La Crosse-based convenience store chain Kwik Trip has agreed to become the presenting sponsor of the NASCAR Cup Series race at Road America near Elkhart Lake.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The multi-year partnership between Road America and Kwik Trip includes “several shared multi-state marketing and promotional initiatives designed to help both entities increase brand awareness and promote their products throughout the Midwest and the racing community,” according to a news release.
The race, which will be known as the Road America 250 presented by Kwik Trip, will be held on July 4 at 1:30 p.m. It will be televised live on NBC.
The NASCAR Cup Series is the highest level of professional stock car racing. Since it opened in 1955, Road America has hosted elite racing competition, but mostly of the open-wheel IndyCar variety. The top stock car racing circuit previously has only competed once at the track, in 1956 when it was known as the Grand National Series.
“The opportunity to partner with a NASCAR Cup Series race at Road America on Independence Day is a thrill as race fans across Wisconsin and the Midwest flock to Elkhart Lake for this premier event,” said Mark Meisner, Kwik Trip’s director of marketing and advertising. “NASCAR fans are some of the most enthusiastic in all of sports. We look forward to sharing in the excitement of race weekend, July 1-4.”
Family-owned Kwik Trip, founded in 1965 with a single store in Eau Claire, now has 30,000 employees and more than 700 stores in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois. It is the 13th largest convenience store chain in the U.S., according to CSP magazine.
“Kwik Trip is a tremendous fit for Road America,” said Mike Kertscher, Road America’s president and general manager. “They are an incredible brand, dedicated to the communities they serve. We feel that Kwik Trip will incorporate itself very well in the racing community through this partnership, and we are very excited to have them on board in such a prestigious capacity.”
The NASCAR race weekend at Road America will also include the Henry 180, a NASCAR Xfinity Series (NASCAR’s second highest level of competition) at 1:30 p.m. on July 3. That race, sponsored by Rice Lake, Wisconsin-based firearms manufacturer Henry Repeating Arms, will also be telecast on NBC. Road America has hosted Xfinity Series races for the past 11 years.
Road America will also host IndyCar Series race REV Group Grand Prix on June 30. That race will be broadcast by NBCSN.
