CARSTAR North America announced April 14th that it will make its debut in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Kansas Speedway this May.
The multi-year opportunity stems from a joint promotion with CARSTAR’s new paint partner Axalta Coating Systems.
“With CARSTAR coming into the Driven Brands family, it may seem like a new partnership, but for us, it’s just the continuation of an exceptional partnership that we’ve had for going on 30 years with Driven Brands and the brands that represent the company so well,” said Jim Muse, North America sales director, Axalta. “From Axalta’s side, we look forward to a bright future. On the racing side, this is a whole new day for us.”
Jose Costa, group president, Paint & Collision, Driven Brands, added, “We have over 2,300 locations with about 10 brands in our portfolio. At the core of what we do is retail. We were very excited to have this opportunity when Axalta presented it to us because it’s a way of putting CARSTAR in front of millions of consumers, standing behind a great driver.”
The No. 88 Axalta/CARSTAR Chevrolet SS, driven by NASCAR’s 13-time most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr., will race on Saturday, May 7th, in Kansas City. The CARSTAR logo will be featured prominently on the car. No. 88 is one of the few cars on the track each week that is painted and not wrapped.
“I’ve enjoyed working with Axalta this season,” said Earnhardt. “It’s great to see how they’ve rallied behind the 88 team and how they are bringing new partners like CARSTAR into the sport. I’m looking forward to having CARSTAR on our Axalta Chevy at Kansas. I expect to run very well there, so we’ll do our best to give the CARSTAR folks plenty to cheer for.”
In Kansas, Earnhardt Jr., a 26-time Sprint Cup winner, has had three top-five finishes, nine top-10s and one pole. He has led 146 laps at the 1.5-mile speedway.
“We’re really proud of what we’ve been able to deliver to the racetrack this year,” said Earnhardt. “So far it’s been very exciting, and this is just another step toward making this a very big, special year for us, to be able to take CARSTAR and showcase their brand on the side of our car in the race in Kansas.
“It’s a great racetrack that we’ve had a lot of success at, one that I really enjoy racing at,” he continued. “We get a great turnout from the fans in that area. We also get to go and run around and try out some of the awesome BBQ in the area, so it’s a win for everybody when we get a trip to Kansas.”
Muse added, “It will be an honor to carry the CARSTAR colors on the No. 88 Axalta car and represent the CARSTAR shop owners and thousands of employees across North America at Kansas this spring. I hope we’re able to take them to Victory Lane on Saturday night.”
Michael Macaluso, president, CARSTAR North America, added, “This year has been a series of milestones, beginning with the consolidation of CARSTAR US and CARSTAR Canada into CARSTAR North America. To now take the CARSTAR brand to one of North America’s top spectator sports with the series’ most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr., is an incredible honor. We can’t wait to see the No. 88 Axalta/CARSTAR Chevrolet on the track and share the CARSTAR story with millions of race fans.”
As part of the race weekend, Axalta and CARSTAR will host top CARSTAR franchisees from across North America, along with prospective franchisees and corporate team members.
