The 2004 Cup Series champion will showcase a wildly different scheme during the trip to Martinsville Speedway. Kurt Busch will take on the short track with a MoneyLion/McDonald’s scheme on the No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota Camry.
23XI Racing revealed the bold, new look on April 6. The No. 45 Toyota Camry TRD features teal and black MoneyLion graphics on the rear of the stock car and a large logo behind the door number. The front of the stock car features red, yellow, and black colors and some massive Golden Arches on the hood.
We can’t wait to see @MoneyLion driver No. 45 @KurtBusch drive this beauty during the #BlueEmu400 this Saturday! Guess you can say we’re lovin’ it. 😉 @Mcdonalds
The race at Martinsville Speedway will mark the second time that Busch has featured MoneyLion as a primary partner. He also showcased the company during the trip to Phoenix Raceway when he finished fifth overall and secured 32 points. However, the Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500 on April 9 (7:30 p.m. ET, FS1) will mark the first time in 2022 that Busch has featured McDonald’s as a primary partner.
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The Golden Arches Will Join Busch for Multiple Races
The unveiling of the McDonald’s scheme answers a question that has lingered since December 7, 2021. This was the day when 23XI Racing revealed that the food chain had expanded its partnership with the Cup Series organization.
The terms of the deal were not disclosed, but 23XI Racing noted in a press release that McDonald’s would serve as Bubba Wallace’s primary partner for more races in 2022 than in 2021. Additionally, the company also expanded its presence and joined as a primary partner of the No. 45 team.
The original announcement confirmed that McDonald’s would join Wallace for the season-opening Daytona 500, but it did not provide any further details about Busch. The press release did not reveal when the Golden Arches would take over the No. 45, nor did it note the number of races. Instead, the release simply said that McDonald’s would serve as Busch’s primary partner for multiple races.
Busch Can Break an Important Tie at Martinsville
GettyKurt Busch (left) and Brad Keselowski (right) both have two wins at Martinsville Speedway.
The debut of the McDonald’s/MoneyLion scheme takes place at a track where Busch has achieved previous success. He has made 43 starts at the historic short track, and he has reached Victory Lane two separate times (2002 and 2014).
The April 9 race at Martinsville Speedway provides Busch with an opportunity to break an important tie. His two wins are currently tied for third among active drivers. Kyle Busch (2016 and 2017) and Brad Keselowski (2017 and 2019) are the other two drivers with two wins at Martinsville while Alex Bowman (2021), Kevin Harvick (2011), Chase Elliott (2020), and Joey Logano (2018) each have one apiece.
Denny Hamlin, the winner of the most recent Cup Series race, holds the lead among active drivers. He has five wins at Martinsville Speedway, including one in 2008, one in 2009, both in 2010, and one in 2015. Martin Truex Jr. is second overall with three wins at Martinsville (2019, 2020, and 2021).
Busch hasn’t won a race at Martinsville Speedway since the 2014 season, but he has put himself in position in recent years. Five of his past seven starts at the short track resulted in top-10 finishes. This includes a fifth-place run during the 2020 elimination race where Elliott won for the first time at the track.
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Kurt Busch Debuts Wildly Different McDonald’s Scheme at Martinsville