2019 will serve as a monumental season for Richard Childress Racing. In addition to celebrating the organization’s 50th anniversary of competing at the highest level of American motorsports, RCR will re-introduce one of the iconic numbers in the history of the sport, the No. 8.
The No. 8 has a deeply-rooted history in NASCAR and can be traced back to legendary drivers such as Ralph Earnhardt, Joe Weatherly and most recently, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Beginning this year, Daniel Hemric will pilot the No. 8 for Richard Childress Racing fulltime in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. The significance of the No. 8 returning to the track, alongside the famous No. 3, gives RCR two of the most legendary numbers in the sport, both now under the same roof.
We understand why this is significant for historians of the sport, but why does this matter for current and potential partners?
NASCAR’s enormous fan base of 65 million fans throughout the country is the most brand loyal fan base in all of professional sports. Our fans care deeply about their sport, and they understand that the support of corporate partners allows their favorite teams and drivers to race every weekend during the season. The opportunity for brands to be affiliated with such an iconic number establishes immediate credibility with NASCAR fans, resulting in instant affinity towards those partners and their businesses.
This season, RCR is proud to welcome back a number of key partners who continue to experience significant business impacts from their RCR programs and understand the added value they’ll receive from being affiliated with the No. 8 in 2019. Caterpillar, Bass Pro Shops, Liberty National Life Insurance, VF Workwear and Alsco all utilize their RCR programs in very different ways. Whether it’s through consumer-facing marketing campaigns, a business-to-business approach, or a combination of both, each of these returning partners has utilized their programs to drive real, tangible business results. In addition, we are very proud to welcome Textron Aviation’s Cessna brand to the No. 8 team this year and to the RCR partnership family. These six partners all have two things in common – they each see tangible value in their RCR programs, and they understand the impact of being associated with the iconic No. 8.
So what’s in a number? It turns out… a lot.
