NASCAR Rant Report - Friday, February 21st

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Major headlines out of Thursday:

Appeals Panel Upholds Kligerman Disqualification
Atlanta Weekend Preview
A Plethora of New Sponsorship Deals

Appeals Panel Upholds Kligerman Disqualification:

The National Motorsports Appeals Panel upheld the disqualification of Parker Kligerman's win in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season opener at Daytona. Kligerman initially crossed the finish line first, but his Henderson Motorsports truck failed post-race inspection due to being too low in the rear. This led to Corey Heim being declared the winner. Despite Kligerman and his team believing they had a strong case, the three-member panel, consisting of Bill Mullis, Kevin Whitaker, and Tommy Wheeler, confirmed that a rules violation had occurred, necessitating the disqualification. The decision is final, with no further appeals allowed.

Kligerman, who has transitioned to a full-time broadcasting role while racing part-time, expressed his disappointment but respected the panel's decision. Henderson Motorsports also acknowledged the ruling and thanked their fans for their support, vowing to return stronger in future races.

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Atlanta Weekend Preview:

The 2025 NASCAR season continues with the Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Following William Byron's back-to-back Daytona 500 victories, the Cup Series heads to the high-banked oval of Atlanta, known for its fast speeds and thrilling finishes. The race is scheduled for Sunday, February 23, at 3 p.m. ET, with qualifying taking place on Saturday. The event will be broadcast on FOX, with Amazon Prime Video streaming the qualifying rounds.

Team Penske drivers Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney, and Austin Cindric are strong contenders, having shown impressive performances at Daytona and Atlanta in recent years. Hendrick Motorsports' William Byron and Chase Elliott are also expected to perform well, with Byron having two wins at Atlanta since 2022. Defending race winner Daniel Suarez, who has consistently finished in the top positions at Atlanta, is another driver to watch.

The weekend will feature a doubleheader on Saturday, with the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Fr8 208 race at 1:30 p.m. ET and the NASCAR Xfinity Series Bennett Transportation & Logistics 250 race at 5 p.m. ET. Corey Heim, who won the Truck Series opener at Daytona, and Austin Hill, a dominant force in the Xfinity Series at Atlanta, are key competitors in their respective races.

In addition to the races, fans can enjoy various pre-race activities, including a NASCAR Dance Battle and performances by ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons and OutKast's Big Boi. The event promises an exciting weekend of racing and entertainment for NASCAR enthusiasts.

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A Plethora of New Sponsorship Deals:

Several NASCAR teams have announced new sponsorship deals for the 2025 season. Rick Ware Racing has partnered with Arby's for a 12-race primary sponsorship on Cody Ware's No. 51 car, starting at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The deal also includes two NHRA events with driver Clay Millican. 23XI Racing renewed its partnership with Xfinity, which will sponsor Tyler Reddick's No. 45 car and support the team's Xfinity Speed Center for race-day data analysis.

Front Row Motorsports secured a multi-race deal with Aaron's for Todd Gilliland and Zane Smith, while Trackhouse Racing extended its partnership with Kubota through 2027, sponsoring Ross Chastain and Daniel Suarez in select races. Haas Factory Team announced a partnership with Caymus Vineyards, featuring Bonanza Cabernet on Cole Custer's car for three races.

Other notable deals include TitleMax sponsoring Noah Gragson at Atlanta, Group 1001 joining Michael McDowell for the Atlanta race, and DEX Imaging supporting Harrison Burton in multiple Xfinity Series races. Champion Power Equipment will continue its long-standing partnership with Grant Enfinger in the Truck Series, sponsoring 19 races this season.

Additionally, Ford has become the official car and truck of Atlanta Motor Speedway, North Wilkesboro Speedway, Nashville Superspeedway, and Dover Motor Speedway. NASCAR also announced a partnership with 1/ST TECHNOLOGY to introduce pari-mutuel betting for its events, enhancing fan engagement with innovative betting options.

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This newsletter is constructed by AI and reviewed by our editorial team.

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