Ah, NASCAR. America’s auto racing sanctioning body has overseen its fair share of incredible competition in its Cup, Xfinity and Trucks series – but it’s also provided us with absurd race names.
As the resident American here at PlanetF1.com, I feel obligated to present you with a selection of some of the greatest event names in history brought to you by NASCAR’s ever-evolving roster of sponsors.
2015 SpongeBob SquarePants 400
Are you ready kids? Jimmie Johnson won the iconic Spongebob Squarepants 400, a rain-affected race held at Kansas Speedway. Four drivers had a Spongebob painting.
2004 Lowe’s presents SpongeBob Movie 300
The Spongebob Squarepants 400 wasn’t the only race that took place under the sea. This Busch Series – now Xfinity Series – race was held at Charlotte Motor Speedway, and two drivers flaunted SpongeBob SquarePants-themed cars for the event. Mike Bliss secured his first ever win in the series.
2013 DRIVE4COPD 300
After years of promoting Winston cigarettes, NASCAR began promoting solutions to the excessive effects of smoking with the Nationwide Series DRIVE4COPD300. (Today, the Nationwide Series is the Xfinity Series).
2013 CNBC Prime’s “The Profit” 200
CNBC Prime’s The Profit 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway was a Nationwide – now Xfinity – race won by Kyle Busch. Profit is about Marcus Lemonis, owner of the Camping World company; Lemonis has played a significant role in NASCAR’s lower levels over the years.
2022 Call 811 before digging 250 powered by Call811.com
This NASCAR Xfinity race at Martinsville Speedway was won by Brandon Jones. Americans digging in their backyards must call 911 to identify things like power, natural gas, and cable lines.
2008 Hefty Odor Block 200
Nothing says “NASCAR is cool” quite like a Nationwide Series race named after odor-blocking trash bags. Carl Edwards was declared the winner.
2005 Cheerios Betty Crocker 200
Mike Skinner won the 2005 Cheerios Betty Crocker 200 Truck, named after the heart-healthy cereal and the bakery that owns it.
2024 Iowa Corn 350
Iowa is known for one thing: corn. It makes sense that its NASCAR Cup Series debut would be named the Iowa Corn 350, after the organization of corn growers lobbying in the state. IndyCar’s Iowa races also featured similar naming practices for several years.
2016 Ollie’s Bargain Outlet 200
The Ollie’s Bargain Outlet 200 was an Xfinity Series race held at Dover International Speedway. An Erik Jones winner, it’s named after a chain that sells affordable homewares. Ollie’s was later involved in a federal lawsuit alleging the company misclassified its managers to avoid paying overtime.
2020 Big Machine Hand Sanitizer 400 Powered by Big Machine Records
The Tennessee label Big Machine is best known for its feud with Taylor Swift, but it also owns a distillery that makes vodka. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, it made sense for many alcohol companies to start making hand sanitizer – and use that hand sanitizer to sponsor a Cup Series competition.
Big Machine Vodka 400 at the Brickyard Powered by Florida Georgia Line
Obviously, it makes sense that Big Machine Records would use their influence to promote one of their artists, but Florida Georgia Line? Racing in Indianapolis? It never made sense.
2019 1000Bulbs.com 500
This Cup Series race deserves a spot on the list in large part because the 1000Bulbs.com 500 is one of the most confusing race names in NASCAR history. It was won by Ryan Blaney.
Sharpie 500 and Sharpie Mini 300
Sharpie deserves special mentions for its ingenious marketing plan. It sponsored both the Cup and Xfinity Series events at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2006. It chose the clever Sharpie 500 name for the major Cup event and the Sharpie Mini 300 name for the support event.
2012 Jeff Foxworthy’s Grit Chips 200
American actor/comedian Jeff Foxworthy introduced the awkwardly named Grit Chips, a line of corn chips packed with “Southern” flavors like cheddar jalapeno and sweet heat. Before the brand disappeared into the abyss, it was the title sponsor of the 2012 Truck Series in Georgia.
2017 I Love New York at 355 The Glen
For some reason, Watkins Glen International has always attracted absurd sponsor names. There was I Love New York 355, Cheez-It 355, Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips, and now, Go Bowling at the Glen.
2014-2015 UNOH 200 Presented by ZLOOP
Sure, it’s strange that the University of Northwest Ohio (UNOH) has sponsored so many NASCAR events, but today we’re focusing on the Truck Series events presented by ZLOOP – an e-scrap company that was found to be a scam by the Department of Justice.
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2011 Top Gear 300
The 2011 Xfinity race at Charlotte Motor Speedway was named after the American spin-off series of Top Gear. It was quite a clever partnership, with clips from Top Gear being shown throughout the race.
2016-2017 Hisense 4k TV 300
The Hisense 4K TV 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway might be the only race in Xfinity Series history that could double as a Black Friday sale ad.
1996 Hardee’s Fried Chicken Challenge 250
Fast food conglomerate Hardee’s has sponsored a few NASCAR events, but Richmond’s Hardee’s Fried Chicken Challenge 250 sounds like it. so delicious. It’s a perfect marketing tactic; Almost 30 years later, I still wonder if I could win the fried chicken challenge, whatever that is.
The 2013 Celebration at the Poconos 400 presented by Walmart
Pocono Raceway held a fan vote to decide on the name of its 2013 Cup race, which it co-sponsored with Walmart. If you’ve ever camped in the Poconos backcountry, you’ll understand why Party in the Poconos was a fan favorite.
Pontiac Excitement 400
In the late 1980s and 1990s, NASCAR’s Cup Series event in Richmond was called the Pontiac Excitement 400. It was named after the General Motors sub-brand Pontiac, which was supposed to be one of GM’s performance brands.
2021 Buschy McBusch Race 400
2018 Active Pest Control 200 benefiting Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
The name of the 2018 NASCAR Truck Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway confuses me. I could understand active pest control as a sponsor. I understood Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta as a sponsor. But putting them together feels like pest control should somehow help kids.
2020 My Bariatric Solutions 300
The My Bariatric Solutions 300 was an Xfinity race at Texas Motor Speedway won by Austin Cindric. The Texas-based company offers both surgical and non-surgical weight loss options — which may become a necessity for TMS, as it’s close to delicious Buc-ee’s brisket sandwiches.
2016 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400
The TMNT 400 took place at Chicagoland Speedway – another blowout sponsored by Nickelodeon. Intriguingly, the race was won by Martin Truex Jr. and Furniture Row Racing, a team that somehow managed to deliver a Cup team on a budget built by a furniture sales company.
More points for race names, please.
Another NASCAR Xfinity Series blowout, the TreatMyClot.com 300, was held at the California Speedway in 2014; it was won by Kyle Larson.
2010 Subway Jalapeño 250, powered by Coca-Cola
In 2019, a YouTuber conducted a serious investigation into the jalapeños served by Subway; only one of the 20-foot submarines he bought did No they have an inedible jalapeño stalk. But back in 2010, we were blissfully unaware of the consequences of promoting Subway’s jalapeños — and enjoying a refreshing Coca-Cola sip.
2020 Attach to truck 225 provided by Click It or Ticket
Buckle Up In Your Truck is a fitting sponsor of the NASCAR truck series, designed to promote safe driving – but the “Click It or Ticket” double feels a bit heavy-handed!
2001 Pork Other white meat 400
The National Pork Board decided to sponsor an ARCA Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 2001, cleverly naming it the Pork The Other White Meat 400. ARCA wasn’t owned by NASCAR at the time, but I still count it just because of its absurdity.
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