Nationwide will promote its pet insurance brand during this weekend's Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race in Fontana. The company will utilize about a quarter of its 20 paint schemes on Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 88 Chevy driven by Alex Bowman this season to highlight some of its different insurance and financial service products, with the first coming during Sunday's Auto Club 400. Nationwide Pet’s social media accounts this week have been running a promo where a fan can win a diecast with their pet's image on it if they get the pet quoted for insurance. The Columbus-based insurer will also run paint schemes this year for its small business and farming insurances.
FARMER'S ALMANAC: With NASCAR in Southern California this weekend, Smithfield is passing through its primary sponsorship with Stewart-Haas Racing to West Coast-based brand Farmer John. The L.A.-based meat CPG brand appeared on Richard Petty Motorsports’ No. 43 last year. However, with Smithfield’s partnership with RPM over, it is utilizing the brand this weekend on Aric Almirola's SHR No. 10 Ford. Almirola has been posting different light-hearted videos with hot dogs and Farmer John branding this week on SHR’s social media channels to help promote the tie-up, which is another example of Smithfield working different products into its SHR deal rather than running the same brand paint scheme all season like it used to.
TIME CHECK: Two drivers have announced new watch deals in recent days. Five-time IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon has a new partnership with ultra-luxury watch brand Richard Mille, which has a major presence in F1, while Formula E driver Jean-Eric Vergne has unveiled a new partnership with Tag Heuer. Dixon was already seen sporting a Richard Mille watch during the season opener last weekend at St. Petersburg and he also has a strip on his visor advertising the brand.
