The NASCAR Cup Series race that kicks off the month of June will have a new name as Cracker Barrel makes its return to stock car racing.
The Tennessee-based restaurant chain will be the entitlement sponsor of the June 1 Cup Series race at Nashville Superspeedway, which will be the Cracker Barrel 400. This event will cap off a tripleheader weekend at the 1.33-mile track also featuring the Craftsman Truck Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series.
Photo credit: Speedway Motorsports
Cracker Barrel, which has approximately 660 locations across 44 states, signed a multi-year deal with Speedway Motorsports to replace Ally as the entitlement sponsor of the annual race located roughly 10 miles away from the original restaurant location.
"Cracker Barrel and Speedway Motorsports both bring people together -- whether over a meal or at the track," said Kevin Camper, executive vice president and chief commercial officer for Speedway Motorsports, in a statement.
"This multi-year partnership ties Cracker Barrel's iconic brand to our sport's foundation. It's an honor to showcase their story to fans across the country."
This is not simply a race sponsorship deal, however. Cracker Barrel will have pop-up experiences at multiple Speedway Motorsports properties across the country.
SMI operates 11 race tracks across the country, 10 of which are in active use by NASCAR. The list includes Atlanta, Bristol, Charlotte, Las Vegas, New Hampshire, Sonoma, Texas, Dover, Nashville, Kentucky, and North Wilkesboro.
The June 1 race at Nashville marks Cracker Barrel's return to NASCAR. The restaurant chain was previously the entitlement sponsor of a historic Cup Series race, albeit one at a different track.
Photo credit: Getty Images
On March 11, 2001, 43 Cup Series drivers competed in the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. A young California driver named Kevin Harvick led 18 laps and held off Jeff Gordon to score his first career win in only his third start since taking over for the late Dale Earnhardt.
Decades later, a new group of Cup Series drivers will take on Nashville Superspeedway with the restaurant chain serving as the sponsor. The race will take place at 7 p.m. ET on June 1. Prime Video will provide coverage.