2/5/2013 – JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO – RANDOLPH, Texas (AFNS) — The Air Force renewed its NASCAR partnership with Richard Petty Motorsports and the No. 43 car with driver Aric Almirola for the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
“RPM’s strong legacy in NASCAR and Almirola’s values and character are a great fit for the Air Force and the type of recruits that we look to attract through the sponsorship, ” said Col. Marcus Johnson, chief of the Strategic Marketing Division at Air Force Recruiting Service. “Our association with NASCAR and RPM is helping us achieve our strategic goal of connecting with the patriotic fan base and recruiting technically inclined youth.”
The Air Force is both a primary and associate sponsor of the No. 43 car, driven by Almirola, a 28-year-old driver who was born on Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and whose father served in the Air Force. As a primary sponsor, the car will feature the Air Force paint scheme in two of 36 NASCAR points races this season.
“I’m really proud of how Richard Petty Motorsports helps connect the Air Force with race fans,” Almirola said. “We go out to the Air Force display and the swear-ins at the track, and it’s great to see people lined up wanting to learn about the technology and the opportunities available. It’s a perfect partnership, really, especially for me, having a life-long history with the Air Force.”
The Air Force will also continue its experiential marketing activities at NASCAR events, air shows and festivals throughout the year, taking the No. 43 U.S. Air Force show car and “Hangar 43” interactive display to environments where recruiters can connect with young adults. It will also continue to hold swear-in ceremonies of Airmen in the Delayed Entry Program at NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, giving fans an up-close, in-person look at the moment when groups of young Americans commit themselves to their country.