When you think of sponsors, you think of what company or brand is on the hood or side of the cars. While those sponsors are certainly important, they also get their time in the spotlight and are talked about on a weekly basis.
There are many other official partners in NASCAR however, that sit in the shadows, and without them our great sport wouldn’t be where it is today. We wanted to change that, and give them the recognition they deserve for a job well done. Think of it as a way to say thank you, for all that they do!
NASCAR has had a green initiative since 2008, and Safety-Kleen is at the forefront of that program becoming a founding partner. They have been a partner with NASCAR since 1963, and have grown that relationship with NASCAR to become a critical part of their sustainability program. They keep the bricks clean in Indy, the oil picked up in Daytona, the fluids changed in Talladega, and so much more.
One of the biggest parts to their partnership is the recycling program. In 2013 alone, Safety-Kleen collected and re-refined over 200,000 gallons of oil, talk about sustainability!
Another key part in their partnership is their absorbent products used for cleaning oil and fluid spills on the track and the garage. Safety-Kleen certainly is an important gear in the machine that makes NASCAR run smoothly!
Safety is by far the most important part in our sport. NASCAR takes extreme pride in their safety measures, and with AMR signing on as the Official Emergency Medical Services Provider in 2017, safety has been at an all time high.
While AMR is seen on the TV when an accident happens, their work is often overlooked by fans. They are the men and women who keep your favorite driver safe and provide care when needed. We all remember some scary crashes, and AMR’s prompt response to on track incidents has been the best our sport has ever seen.
As the “Official Sweeper of NASCAR Green,” Elgin Sweeper administers a team of 17 trained, NASCAR-certified driver operators throughout the 36-week race season to help support the NASCAR Toyota Tundra Track Drying Team in drying rain-soaked tracks while saving jet fuel and reducing the sport’s overall carbon footprint.
In addition to its drying efforts, the revolutionary Crosswind Specialty Track Sweeper assists in maintaining safe racing surfaces for competitors. This allows for rapid sweeping of debris and oil absorbent materials to get the racing surface fit. We all hate those long caution periods for cleanup, and without the help of Elgin, they would be even longer.
Since 2002, Mechanix Wear has partnered with NASCAR to provide its teams with the best in hand protection. Being on pit road as a crew member is not an easy or safe job, and we must remember that NASCAR is certainly a team sport. While the emphasis is on the driver, the pit crew is just as important a job on the team.
Mechanix Wear provides safe solutions for teams and officials to make our races safer for everyone involved. Not only do they provide safety equipment for the teams, Mechanix Wear will donate masks and gloves to ensure essential personnel are equipped to perform their roles at-track.
At year-end and continuing with tradition, the Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew Award will honor the crew with the most exemplary performance throughout the racing season. Chase Elliott’s crew won the award in 2022.
This is just a short list of sponsors who help our sport thrive without sitting in the spotlight. Without them, we wouldn’t be where we are today.
Be sure to let us know some other underappreciated sponsors, and next time you see someone who works for these companies, tell them thank you!
