Nickelodeon today announced that NASCAR XFINITY Series star Daniel Suárez has signed on to drive a custom Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle paint scheme during the Drive for Safety 300 at Chicagoland Speedway. Nickelodeon is the entitlement sponsor of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday, Sept. 18, dubbed the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400. The track will feature a weekend of action, activities and fun for the entire family with the iconic Heroes in a Half Shell.
Suárez, competing in his second full year in the NASCAR XFINITY Series for Joe Gibbs Racing, will pilot the No. 19 ARRIS/TMNT Michelangelo Toyota Camry. The pizza-loving “Mikey” is ready to take on the Foot Clan in his orange mask with his signature nunchucks, while Suárez looks to repeat his winning performance at Michigan Speedway earlier this year with a victory at Chicagoland Speedway.
Suárez will join the already announced Darrell Wallace, driving the No. 6 Shredder Ford Mustang, in the NASCAR XFINITY Series race for an epic battle between #TeamTurtle and #TeamFoot.
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series star Danica Patrick is set to drive the No. 10 April O’Neil/Nature’s Bakery Chevrolet SS in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400. Additional drivers will be announced to compete with Patrick in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.
This Sept. 15-18 marks the sixth consecutive year that Chicagoland Speedway will kick off the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. The Nickelodeon partnership will include sponsorship of the 2017 kick off race, as well.
“We are excited to partner with Daniel Suárez, he’s a proven winner in the NASCAR XFINITY Series,” said Anthony DiCosmo, Senior Vice President, Sports Marketing and Development, Nickelodeon. “Just as we did with last season’s SpongeBob SquarePants 400 at Kansas Speedway, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400 will continue to expand our relationship with NASCAR, while working with another best-in-class ISC track to give fans a unique and engaging race experience that the whole family can enjoy. And, we’re excited to work with Joe Gibbs Racing and our long-term partner Toyota to share the excitement of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with NASCAR fans.”
During the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400 race weekend, attendees will be able to enjoy fun family activities in the Nickelodeon Kids Zone, located in Champion’s Park. The area will feature appearances from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles costumed characters, a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles photo station and more.
Nickelodeon has a long-standing relationship with NASCAR, teaming up with the motorsports giant on several programming and racing events. On the track, the network has sponsored the SpongeBob SquarePants 400 at Kansas Speedway in 2015; brought the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to the Atlanta Motor Speedway for the NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races in 2014; participated in the Bank of America 500 week in 2012; and the SpongeBob SquarePants Movie 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, NC in 2004. NASCAR has also contributed talent and content to Nickelodeon programming such as the Kids’ Choice Awards (Danica Patrick, 2012 and 2013), Kids’ Choice Sports Awards (Danica Patrick, 2014, Ben Kennedy, 2015), Team Umizoomi (Jeff Gordon, 2012), Hammer Down (2014), which aired on Nicktoon’s NickSports block, and an upcoming Bubble Guppies episode (Jimmie Johnson, 2015).
Currently in its fourth season, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is seen in over 170 countries and territories and translated in 50+ languages. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles follows four mutant turtles—Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo—trained in the art of ninjutsu by their mutant rat sensei, Master Splinter, who teaches the turtles to battle evil from the New York City sewers. Executive produced by Ciro Nieli and Brandon Auman, the series is created at Nickelodeon Animation Studios in Burbank, Calif.
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