Some might think that no one person could save an entire sport by themselves. Marcus Lemonis is going to try, though.
When I first started with Always Race Day, I wrote about Lemonis and Camping World needing to sponsor the NHRA. The top series of drag racing was losing it’s long time partner in Coca-Cola due to money cuts during the pandemic. This left a void and someone needing to step up. Shortly after the Coke announcement, I released my article. I’m not saying I was the one who led Lemonis to the NHRA but the timing couldn’t have been better.
His Camping World company had been a longtime sponsor on the NASCAR Truck Series and is now back for another season. It helped Lemonis get his foot in the door for racing and since then he has gone off. Last year he picked up the phone and the bill for the remainder of the NHRA season. Once again he will sponsor the Camping World NHRA Drag Racing Series that kicks off this weekend in Gainesville.
This past week in Las Vegas, Lemonis sponsored a multitude of Trucks in the series that he already sponsored. It started with a couple and then ended up putting his company all over the field. It all started with Grant Enfinger being unsponsored and ended up seeing 11 trucks in the field with Camping World schemes.
Sure it was a nightmare for spotters but it gave drivers like Parker Kilgerman a chance to get back on track. Kilgerman tweeted after his run in Vegas that this was his first race since Martinsville. That doesn’t happen without guys like Marcus Lemonis.
Got home a little bit ago. Was standing outside and realized how awesome a weekend this was & took a moment to be grateful. From the great race w/ @CampingWorld to friends and family in Vegas
Was my first race since Martinsville last year. Reminded me why I love this so much 🚀 pic.twitter.com/g3218WnDUs
— Parker Kligerman (@pkligerman) March 8, 2021
This guy is out here building racing, all facets, one day at a time and it’s great to see.
Just when you think it’s him throwing money at duds and hoping it sticks, think again. Lemonis is a business man and a successful one at that. He isn’t doing this on whim and hoping this gets more fans into his stores or teams on the track as fillers. No, Lemonis is actually helping the race teams come up with business plans and having these teams pitch him ideas as to why he should sponsor their rides.
On the surface this looks like a guy trying to take over, underneath it’s the opposite. This project is for more than Lemonis to gain a couple extra people through his Camping World stores. Not saying it won’t help though, let’s be honest, I’m more apt to go check it out now.
Not only is he out here picking up drivers like Sheldon Creed, the reigning Truck Series champion and Daniel Suarez, and his new ride with Team Trackhouse on the NASCAR side. Lemonis is looking into the other forms of motorsports and starting with the NHRA. He mentioned that the NHRA would have the same opportunity as the NASCAR teams had. So far there haven’t been anything official yet but drivers are making their push on social media.
Making the biggest push in Austin Prock. The John Force Racing Top Fuel driver is out of a ride at the moment due to funding within the team. Prock is a one time winner in the series and was the Rookie of the Year two seasons ago. Unfortunately, funding has him sidelined right now. JFR has mentioned he will be in a ride soon and is still a part of the team working with his dad, Jimmy, on Robert Hight’s Chevy Camaro.
Alright Marcus, I pulled some strings last night and this is what I came up with! We added the Lemons to support you Lemon-AID Foundation! What do you think? @CampingWorld @NHRA @marcuslemonis https://t.co/7n2FYyAunj pic.twitter.com/I89huI5cov
— Austin Prock (@ProckRocket_CG) March 6, 2021
Taking it to Twitter, Prock is making a push to get Lemonis’ company on his car for the opening weekend of the NHRA season. Prock has gone as far as making his pitch to Lemonis public and showing off a paint scheme, that if I do say so myself looks amazing. Here’s another opportunity for Lemonis to help the sport of racing grow with young faces and keep growing. There have been schemes released for Pro Stock driver Alex Laughlin as well.
This week, Lemonis announced on Twitter this week to feature his water company Be Water. Hopefully, we see many pitches come in and Kilgerman’s fans have already stepped forward with some schemes for him. To me this is so cool. One guy is uniting motorsports and helping out those who want to be out there every week.
Between NASCAR and the NHRA, Lemonis has his hands full I’m sure. This guy is doing something that no one could have expected and it’s amazing. As a fan or even a person in the sport, all you want to do is see it succeed. Lemonis is single-handedly doing that. If he continues on the path that he’s headed, the only way NASCAR and NHRA can go is up with him.
Hopefully you enjoy this as much as I do. It only helps our sports moving forward.
