One of NASCAR’s biggest sponsors is jumping ship. Anheuser-Busch announced that its Busch Light brand will be leaving Stewart-Haas Racing after the conclusion of the 2023 season to join Ross Chastain at Trackhouse Racing.
It’s a big win for Chastain and his team. Busch has been involved in the sport for decades, not only as the official beer of the sport but most recently serving as Kevin Harvick’s primary sponsor, with the brand becoming a fixture on the side of the No. 4 car.
But with Josh Berry moving to that car for 2024, Busch decided to shop around for drivers. And few drivers on the grid generate the same level of attention as Ross Chastain.
“With our longstanding commitment to NASCAR, we’ve activated many different types of programs with our sponsorship throughout the years,” said Krystyn Stowe, head of marketing for Busch.
Working with Trackhouse is certainly a different step for the brand. The team has been unconventional since joining NASCAR, attracting Pitbull and foreign talent with their strong social media presence and community focus. They’re the team that brought Australian Supercars star Shane van Gisbergen to Chicago, where he ultimately triumphed in a wet race against NASCAR’s best.
“It has been Trackhouse’s goal from day one to build something special and different. Something that resonates with the fans and partners in NASCAR,” said Trackhouse team president Justin Marks. “For Busch Light to recognize this and commit to the vision is both humbling and inspiring as we continue to write a special chapter in the history of this sport.”
Ross Chastain is the perfect Trackhouse driver to represent the brand, too. The three-time winner has not only contributed more than his share of moments to the highlight reels, including the now-legendary ‘hail-melon’ at Martinsville, but he’s known for his blue-collar background.
Chastain comes from a family of Florida watermelon farmers, and he worked on the family farm before being the first member of the family to race professionally, so he knows what a hard day’s work is.
“On the farm in Alva, Florida, Busch Light has always been the beer of choice for all of our celebrations, and now that they are right by my side as my sponsor,” said Chastain. “It’s a dream come true!”
“This sponsorship means so much to me as the brand not only supports NASCAR, but also places value and extends their support to communities that are close to my heart — the humble, hard-working people across the U.S. who enjoy cracking a cold one after an honest day’s work.”
It’s a major departure from the early days of Chastain’s career, when he struggled to attract sponsors.
“Ross has already accomplished so much in his career and we’re so proud that an iconic brand like Busch Light sees his commitment not only to the sport, but to his fans. Being sponsored by the official beer of NASCAR is such an honor and we can’t wait to see what Ross and Busch Light accomplish together in 2024 and beyond,” Marks added.
Now, not only does Chastain have a primary sponsorship from one of the biggest brands in NASCAR, but he holds onto longstanding partnerships with brands like Kubota and Worldwide Express. Advent Health, for one, has a deal that expires at the end of this season and has implied that they’ll be looking elsewhere.
It’s a stark change in fortunes to Josh Berry’s. He may have been tapped to compete in one of NASCAR’s marque rides, but that ride just lost its biggest backer.
The team insists that it’s looking at new sponsorship opportunities for Berry, trying to fill the hole in outreach and, crucially, funding the departure leaves.
“Anheuser-Busch has been an outstanding partner in its nearly decade-long tenure with Stewart-Haas Racing” a statement released by the team said. “After promoting Budweiser for three years before transitioning to Busch and Busch Light in 2016, those brands have grown exponentially, proving our relationship to be mutually beneficial.”
“We value all of our partnerships and take great pride in seeing Anheuser-Busch’s association with Kevin Harvick and Stewart-Haas Racing serve as a springboard for their overall marketing strategy.”
“Our organization has been fortunate to have committed corporate partners, and we look forward to fostering new relationships with continued success and longevity.”
Also weighing on Josh Berry’s mind: Stewart-Haas Racing has had a poor year so far, too. Though Kevin Harvick is currently in ninth in the points standings, he’s the exception. All three of the team’s other drivers sit 25th or worse, with Chase Briscoe all the way back in 31st after a penalty.
Ross Chastain’s good fortunes are just compounding the worries for Josh Berry in his hotly-anticipated Cup Series debut.
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