MOORESVILLE, N.C. (August 31, 2020) – The No. 38 Front Row Motorsports (FRM) Ford Mustang, driven by Rookie-of-the-Year Contender John Hunter Nemechek, will run a special paint scheme for the NASCAR throwback weekend at Darlington Raceway, paying tribute to 2017 Xfinity Series regular season champion Elliott Sadler. Nemechek will race a scheme similar to the No. 21 CITGO® Ford Taurus that Sadler raced during his own rookie season with Wood Brothers Racing in 1999 and again in 2000.
CITGO Petroleum Corporation made its iconic return to NASCAR with FRM in 2018 for this same race with David Ragan, also honoring a Wood Brothers Racing-CITGO entry with its CITGARD brand. Following success and continued positive feedback on- and off-track, CITGARD has become a staple of the FRM family.
“This is an exciting event for CITGARD and the CITGO Petroleum Corporation,” said Brian Paulson, General Manager of Lubricants at CITGO. “The Darlington Throwback weekend is always a fun way to remember the past and honor former drivers like Elliott Sadler. Our company has deep roots in NASCAR, and we’re glad there’s an opportunity to bring that heritage to the sport today. We’re proud of the success John Hunter Nemechek has had in his rookie season and we look forward to seeing the No. 38 car in Victory Lane this weekend.”
Though their premiere series debuts came nearly 20 years apart, Sadler and Nemechek have shown equally strong performances. In his rookie season, Sadler earned five top-15 finishes and one top-10, completing 97% of all competition laps in 34 starts. With 26 starts thus far in the 2020 season, Nemechek has scored seven top-15 finishes and two top-10s, also completing 97% of all competition laps.
“Like many in the sport, I had been racing against Joe Nemechek since John Hunter was a baby,” said Sadler. “I’ve watched him grow up in the garage and it will be really special to see him driving my rookie paint scheme in his rookie year of competition. It means a lot when someone wants to recognize part of your career. I’m looking forward to sharing this experience with the folks at CITGARD.”
“If you grew up in the late 1990s and early 2000s, that red CITGO car always stood out on track,” said Nemechek. “It’s really cool to be able to bring that paint scheme back to life at Darlington. I know my No. 38 Front Row Motorsports crew will bring a fast car to the track, and we’ll do everything we can to win on Sunday.”
FRM and CITGARD will honor Sadler with unique social media content from Sadler and Nemechek, fan apparel and a chance to win limited, signed diecasts.
The No. 38 CITGARD Throwback Ford Mustang will make its debut at Darlington Raceway on Sunday, September 6. The “Southern 500” NASCAR Cup Series race airs at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN and MRN.
About CITGARD
CITGARD Synthetic Blend Engine Oils deliver the performance needed for newer engine designs while improving performance in older engines. Engineered with proprietary additive technology that protects engines running at higher operating temperatures and higher fuel injection pressures, while meeting tighter wear limits and lower emission requirements. CITGARD 700 is a new generation of engine oils that support the Phase II fuel efficiency standards which are driving the need for even more fuel efficient heavy duty engine oils combined with excellent wear protection and engine durability.
About Front Row Motorsports
Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup Series. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields two full-time entries – the No. 34 of Michael McDowell and the No. 38 of John Hunter Nemechek – from its Mooresville, N.C., headquarters just outside of Charlotte. In 2020, the team announced an expansion to include the No. 38 Ford F-150 in the NASCAR Gander RV and Outdoors Truck Series, driven by Todd Gilliland. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/