Turner Motorsports’ No. 30 NASCAR Nationwide Series entry will sport a unique paint scheme for Saturday’s Kansas Lottery 300, as MLS Sporting KC will serve as the primary sponsor for the race. The deal is the first NASCAR sponsorship for the soccer team and is the latest example of Sporting KC trying to extend their brand off the pitch. Turner Motorsports President Steve Turner said the race team has a relationship with Sporting KC co-Owner Pat Curran through some joint business interests. Turner: “We just thought it would be something great to expose some of our NASCAR drivers to and cross markets.” Sporting KC VP/Communications Rob Thomson agreed, saying James Buescher, who drives the No. 30 car, “kind of fits who we try to market to -- a young, fun, personable, 21-year-old.” Thomson added, “We’ve learned, specifically in the last year, that the younger generation has been very fruitful for us as a business.” Events surrounding the partnership began yesterday with Buescher participating in practice with the MLS squad. Ten members of the Sporting KC roster will join Buescher’s team in the pit box during the race. Wiley Curran, Curran Communications President and Pat Curran’s son, noted that the majority of the team wanted to go but added, “The guys kind of worked it out themselves, but I know that they had some rewards within practice for some of the remaining spots.” Buescher said, “The team hooked me up with a jersey with my name and the #30 on the back of it; it’s really nice of them. Everything’s coming together good." Future activations have not yet been planned, but the relationship between Curran and Turner could bring about more creative partnerships. “We’re up for anything, if it makes sense to further the relationship,” Thomson said.
