Bobby Labonte gets Plenty of Sponsor Support at The Glen
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (August 8, 2012) – - Two companies will be prominently displayed on Bobby Labonte’s No. 47 Toyota Camry fielded by JTG Daugherty Racing this weekend at Watkins Glen International.
Both Freightliner and Miller are positioned on the hood and other sections of Labonte’s ride for the Finger Lakes 335 at The Glen on Sunday, August 12.
“We are fortunate to have a group of tremendous sponsor partners at JTG Daugherty Racing,” co-owner Tad Geschickter said. “We couldn’t build the cars without the support of Miller Welders and couldn’t transport them to the track each week without the support of Freightliner Trucks.”
Freightliner representatives feel the same way about the partnership.
“Freightliner Trucks has a great relationship with Bobby Labonte and JTG Daugherty Racing, and we are pleased that they rely on the Freightliner Coronado to transport the team from race to race,” said Stacey Premo, Motorsports Marketing Manager for Freightliner Trucks. “We are so proud to have a Freightliner scheme on the track at Watkins Glen, and are looking forward to the race and cheering on the No. 47 car this weekend.”
Freightliner Trucks is a division of Daimler Trucks North America LLC, headquartered in Portland, Oregon, and is the leading heavy-duty truck manufacturer in North America. Daimler Trucks North America produces and markets Class 4-8 trucks and is a Daimler company, the world’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturer.
Freightliner plays a vital role in JTG Daugherty Racing’s transportation of Labonte’s Toyota Camrys each week and transport driver Dale Lackey can attest to that fact.
“JTG Daugherty Racing has a great partnership with Freightliner and I drive their tractor each week to each race,” Lackey said. “Their tractors are durable and dependable. We also have great 24-7 support from Jerry M McKinney if we run into any challenges along the way.
“Also, they are very involved in our sport and have the Run Smart hauler challenge each year that’s open to the NASCAR Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series hauler drivers,” continued Lackey. “It starts with about 50 or 60 drivers and eventually it comes down to the final four competing for money (winner receives $30,000) and a nice trophy. There are only eight left and I’m one of them. The next challenge is in Chicago, which determines the final four that will compete in Charlotte in October. We’re excited to have them on board and also Miller at Watkins Glen.”
Miller Welders is a proud technical partner of JTG Daugherty Racing.
“When they decided to expand their shop to do in-house welding and fabrication, we thought it was a perfect opportunity to showcase our products with a team that appreciates high quality, high performance welding equipment.” said Andy Weyenberg, Miller Motorsports Marketing Manager. “Being associated with JTG Daugherty Racing and Bobby Labonte, a driver who has a fabrication background and understands the tough environment these cars are built for, really makes sense. We thank them for the opportunity and wish them all the best this weekend at the Glen!”
Miller Electric Mfg. Co., with headquarters in Appleton, Wisconsin, manufactures arc welding and cutting equipment designed for manufacturing, fabrication, construction, aviation, motorsports, education, agriculture and marine applications. Wholly owned by Illinois Tool Works, the company maintains its global leadership by setting the industry standard for reliability, quality and responsiveness. Its famous tagline, “The Power of Blue®,” is inspired by the blue color of Miller equipment.
This company began with an innovation that responded to customer needs, growing from a one-man operation to the world’s largest manufacturer of arc welding and cutting equipment. Miller keeps the tradition alive by focusing on its top priority: people.
“Miller has a long history of innovation and if you take a look around our Harrisburg, N.C. shop and even inside our transporter, you’ll find Miller products throughout,” said Jodi Geschickter, JTG Daugherty Racing co-owner. “They are a great partner of ours providing welding system solutions for our racing operation. We are proud to have them on our Toyota Camry at Watkins Glen this weekend along with our partner Freightliner.”
Labonte is set to deliver a solid finish for each brand supporting JTG Daugherty Racing at Watkins Glen and throughout the season. The 2000 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion’s best start is first (2000) and his best finish is fifth (1996 and 2000). He has two top-five and six top-10s in 19 starts at the 2.45-mile road course.
“Road courses are so much fun,” Labonte said. “The speeds at Watkins Glen are really fast. There’s also a lot of hard-braking and it’s hard to pass on that track. Track position is everything there. We had a respectable finish (19th) last year at Watkins Glen. We look forward to improving upon that with support from Freightliner and Miller.”
For a second week in a row, Labonte has Brian Burns calling the shots.
“Brian Burns is very organized, works hard, is very smart and is a great member of our team,” Labonte said. “Unfortunately, we haven’t put him in the best position, but we are working on that. It’s going to take a little time for us to reboot. We appreciate the support of our sponsors and fans during a transitional period.”
# # #
JTG Daugherty Racing Contacts:
Jennifer Chapple
[email protected]
Lauren Singletary
[email protected]
This is a Press Release from JTG Daugherty Racing.
Follow Chris Creighton on Twitter @nascar28_chris and read his latest articles on www.RantSports.com
