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The two Petty GMS Motorsports drivers are mixing up their schemes for the return of the Food City Dirt Race at Bristol Motor Speedway. They will work with clean-centric brands in Tide and Gain while pursuing a spot in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
Petty GMS Motorsports held a special press conference at Bristol Motor Speedway on March 22 to announce a partnership with Food City, Gain, and Tide. The team revealed that Erik Jones and the No. 43 team will reunite with Tide and Food City after representing the brands during the inaugural dirt race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Ty Dillon will have Gain and Food City as his primary partners on the No. 42.
“To have Food City and Tide back on board our No. 43 Chevrolet for the Food City Dirt Race is a proud moment for our Petty GMS team,” Jones said in a press release. “We had a strong run, finishing ninth, last season in our Tide Camaro and hopefully we can improve even more on that effort next month. Food City and Tide have a storied history in our sport and I’m glad to continue being a part of the next chapter.”
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Both Drivers Have Previous Experience on the Bristol Dirt Track
While Dillon was not a full-time driver during the 2021 Cup Series season, he was able to take part in the inaugural dirt race at Bristol Motor Speedway. He joined Gaunt Brothers Racing and drove the No. 96 Toyota Camry to a 26th-place finish after avoiding incidents on the track.
Jones, for comparison, put himself into contention during the unique race. He started 24th overall in the No. 43 Chevrolet Camaro, but he moved all the way up to ninth overall while Joey Logano won.
“I’m excited to have Food City and Gain partnering with the No. 42 team for Bristol,” Dillon added in the press release. “Running on dirt last season was a fun experience and one that I’m looking forward to doing again. To have both of our Petty GMS Chevrolets carrying well-known laundry brands is a great opportunity for Erik and myself. Also, in my lifetime, we have never raced on Easter Sunday, so I’m looking forward to celebrating the special day with my family in a different way this season.”
Another Driver Will Showcase a Different ‘Clean’ Brand
While Jones and Dillon will showcase Tide and Gain, respectively, another driver will highlight a different brand. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will head to the Bristol dirt race with Irish Spring Body Wash as the primary partner on the No. 47 Chevrolet Camaro.
JTG Daugherty Racing announced the news on January 10 and said that Irish Spring Body Wash would make its season debut during the Daytona 500. The brand would then return for the Bristol Motor Speedway dirt race on April 17, in which Stenhouse would pursue a better finish than his runner-up in 2021.
“We’re all going to need to use some Irish Spring Body Wash after the Bristol Dirt Race,” Stenhouse said in a statement from JTG Daugherty Racing on January 10. “We had a blast our first time there on dirt and our car was really good on the long run.”
Which of the “clean” brands will have the better performance in the dirtiest race of the year? The trio will provide the answer on April 17 when the Cup Series returns to Bristol Motor Speedway for the Food City Dirt Race (7 p.m. ET, channel TBA).
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