Arctic Cat, one of the most widely recognized and respected names in the snowmobile, ATV and side-by-side industry, will join Bass Pro Shops as the co-primary sponsor of Tony Stewart in the 31st annual NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race Saturday night at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway.
Stewart, the three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, will make his 17th appearance in the All-Star Race in the No. 14 Bass Pro Shops/Arctic Cat Chevrolet SS. Stewart won the 2009 All-Star Race, which was the first victory of any kind for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR), the team Stewart co-owns with Haas Automation founder Gene Haas.
“Passion is a part of everything we do, and no one races with more passion than Tony Stewart,” said Greg Williamson, chief marketing officer, Arctic Cat. “We’re very familiar with Tony as a racecar driver and just as familiar with him as a sportsman. He has experience with our entire product lineup, which includes snowmobiles, ATVs and side-by-sides. He’s driven them all and provided some great feedback. After being with him so many times off the track, it’s great to be with him on the track for this weekend’s All-Star Race.”
“Whether it’s on my property in Indiana or when I go on vacation and ride side-by-sides with my crew guys, Arctic Cat is always with me,” said Stewart, whose most recent purchase was an Arctic Cat Wildcat 1000X Limited. “I give them a workout in all kinds of seasons and they never let me down. I get them straight off the floor at Bass Pro Shops, where Arctic Cat has a full line of ATVs and side-by-sides.”
Bass Pro Shops operates 92 retail stores and Tracker Marine Centers across America and Canada that are visited by more than 120 million people each year. Stewart has been a brand ambassador for Bass Pro Shops since 2001, beginning with a personal services agreement that morphed into primary sponsorship of Stewart’s iconic No. 14 Chevrolet in the elite NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
Stewart is a NASCAR veteran with the second-most All-Star Race starts of all active drivers. His victory in 2009 marked the first win for a driver/owner in a Sprint Cup-sanctioned event since Ricky Rudd won a point-paying race in October 1998 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.
This year’s All-Star Race will be broken up into five segments totaling 110 laps, with segments 1-4 each being 25 laps before the final, 10-lap shootout for the $1 million victory. The field consists of race winners from the 2014 and 2015 Sprint Cup seasons, as well as former All-Star Race winners and Sprint Cup champions who are full-time competitors.
In addition to his 2009 victory, Stewart has eight top-five finishes in 16 career All-Star Races. Stewart won the second segment of the All-Star Race in 2001 and the first segment of the All-Star Race in 2004. Stewart has competed in the All-Star Race every year as a Sprint Cup driver, dating back to his rookie season in 1999.
TSC PR
