Texas Motor Speedway and the National Rifle Association have signed a one-year agreement with a renewal option for America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen’s group to serve as the title sponsor for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on April 13, speedway president Eddie Gossage announced Monday.
The annual spring NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway will be retitled the “NRA 500” and serve as the first prime-time Saturday evening race of this season. The NRA replaces Samsung Mobile, which had served as the title sponsor of this race since 2002. Gossage made the announcement and unveiled the race logo during Texas Motor Speedway’s annual Media Day held in the Grand Ballroom of The Speedway Club.
“The NRA has been involved in the sport for several years and a partner of Speedway Motorsports, Inc. for many years in various aspects, and this race entitlement is just another extension of that business relationship,” Gossage said. “We look forward to another successful partnership with the NRA for our April race week of activities.”
The NRA has had a relationship with the NASCAR industry for more than a decade on a variety of platforms. The organization continues to be a generous supporter of SMI’s Speedway Children’s Charities and its fund-raising events since 2000. The NRA has contributed more than $500,000 to the Texas Chapter of SCC at Texas Motor Speedway alone.
NRA’s most recent race entitlement in the sport came last season when the organization was the title sponsor for the NASCAR Nationwide Series race known as the “NRA American Warrior 300” that was held Sept. 1 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. NASCAR owner Richard Childress is a current NRA board member and team owners and drivers have donated sponsor space on their cars to support the NRA in the past.
NRA Executive Vice President and CEO Wayne LaPierre was unable to attend the event in person, but did provide a video message for the Media Day audience.
“The NRA 500 is the latest announcement in the long history of a growing partnership between
the NRA, Speedway Motorsports and the NASCAR community,” LaPierre said. “NRA members and NASCAR fans love their country and everything that is good and right about America. We salute our flag … volunteer in our churches and communities … cherish our families … and WE LOVE RACING! On April 13, we’ll all come together at Texas Motor Speedway.”
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