Whitt Takes KFC and the Colonel to Kentucky Race
Driver Celebrates KFC Founder and America Icon with Matching White Firesuit
STATESVILLE, N.C. (July 6, 2015) - Kentucky Fried Chicken will be back on track in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with driver Cole Whitt. Whitt will pay homage to the restaurant's iconic founder, Colonel Harland Sanders, during Saturday night's race at Kentucky Speedway by sporting a white firesuit modeled after the Colonel's famous all-white suit and black string tie.
The event will be KFC's third sponsored race with Front Row Motorsports and first with Whitt. In addition to wearing the Colonel-inspired firesuit, Whitt will drive a No. 35 Ford painted with KFC's iconic red-and-white stripes. The No. 35 will also be fitted with an in-car camera so viewers can ride along during the 400-mile race.
As part of its 75-year anniversary, Kentucky Fried Chicken is re-introducing audiences to Col. Sanders, the founder of the world-famous chicken restaurants and creator of Original Recipe® chicken with its 11 herbs and spices. The Colonel served as the company's spokesman, in his trademark white suit and goatee, for decades until his death in 1980.
"It's cool that KFC is bringing the Colonel to NASCAR," Whitt said. "We've got a lot of fun things planned with KFC to bring attention to the Colonel this weekend, and we're looking forward to it."
KFC is based just an hour away from Kentucky Speedway in Louisville. The company is happy to put the KFC colors back on a Sprint Cup car at its home track.
"KFC is proud to partner with Cole Whitt and his team for KFC's home NASCAR race, the Quaker State 400 at the Kentucky Speedway," said Kevin Hochman, chief marketing officer for KFC U.S. "Many NASCAR fans know there's nothing better than a bucket of our Original Recipe® Kentucky Fried Chicken while watching the race, and this is our way of saluting them. Although he never drove Sprint Cup, Col. Sanders lived in the fast lane for 90 years, from serving in the U.S. Army in Cuba, to starting a ferryboat company, to becoming the most recognized man in the world at 75."
Fans can learn more about KFC's famous founder at ColonelSanders.com.
Saturday's race will air live on NBC Sports Network, with pre-race coverage beginning at 7 p.m. ET. The pre-race show will include a feature segment on Whitt and the KFC team.
About KFC:
KFC Corporation, based in Louisville, Ky., is the world's most popular chicken restaurant chain. KFC specializes in Original Recipe®, Extra Crispy™, Kentucky Grilled Chicken® and Extra Crispy™ Tenders, Hot Wings™, Go Cup®, KFC Famous Bowls®, Pot Pies, freshly prepared chicken sandwiches, biscuits and home-style side items. There are more 4,300 KFC outlets in the United States. KFC Corporation is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., Louisville, Ky. (NYSE: YUM.) For more information, visit www.kfc.com. Follow KFC on Facebook (www.facebook.com/KFC) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/kfc).
About Front Row Motorsports:
Front Row Motorsports is a race-winning organization competing in NASCAR's premier Sprint Cup Series, fielding the No. 34, the No. 35 and the No. 38 Fords. The team is owned by Bob Jenkins and is headquartered just outside of Charlotte, N.C. FRM was named to INC Magazine's "INC 5000" list in 2012, recognizing the 5,000 fastest-growing private companies in the U.S. The team's partnership base is representative of more than $200 billion of the U.S. economy and includes organizations such as Ford Motor Company, Love's Travel Stops, Colgate-Palmolive, CSX Transportation, Taco Bell and Long John Silver's. Visit teamfrm.com.
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