A McDonald's patch will now be prominently featured on the sleeve of Wallace's firesuitGETTY IMAGES
McDonald's has a new deal with NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace that will include a primary sponsorship of his No. 43 car with Richard Petty Motorsports. A McDonald's patch is now on the sleeve of Wallace's firesuit, and while nobody involved has publicly discussed why yet, sources say it is because the QSR has a new relationship with the driver. Exact details of a potential personal services agreement are unclear, but sources said McDonald's will be the primary sponsor of RPM's No. 43 Chevy next week at Atlanta Motor Speedway. McDonald's also retains its larger deal with Chip Ganassi Racing where it has close to a dozen primaries slated for this year. There was no comment from McDonald's or RPM. Pro Sports Management represents Wallace, whose primary sponsor for this weekend's Daytona 500 is headphones brand Aftershokz (Adam Stern, THE DAILY).
JUST WIN, BABY: In Jacksonville, Gene Frenette writes Wallace's "natural ability to attract fans, be it on social media or in person with his self-deprecating wit, isn’t enough to elevate him to elite status" because stardom in the sport has "one major requirement: winning." Wallace "doesn’t have the same funding as other guys on power teams like Hendrick, Joe Gibbs Racing, Stewart-Haas Racing and Team Penske" (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 2/15). In L.A., John Cherwa writes Wallace's operation is "considered on the lower end of the spectrum, without the resources of the mega-teams." He is the "only driver at RPM and there is no major sponsorship" for the full season (L.A. TIMES, 2/15).
