fans in New England and around the nation.”
“It’s exciting to join with two of our partners, the Boston Red Sox and Roush Fenway Racing, to further leverage our NASCAR sponsorship when ‘Gillette Young Gun,’ Carl Edwards, debuts the car at Loudon,” said Michelle Potorski, associate marketing director, Gillette. “We look forward to working with the partners to bring these types of creative ideas to New England sports fans.”
Anyone on the outside looking in would think this was a no-brainer, the logical next step in the partnership between Roush and Fenway. So it’s not the biggest piece of news in the world of racing, but I’m sure die hard Red Sox fans will dig it.
To celebrate Roush Fenway Racing competing for the first time at NHIS under their new name this weekend, the Boston Red Sox will host Roush Fenway Racing Day at Fenway Park presented by Gillette on Friday, June 29 as the Red Sox take on the Texas Rangers. Festivities will include Roush Fenway Racing themed displays and exhibits throughout the ballpark as well as a special pre-game ceremony that will formally introduce Red Sox Nation to the drivers of Roush Fenway Racing. On Monday, July 2 fans are invited to visit the No. 99 Lumber Liquidators/Red Sox Ford Fusion at the Lumber Liquidators Braintree location located at 240 Wood Road. The show car will be on display between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. In addition, Mike Lowell of the Boston Red Sox will make a special appearance between 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 pm. You can also see the No. 99 Lumber Liquidators/Red Sox Ford Fusion paint scheme by logging on to lumberliquidators.com.
Now if only someone would run an Oakland A’s themed car…. That’d be niiice!
(photo credit: lumberliquidators.com)
