Getty Daniel Suarez (left) has time to recover from the pre-race penalty.
Several of the NASCAR Cup Series teams are in Nashville for Champions Week, and Trackhouse Racing is using the opportunity to drop big news. The team revealed that Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge will return for the 2022 season on a six-race deal.
Trackhouse Racing owner Justin Marks made the announcement on Wednesday, December 1, ahead of the Burnouts on Broadway presented by DoorDash event. He and Tootsie’s co-owner Steve Smith unveiled the bright No. 99 Chevrolet that featured the bar’s iconic colors. The Tootsie’s logo covered the hood and both rear fenders while the purple stripe ran through the door numbers.
Back for another ride in 2022!
The two men also confirmed that Tootsie’s will sponsor Daniel Suarez and the No. 99 at the Daytona 500 on February 20, as well as five other races. According to FOX Sports reporter Bob Pockrass, the deal also includes the Bristol Motor Speedway dirt race, the Bristol night race, the Nashville Superspeedway race, and both trips to Talladega Superspeedway.
According to NBC Sports, the No. 99 will not solely feature Tootsie’s on the scheme. The Nashville Convention and Visitors Corporation, Opry Entertainment’s “Ole Red” brand will both be part of the design to promote the hospitality and tourism industries.
“A Tootsie’s car on the streets of Nashville and in the Daytona 500. There’s nothing better than that,” Marks said in a press release. “We are also grateful the Nashville Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and Opry Entertainment are joining with us in 2022. We are certainly going to be team Nashville.
“We have enjoyed our relationship with Tootsie’s since they joined us this summer and both sides wanted to expand the program in 2022,” Marks continued. “They saw the power of NASCAR and we saw the fan reaction to Tootsie’s on our race car.”
Trackhouse Racing First Partnered With Tootsie’s in 2021
GettyDaniel Suarez (left) and Pitbull (right) talk to Rutledge Wood at Nashville Superspeedway.
The six-race deal marks the second time that the Nashville hotspot and the Marks’ team have collaborated. They previously joined forces for the Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway on June 20, 2021.
The Gen 6 version of the Tootsie’s scheme bore many similarities that will debut during the Daytona 500. The text covered the rear fenders while the logo was on the hood. However, the previous iteration of stock car had door numbers situated more toward the center of the car, which left room for a massive orchid by the front tires.
Suarez turned in one of his best performances of the season while running the Tootsie’s scheme. He qualified 22nd overall and then raced his way to a seventh-place finish in front of a capacity crowd. Suarez locked up 38 points in Middle Tennessee while representing an iconic Nashville destination.
Suarez Will Showcase Tootsie’s While Working With a Teammate
The trip to Nashville and the big reveal of the Tootsie’s scheme is only the latest piece of significant news released by Trackhouse Racing. The team has turned heads several times while preparing for the Next Gen era of NASCAR.
One of the biggest moves has been the addition of another car. Suarez was the only driver in 2021, the inaugural season for the team, but he will work with a teammate in 2022. Ross Chastain will join forces with him and drive the No. 1 Chevrolet Camaro.
Trackhouse Racing announced on August 3 that Chastain would join the team after spending the 2021 season with Chip Ganassi Racing. He will continue working with crew chief Phil Surgen as he pursues his first career Cup Series win. Chastain is one of the numerous Chip Ganassi Racing employees to make the move to Trackhouse Racing, and he will actually continue working at the same shop. He will just have a different logo on his merchandise, a different teammate, and a different boss calling the shots.
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