On Friday, Hooters of America, LLC, and Chanticleer Holdings, a franchisee of international Hooters locations, jointly announced that Hooters is sponsoring Nelson Piquet, Jr.’s No. 30 Chevrolet Camaro in the NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) race at Chicagoland Speedway on Sept. 14. The No. 30 car sponsorship celebrates Hooters 30th anniversary, honoring the iconic brand’s legacy and continued growth.
Dave Henniger, Hooters’ chief marketing officer, remarked, “With a talented driver like Piquet, Jr., his international presence and a venue like Chicagoland, Hooters is proud to represent the number 30 car as we celebrate our 30th birthday this fall. The sponsorship gives us a special opportunity to showcase the contemporary evolution of Hooters, while paying tribute to our rich history that includes a longstanding relationship within the sport of stock car racing.”
Piquet, Jr. is competing in his first full season in the NNS for Turner Scott Motorsports. The 27-year-old driver became the first Brazilian to win in one of NASCAR’s top-three national touring series events last year at Road America. He went on to win two more races in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2012, while also earning the series’ Most Popular Driver and Most Improved Driver awards. Piquet Jr. is a former Formula One driver and is the son of three-time Formula One world champion Nelson Piquet.
“Hooters is such an iconic brand and has a rich history in the sport of stock car racing,” Piquet Jr. said. “It’s truly an honor to celebrate Hooters’ first 30 years and also the brand’s growth in global markets like my home country of Brazil.”
Chanticleer Holdings, which secured exclusive rights to operate Hooters restaurants in parts of Brazil earlier this year, plans to announce its first location in that country in the near future.
The official No. 30 Hooters car design was first revealed via Piquet, Jr.’s Twitter account, @nelsonpiquet. After a series of Hooters clues, he unveiled the sleek design that will hit the racetrack in Chicago with the new, modern Hootie owl logo. The design is an intentional nod to the past, painted in the iconic Hooters orange and white color scheme and modeled to pay homage to the famous No. 7 car of the late NASCAR champion and Hooters-sponsored driver, Alan Kulwicki.
To request interviews with Hooters, Piquet, or to find photos of the Hooters No. 30 car, visit the Hooters newsroom at http://news.hooters.com
Let us hear your thoughts below:
