2 weeks Ago
12th Man , start your engines. After sponsoring the No. 4 and No.
14 Ford Mustangs of Josh Berry and Chase Briscoe respectively in the 2024 season, Texas A&M University is returning to the NASCAR Cup Series thanks to a season-long partnership with the new Haas Factory Team, which took the place of Stewart-Haas Racing after the company closed their doors in 2024. In addition to the season-long partnership with NASCAR, the Maroon and White will also appear as a sponsor on the No. 60 Honda driven by Felix Rosenqvist of the NTT IndyCar Series, a fan favorite driver who was award the 2019 IndyCar Series Rookie of the Year Award.
The NASCAR partnership will also include a full sponsorship of Cole Custer's No. 41 car in the Coca-Cola 600at Charlotte Motor Speedway, a race that is not only the longest on the NASCAR schedule in terms of miles, but also takes place during Memorial Day weekend while celebrating America and honoring the fallen troops of our nation's military, a further exemplification of Texas A&M's willingness to honor the United States military, and the fact that the sponsorship will be during NASCAR's longest race shows the endurance of the Aggies. Texas A&M Vice President and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer R.
Ethan Braden spoke of how these sponsorships will put the school's core values on the national stage amongst a very loyal NASCAR audience. "These partnerships with HFT and Felix Rosenqvist will the Aggie Core Values of Excellence, Integrity, Leadership, Loyalty, Respect, and Selfless Service to the national stage in front of one of the most passionate and patriotic audiences in America," Braden said. "We will also showcase Texas A&M's appreciation for our country and our military on Memorial Day weekend, when we honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice and reaffirm our commitment to becoming the nation's top university for veterans.
" Cole Custer, the driver of the No. 41 for Gene Haas' race team, spoke of his excitement to carry the school on his car, and how the philosophies at Texas A&M and HFT matched up evenly. "I'm proud to carry the Texas A&M branding on our No.
41 Ford Mustang this season. It was a productive partnership in 2024, so we look forward to expanding the relationship and raising awareness around Texas A&M's commitment to our country's military personnel," Custer said. "The Aggie Core Values align well with our philosophy at Haas and resonate with the NASCAR fanbase.
" Custer will be looking for his second career win when he suits up at Charlotte in late May, having won his first and only NASCAR Cup Series race back in July 2020 at Kentucky Speedway. Rosenqvist, a former Formula 3 and Formula E racer and former teammate of six-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon, also praised the honor of donning the sponsorship of the university. "I'm excited to partner with Texas A&M for the 2025 IndyCar season and support their efforts to honor our country's military-affiliated personnel," Rosenqvist said.
"Texas A&M has a powerful message and inspiring culture, and I look forward to collaborating with the university to help share its story this year. It is an honor to be associated with an institution that is wholly committed to making a local and global impact." Like Custer, Rosenqvist will also be hunting for his second career win in his respective racing series, winning the second race of a doubleheader at Road America, also in July 2020.
Maybe down the line, Texas A&M could partner with Team Penske and owner Roger Penske, who owns the No. 12 of 2023 NASCAR Champion Ryan Blaney and the No. 12 of 2014 and 2022 IndyCar Champion Will Power in the IndyCar Series for the ultimate "12th Man" partnership.
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