What came first, the chicken or the egg. One could debate that age old question forever but when it comes to NASCAR there’s only one answer to the question, “What came first, Moonshine or NASCAR? Everyone knows that NASCAR has its roots deeply embedded in moonshine, for without moonshine, we would have no NASCAR.
Now, the folks at moonshine distillery Sugarlands Distilling Company located in Gatlinburg, Tennessee think its time to make the relationship official by signing agreements with both the sanctioning body and one of the most iconic tracks on the circuit, Talladega Superspeedway. The new partnerships designate Sugarlands Shine as the “Official Moonshine of NASCAR” and as the title partner of the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Trucks Series fall race, the Sugarlands Shine 250.
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Sugarlands Distilling Company located in downtown Gatlinburg, is a popular attraction with more than one million visitors each year. According to Trip Advisor, Sugarlands Distilling is one of America’s top-rated distillery experiences and the number one “thing to do” in Gatlinburg. Since opening its doors in 2014, Sugarlands Distilling Company has won more than 20 awards for superior taste and quality. In its fourth year of business, Sugarlands saw a 50% annual growth in distribution sales and expanded its distribution area to 24 states.
“Moonshine is deeply rooted in the history of racing, so partnering with NASCAR felt very natural for us,” said Edward Vickers, President of Sugarlands Distilling Company. “This partnership is our first venture into the sporting industry and we’re excited to extend our brand to NASCAR’s passionate and dedicated fan base.”
As a part of the five-year agreement with NASCAR, Sugarlands will gain rights to promote its moonshine at retail, on packaging and will host key customers and distributors at-track.
Additionally, Sugarlands is kickstarting the partnership with a ‘Beyond the Checkered Flag’ sweepstakes. The grand prize winner will experience VIP access at a NASCAR race, entry to the Sugarlands hospitality tent, travel accommodations and more. Fans can visit www.Sugarlands.com to enter and learn more about the sweepstakes.
“Moonshine is one of the fastest growing spirit categories in the country and we are excited to help introduce Sugarlands’ award-winning product to our brand loyal and national fan base,” said Jon Tuck, Chief Revenue Officer, NASCAR. “There is an authentic connection between our two brands and we are confident our fans will embrace the historical association.”
The Sugarlands Shine 250 will be held on October 12, 2019, and serve as a key playoff event during the battle for the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series championship. As part of the multi-year deal, Sugarlands will offer a specially licensed moonshine for Talladega Superspeedway and be named the “Official Moonshine of Talladega Superspeedway.”
“Sugarlands is a natural fit for Talladega Superspeedway and we are thrilled to have them join our team,” said speedway Chairman Grant Lynch. “There are many old-time tales here about the good ol’ days when running moonshine in and around Talladega was happening, and our partnership with Sugarlands and the Sugarlands Shine 250, those stories will come back to life. There isn’t another venue in motorsports that has fans as loyal as ours, and I know they will love Sugarlands.”
Sugarlands Distilling Company is also a proud partner to Discovery Channel’s ‘Moonshiners’, bringing the show’s notorious stars’ moonshine recipes straight to consumers. Sugarlands’ ‘Moonshiners Legends’ products feature recipes from Mark Rogers, Mark Ramsey & Digger Manes, Steven Tickle, Jim Tom Hedrick, and Patti Bryan, all stars of the popular television series.
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