Driver #SponCon at Atlanta: Frozen Custard, Driver Meet & Greets, and Much, Much More

Well, it’s that time of the week again: sponsors have been activated for the first of two races at Atlanta Motor Speedway. As a life-long fan of NASCAR as well as other motorsports, I can safely say that the way these companies market themselves and their drivers is vital for the fan experience at the racetrack, the surrounding areas, or even sitting on the couch at home.

Think about it: how many young fans did Kyle Busch draw in with that M&M’s paint scheme that was virtually unchanged for the better part of fifteen years? And a sponsor’s reach isn’t just limited to kids: being a life-long Dale Jr. fan, my favorite beer is Budweiser, favorite soda is Mountain Dew, favorite energy drink is Amp Energy (when I can find it…if I can’t, I usually don’t drink them), and I don’t really like mayonnaise but, if I did, I betcha I’d buy Hellmann’s!

One of my fondest memories is from attending races at Bristol, munching on a Domino’s personal pizza, and watching that Domino’s 00 car run around the track. I also remember one year Mountain Dew doing a Dewshine promo outside the track. I still have it in a glass bottle at my dad’s house somewhere. Here’s just a taste of what the racing marketing gurus have going on this weekend at Hotlanta!

Driver #SponCon at Atlanta

Aside from being one of (if not THE) best looking paint schemes this weekend for sure and maybe a potential contender for Eric Estepp’s year-end ranking (hint-hint), Andy’s Frozen Custard is a delicious post-meal treat or, if you’re lucky and at the races this weekend, it would pair great with the hot early spring sun.

Here you can see Austin Dillion, who will sport this sure to be iconic scheme this weekend, enjoying a spoonful of this deliciously sweet dessert! Man, it probably tastes even better than that car looks!

Kevin Harvick returned this week for his #WinItWednesday to promote his #4Ever farewell tour. There will be 1 grand prize winner which will receive an AUTOGRAPHED Busch Light hat with four other winners getting this really cool novelty shirt. Check it out! The details to enter are listed below!

Brad Keselowski promotes this ULTIMATE race fan experience through his sponsor, Wyndham rewards. You have a chance to win race tix, MEET THE RFK DRIVERS, get a free stay in a Wyndham hotel as well as many other additional prizes. Check it out! Seems like an awesome contest. What do you have to lose?

Kyle Busch is sending this now 10-year-old boy a an autograph after ordering, of course, the No. 8 special. Cheddars has some of the coolest fan engagement strategies of any sponsor in the sport. If you’re in Atlanta or the surrounding area this weekend, go to Cheddars and get the No. 8 special. And who knows, if he weeks you might just get the special free one day next week!

Ryan Blaney unveiled his slick looking Body Armor Mustang earlier this week. With the partnership, he’ll be doing a meet and greet at the address listed below between 4 and 5 on the 17th or March. For all the Blaneyholics out there, this could be your chance to meet your favorite driver and tell him how wrong you think Kyle Petty is.

NBC booth teammate to Dale Earnhardt Jr., Rick Allen, had joined the 88 Crew and you can too! And, the best part, IT’S COMPLETELY FREE to sign up! Visit highrockvodka.com/88crew to join for your chance to win some awesome prizes and even meet JR Motorsports crew members! Man, I really would love to see Jr. drive a No. 88 High Rock car at some point…

Advent Health is supporting Hailey Deegan and all the women of NASCAR with this groovy paint scheme. On the decklid, many of these pioneers for young women looking to get in the sport will have their names listed. Check it out!

Jeffrey Earnhardt and Alpha Prime Racing are teaming up with Advanced Material Handling this weekend at Atlanta. Jeff boasts about the tough lookin’ car. Hopefully he can get them a win this weekend.

Josh Williams’ partner for this weekend, Coolray Services, will have over 100 of their employees in the stands for the Xfinity Series race at Atlanta! That’s super cool for all those guys and gals. What an experience it will be!

There will be several driver appearances this weekend at the Team Chevy Display in the fan zone at Hotlanta. Fans can mix and mingle with Team Chevy drivers prior to entering the track!

Busch Beer is indulging the fans in a little bit of Spring Cleaning as they offer to refresh their wardrobes! Details on how to win some sweet merch are provided in the tweet below.

That’s a wrap on this week’s sponsor tour. If you’re in Atlanta, what are your plans? Do any of these fun fan experiences or rockin’ paint schemes tickle your fancy? Let us know!

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AUSTIN, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 28: Shane Van Gisbergen, driver of the #9 Safety Culture Chevrolet, drives during the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Focused Health 250 at Circuit of The Americas on February 28, 2026 in Austin, Texas.

O’Reilly: SVG Wins at COTA

What’s Happening?

The checkered flag is out for the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series competitors at COTA, and it was Shane van Gisbergen who was left standing tall at the end of the race. His 5th career O’Reilly Auto Parts Series victory, it was his first at the track.

  • The opening stage was dominated by the JRM duo of Connor Zilisch and Shane van Gisbergen with the No. 1 of Zilisch looking to be the stronger of the two early on. Prior to the end of the stage, both short-pitted, making a long-term play for the win. SVG still managed to end the stage in 10th.
  • Austin Hill stayed out after a disappointing showing in Atlanta last week to collect some stage points. Also running strong in the first stage were Justin Allgaier, Sam Mayer, Brandon Jones, and Jesse Love.
  • Despite not being in his usual ride, Carson Kvapil was very competitive in his DGM No. 91 Chevy. Granted, the car was prepared by JR Motorsports ahead of this race, but it was DGM guys running the show. They did an admirable job, bringing the car home in the 19th position after falling off late. He’ll have 5 more starts in the car later this year to fill out the remainder of his schedule.
  • The second stage belonged to Sam Mayer. Finishing 2nd in the first stage and winning Stage 2, he had a mighty good points day today. Meanwhile, his former teammate Justin Allgaier also had a strong finish in stage 2. That’s a promising sign, considering his heartbreaks in Daytona and Atlanta, respectively.
  • Connor Zilisch had far from a perfect race today. Sure, he led a bulk of the opening stage, but mechanical issues plagued him later in the race. Extra time on pit road making repairs put him behind the 8 ball in Stage 2. This put the race firmly in the hands of SVG. He did manage to battle back to the top 5 before he was dumped by Corey Day and the controversy around that driver continues to build. Zilisch brought it home in 21st with significant damage.
  • With Connor Zilisch’s issues, it was more or less a cakewalk for Shane van Gisbergen in the JRM No. 9. He went on to win, scoring his 5th career win in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. He has an opportunity to sweep the weekend. He starts tomorrow’s Cup race in the 13th position.

Race Results

Caution Tracker
  • Lap 20: End of Stage 1
  • Lap 35: Baltazar Leguizamon spins
  • Lap 40: End of Stage 2
  • Lap 57: Sage Karam

Points Standings

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AUSTIN, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 28: Shane Van Gisbergen, driver of the #9 Safety Culture Chevrolet, Connor Zilisch, driver of the #1 Roto-Rooter Chevrolet, and Austin Hill, driver of the #21 Bennett Transportation Chevrolet, race during the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Focused Health 250 at Circuit of The Americas on February 28, 2026 in Austin, Texas.

O’Reilly: Mid-Race Report, It’s the Zilisch and SVG Show!

What’s Happening?

The first two stages are in the books for the stars of tomorrow in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race at COTA. Predictably, Connor Zilisch and Shane van Gisbergen dominated the first two stages. As they short-pitted at the end of each stage, Austin Hill and Sam Mayer both went to collect stage wins, respectively. Here are the key takeaways from the race so far.

  • Austin Hill, after a disappointing finish to last week’s race in Atlanta following being sent by Ross Chastain, won the opening stage of the race. This was, of course, after Connor Zilisch and SVG short pitted, playing the long game for the win. Zilisch led a bulk of the opening stage, leading 12 of the opening 20 laps. On pit road, SVG managed to leapfrog Zilisch for the would-be race lead.
  • The only incident to note in the opening stage was when Jeremy Clements got off course. The caution did not fly, and he finished the stage in the 30th position.
  • Key drivers earning stage points in the opening stage include Austin Hill (10), Sam Mayer (9), Justin Allgaier (8), Brandon Jones (7), Jesse Love (6), Carson Kvapil (5), Corey Day (4), and Rajah Caruth (2).
  • The second stage wasn’t quite as cut and dry as the first. While battling for the lead, Connor Zilisch overdrove a corner, making an uncharacteristic mistake. He went over the radio to complain that it felt like his car was pulling to the right, an indication of a possible issue with his left side brakes.
  • There was a late caution in the stage as Baltazar Leguizamón suffered a brake failure and plowed hard into the tire barrier. He was okay but this effectively ended his day. SVG and Connor Zilisch both came down pit road during this caution. Zilisch had a slow stop as his No. 1 crew started to check out the right side of the car for potential brake problems. Sam Mayer went on to win the stage.
  • Earning stage points in the second stage were Sam Mayer (10), Justin Allgaier (9), Carson Kvapil (8), Jesse Love (7), Austin Hill (5), Sammy Smith (4), Brandon Jones (3), and Ryan Sieg (1).

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AUSTIN, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 28: Shane Van Gisbergen, driver of the #9 Safety Culture Chevrolet, and Austin Hill, driver of the #21 Bennett Transportation Chevrolet, lead the field during the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Focused Health 250 at Circuit of The Americas on February 28, 2026 in Austin, Texas.

What to Keep an Eye on in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Race at COTA

What’s Happening?

The NASCAR Saturday Double-Header continues with O’Reilly Auto Parts Series action from Circuit of the Americas (COTA). Here’s what you need to look out for and what to expect in today’s race.

  • Road course heavy hitters, Connor Zilisch and Shane van Gisbergen, are in the field today. You know what that means: another slobber knocker of a race between them as everyone else struggles to keep up. And, you guessed it: they both are starting on the front row with Zilisch claiming the pole in his No. 1 JRM Chevy. SVG is driving the No. 9.
  • Since Zilisch is in the No. 1, Carson Kvapil has been demoted to the No. 91 of DGM Racing. While the car is prepared by JR Motorsports, it won’t be his usual pit crew. Rather, his crew is made up entirely of DGM employees. So, there are a lot of unknowns for him heading into today’s race. He’s starting 6th.
  • Speaking of JRM, Rajah Caruth turned some heads in the first two races of this season. How will he fare on a road course? That No. 88 team is used to winning on these types of tracks. Keep an eye on him. Caruth is rolling off 19th.
  • Austin Hill bounces back after a disappointing finish last week in Atlanta, thanks to the ruthless bumper of Ross Chastain. He’s rolling off in the 3rd position.
  • Coverage for the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race at COTA begins at 3 PM EST on the CW.

Starting Lineup

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