Mr. Peanut is no stranger to the adrenaline rush that comes with a race in the NASCAR Cup Series, having rode on-board various entries at NASCAR’s top-level throughout his lifetime, most recently with Ryan Preece and JTG-Daugherty Racing at Atlanta.
On Tuesday, Roush Fenway Racing announced that Planters – along with their mascot Mr. Peanut — will adorn Ryan Newman’s No. 6 Ford Mustang for the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series event at Nashville Superspeedway, on June 19 and 20.
“PLANTERS and MR. PEANUT are looking forward to partnering with Ryan Newman and the Roush Fenway Racing team this season,” said Rafik Lawendy, Head of Marketing for Planters. “This may be the nuttiest car in NASCAR’s history, and with Newman at the wheel, it’s sure to go a nut above the competitors.”
Known as “a tough nut to crack” by being one of the hardest drivers to pass in the NASCAR Cup Series, Newman will also carry associate sponsorship from the snack brand in the four events leading up to Nashville at COTA, Charlotte, Sonoma and Texas.
“We’re excited to team up with an iconic brand like PLANTERS, for what should be a good race weekend in Nashville,” said Hall of Fame team owner Jack Roush. “We’re looking forward to putting the No. 6 PLANTERS Ford on the track and it’s our hope and full intention to have MR. PEANUT up front and competing for the win at Nashville.”
However, this isn’t the first-time that Planters has sponsored a Roush Fenway Racing entry, as the company served as the primary sponsor of Carl Edwards’ No. 60 Ford in the 2008 Carfax 250 at Michigan International Speedway, a race which saw Edwards collect his 16th victory in the NASCAR Xfinity Series – now NASCAR Nationwide Series.
While Newman has never participated in an event at the 1.33-mile facility, his experience as a 20-year veteran of the NASCAR Cup Series should shine through, as the series will be allotted one 50-minute practice session and a qualifying session on Saturday, before the racing action gets started on Sunday Afternoon.
