Getty Kyle Busch prepares for a race at Dover.
The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Nashville Superspeedway on Sunday, June 20, for the Ally 400. Kyle Busch will use the opportunity to unveil a paint scheme that promotes animal adoption. He will partner with the Pedigree Foundation and Mars Petcare to showcase adoptable animals on his No. 18 Toyota Camry during the Ally 400.
Joe Gibbs Racing revealed the design on Tuesday, June 15. The yellow Toyota Camry features the massive Pedigree logo on the hood, as well as photos of several adoptable dogs. The Pedigree Foundation logo sits on the trunk lid, highlighting the nonprofit organization with the goal of helping homeless dogs find loving homes.
Evan Wahl/Joe Gibbs RacingJoe Gibbs Racing releases a render of the No. 18 Pedigree Toyota.
“I’m a huge dog lover, so having PEDIGREE Foundation choose to feature shelter pets that are in need of homes on our No.18 Camry this weekend is really cool,” Busch said in a press release. “This week I’ll be meeting some of the dogs firsthand in Charlotte and have some special friends up on our pit box too.
“With the BETTER CITIES FOR PETS Program and PEDIGREE Foundation covering adoption fees in Charlotte and Nashville this weekend, our hope is that these pets are welcomed into the loving homes they deserve.”
Busch Will Have a ‘New’ Pit Crew as Part of the Promotion
Evan Wahl/Joe Gibbs RacingThe No. 18 Toyota Camry sits next to Kyle Busch’s ‘pit crew.’
In addition to showcasing the animals on his No. 18 Toyota Camry, Busch will also welcome some special guests during the race. He will raise awareness for the need for pet adoptions by highlighting adoptable dogs from local shelters. The team will use life-size cutouts of the animals to achieve this goal, setting them on top of his pit box as an honorary pit crew.
Prior to the race at Nashville Superspeedway, Busch will visit the Humane Society of Charlotte to meet some of the adoptable pets. Mars Petcare’s Better Cities for Pets Program will then partner with the Pedigree Foundation to host adoption events in both Nashville and Charlotte during the race weekend. The two organizations will cover all adoption fees at the participating shelters for pets that find homes between June 18-20.
The Williamson County Animal Shelter and Nashville Humane Association will both represent Middle Tennessee while participating in the partnership. The Humane Society of Charlotte will represent the home of NASCAR HQ.
When local residents adopt animals during the weekend, they will receive a special “starter kit” for their new pets, courtesy of Mars Petcare and Pedigree Foundation. The package will include food from Pedigree, Cesar, and Iams. Additionally, there will be treats courtesy of Dentastix and Temptations.
The residents will also walk away with coupons and “swag” from Banfield Pet Hospital, VCA Animal Hospitals, Wisdom Panel test kits, Pedigree Foundation, and the Better Cities for Pets Program.
Busch Will Pull Double-Duty in Music City
GettyKyle Busch celebrates at Dover.
The Ally 400 featuring the No. 18 Pedigree Toyota Camry will actually be Busch’s second of the weekend. He will also take part in the Xfinity Series race on Saturday, June 19, while pursuing history. Busch will enter the weekend with 99 wins, making him the most successful driver in Xfinity history. His goal will be to notch win No. 100 and mark a major career milestone.
Busch won No. 99 on Saturday, June 12, racing to Victory Lane at Texas Motor Speedway in the No. 54 Twix Toyota Supra. He then explained to NASCAR Race Hub that he still plans on “retiring” from the Xfinity Series after reaching the century mark, reiterating a statement he made in 2019 via Jayski. Although he will continue to make occasional starts for JGR if owner Joe Gibbs specifically asks him to.
Busch will have the opportunity to hit this career goal at a track where he has previous success. He has made 12 combined starts at the 1.33-mile concrete oval outside of Nashville — 10 in the Busch Series and two in the Truck Series.
He captured his first win at the track in 2009 while driving the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Busch then won both of his Truck Starts (2010, 2011), walking away with the custom Gibson guitar trophy. He will now return to the site of past success in search of a fourth guitar.
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