Military Connection: Air Force Continues NASCAR Sponsorship

By Debbie Gregory.

Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) is a two-car NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race team, owned by seven-time NASCAR champion Richard Petty and New York businessman Andrew M. Murstein. The team, founded as Evernham Motorsports in 2000 by former crew chief Ray Evernham, entered full-time competition as a two-car operation in 2001.

The United States Air Force (USAF), the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces, is one of the seven American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on 18 September 1947 under the National Security Act of 1947.

These two are partnering up, for their seventh year together, in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, which the Air Force has sponsored for the last 15 years.

The Air Force Recruiting Service, which oversees the partnership with RPM, views the partnership as a great opportunity to reflect the Air Force core values. This enables the service branch to be front and center in the public view.

The Air Force will be an associate partner of the Number 43 car, the Air Force Racing Ford. Driven by Aric Almirola, whose father served in the U.S. Air Force, the car will be featured at two of the most patriotic race weekends of the year: Memorial Day weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway, North Carolina; and the Fourth of July weekend race at Daytona International Speedway, Florida.

Born at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, Almirola says he is looking forward to working with the Air Force for another year.

“Working with the Air Force for the past three years has been really rewarding,” Almirola said in a team release. “With my dad serving in the Air Force, I understand the sacrifice the men and women make to keep our country safe. It was great to be able to celebrate my first Sprint Cup win with the Air Force, and I’m so glad they will be back as we defend our win in the Coke Zero 400.”

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Military Connection: The Air Force increases visibility through NASCAR sponsorship. By Debbie Gregory