This week, Garrett Smithley will run the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series events at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with a special “Texas Strong” logo on the hood of his No. 53 Rick Ware Racing machine and his No. 17 SS Greenlight Racing car.
Smithley’s primary sponsor for both events will be Texas-based Trophy Tractor, who will use these two races to bring awareness to those struggling in Texas without water or power following a historic winter storm that hit the state in February.
Rick Ware Racing is giving fans of Smithley, and NASCAR in general, a chance to donate to those in need in the state of Texas. The race team has set up a Go Fund Me page and over the course of the next two weeks, Smithley and his team hope to surpass more than $15,000 in donations.
“Trophy Tractor has been a great partner of Garrett (Smithley) and Rick Ware Racing for a number of years now,” said Rick Ware in a team release. “This deal came together quickly and we’re thankful for the opportunity to partner with Trophy Tractor and give back to those affected by the storms in Texas, especially with Lisa and I being from The Lonestar State.”
For Smithley, who hails from Pennsylvania, this crisis hits close to home as he has family in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
“Having family in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, I know how hard the last few weeks have been for many of the residents in Texas,” said Smithley. “The opportunity to use our platform in NASCAR and have this idea supported by Jeff Miller at Trophy Tractor, speaks to the type of people that work there. I can’t thank them enough for continued partnership.”
Sunday will mark Smithley’s third NASCAR Cup Series start of the 2021 season. Smithley’s best finish so far in 2021 was a 27th-place effort at the Daytona Road Course a couple of weeks ago.
Smithley, who has amassed a total of 137 starts in NXS competition over the course of his career, will be making his first 2021 start in the series this weekend.
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