NASCAR and the NHL – a sports activities crossover that by no means stops giving

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NASCAR and hockey could also be two utterly totally different sports activities, however it’s not unusual to see the quickest sport on ice crossover into the quick lane. After two minor hockey groups sponsored NASCAR groups at Pocono over the weekend, here’s a take a look at a few of the most memorable NASCAR/hockey crossovers in current historical past.Quin Houff|Chris Trotman/Getty ImagesHockey and NASCAR are a match made in heaven.
Race groups want sponsors to pay for tires, gasoline and entry charges, amongst different issues. Minor professional hockey groups, taking day without work for many of the NASCAR season, must drum up season-ticket gross sales previous to the beginning of pre-season. Throughout race motion at Pensylvania’s Pocono Raceway over the weekend, not one, however two NASCAR entries had been sponsored by hockey groups.
Simply days after saying a brand new affiliation with the Arizona Coyotes, the ECHL’s Speedy Metropolis Rush’s colours and logos donned the No.77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro, pushed by rookie Quin Houff. Houff completed 31st out of 38 entries for among the finest finishes of his profession. Spire Motorsports is a brand new group themselves, however they grew to become one of many greatest shock winners in NASCAR historical past when Justin Haley took house the victory at Daytona again in July after a rainstorm compelled the race to be known as early.
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the AHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers, additionally sponsored two automobiles over the weekend. On Saturday, Josh Reaume drove a truck sporting the group’s signature black and orange colours with the group title on the hood and sides of his No. 33 Chevrolet Silverado. On Sunday’s important occasion, the Gander RV 400, Reed Sorenson drove the No. 27 Premium Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro to a 31st-place end, one in all his finest runs of the season for the underfunded group. That wasn’t the primary time the Phantoms have been concerned with a NASCAR group at Pocono, the house race for the Pennsylvania-based hockey group. In 2017, the group sponsored the automobile of BK Racing driver Corey LaJoie and donned the hoods of Rheaume’s truck in 2018 and Timmy Hill’s Monster Vitality NASCAR Cup Sequence group that very same weekend.
Moreover each being quick sports activities, hockey and NASCAR have little or no in frequent, however it’s commonplace to see gamers attempt to become involved in motorsports. Former NHL defenseman Marc-Andre Bergeron has two NASCAR Pinty’s Sequence’ championships as an proprietor of L. P. Dumoulin’s No. 47 entry, whereas 1993 Stanley Cup champion Patrice Brisebois has ventured into NASCAR and Ferrari Problem. Present gamers Craig Anderson and Mike McKenna are additionally followers of varied ranges of motorsports.
It’s nice to see two sports activities mesh collectively, particularly for those who’re a fan of each of them. Listed here are 5 notable circumstances of hockey groups showing on racecars in current historical past:
Brian Keselowski – Detroit Purple WingsThe older brother of 2012 champion Brad Keselowski, Brian has pushed a couple of Purple Wings’ themed automobiles throughout his profession. He drove the one pictured beneath – designed to match Detroit’s purple and white uniforms with “Go Wings” on the facet – on the 2009 Carquest Auto Elements 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, simply days earlier than the Purple Wings opened the Stanley Cup last towards Pittsburgh. Detroit misplaced the Cup that yr, however Keselowski was in a position to attend one playoff recreation and deserved appreciable consideration for the automobile regardless of a 30th place end for his small group.
Brian Keselowski’s Dodge ChargerD.J. Kennington – Humboldt BroncosA few days after tragedy struck the SJHL’s Humboldt Broncos – the bus taking the junior group to a playoff recreation collided with a transport truck on a freeway in 2018, killing 16 folks – NASCAR Pinty’s Sequence champion D.J. Kennington put the Broncos brand on his automobile for some of the in style races of the season, the Meals Metropolis 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Kennington completed 27th out of 39 automobiles, however that wasn’t the vital story. Kennington auctioned off the hood of the automobile, with Castrol Wakefield (Castrol is Kennington’s long-time sponsor) buying it for $15,000 and donating it to the Broncos group.
D.J. Kennington’s Toyota Camry. (Robert Laberge/Getty Photos)Jason White – Humboldt BroncosWhen the NASCAR Pinty’s Sequence went on it’s annual western Canada journey in 2018, the sequence did one thing particular by having every automobile within the discipline run a Broncos sticker and the title of somebody misplaced within the accident earlier that yr. Edmonton’s Jason White took it one step additional by working a Broncos-themed racecar for the doubleheader in Saskatchewan. It was a touching day for all concerned, with a particular ceremony going down previous to the race with survivors and households in attendance. Humorous sufficient, Kennington owned the automobile that White raced.
Jason White’s 2018 Dodge Charger. (Steven Ellis/The Hockey Information)Joey McColm – Toronto Maple LeafsMcColm, a NASCAR Pinty’s Sequence proprietor/driver with Canada’s Finest Racing Group, gained media consideration for his Toronto Maple Leafs automobile he raced throughout the 2014 season, along with his finest end in his three-race run with the automobile being a sixth-place end at Barrie Speedway. “We had been sponsored by Partsource, and they’re owned by Canadian Tire which sponsors the Leafs (and was the title sponsor of NASCAR’s Canadian division on the time),” McColm stated. “So Partsource needed to activate their Leafs partnership and this was a manner for us to leverage each sponsorships.”
Joey McColm’s Dodge Charger. (Jeff Zelevansky/NASCAR by way of Getty Photos)Ryan Ellis – Washington CapitalsNo, this isn’t the Nashville Predators defenseman (however they’ve met in individual earlier than), and, no, this isn’t a automobile. However it’s cool regardless to see Ellis’ helmet he wore for the NASCAR Xfinity Sequence race at Street America final August after his beloved NHL group gained the Stanley Cup two months prior. It wasn’t the one time Ellis confirmed his love for the Washington Capitals: in 2016, he drove a automobile backed by the weblog Russian Machine By no means Breaks. Drive Sober 200 at Dover Worldwide Speedway after followers helped increase cash to assist fund Ellis’ experience for the weekend.
Ryan Ellis’ Street America helmet. (Russian Machine By no means Breaks)Need extra in-depth options, evaluation and an All-Entry cross to the most recent content material? Subscribe to The Hockey Information journal.
Tags: detroit purple wings, lists, nhl, toronto maple leafs, washington capitalsConnect: Concerning the AuthorSteven EllisSteven Ellis is a Digital Content material Producer for The Hockey Information. He spends his free time listening to music you would not like and watches obnoxiously-long motor races.