SPEEDWAY, Ind. – Chase Briscoe and Stewart-Haas Racing have added Mahindra Ag North America as its primary sponsor for the 2022 racing season, the team released Friday.
The multi-year partnership will feature Mahindra Tractors, a brand of Mahindra Ag North America, on Briscoe’s No. 14 Ford Mustang for majority of the NASCAR Cup Series schedule.
The red-and-black No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang will debut in the exhibition Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum Feb. 5-6 in Los Angeles. Mahindra Tractors will also be on the car for the 64th running of the Daytona 500 Feb. 20 at Daytona (Fla.) Int’l Speedway.
Mahindra Tractors will also sponsor Briscoe during the 36th annual Chili Bowl Nationals on Jan. 10-15 at Tulsa (Okla.) Expo Raceway.
“NASCAR, Stewart-Haas Racing and Mahindra’s shared values form a strong platform for us to connect with existing and potential customers,” said Viren Popli, President and CEO, Mahindra Ag North America and Mahindra Automotive North America. “Our partnership with SHR provides an opportunity to tell our story to the wide audience of NASCAR fans who enjoy the outdoors and working their land.
“Chase Briscoe and Tony Stewart are relatable men of great character who have worked hard to get where they are today,” Popli added. “Like our dealers, they have a tough work ethic and the drive to be successful. We are proud to have them representing the brand. In fact, Tony is already a Mahindra owner and has been putting his 5145 tractor to good use on his ranch in Indiana.”
Mahindra Ag North America is based in Houston, Texas, and part of Mahindra Group’s Automotive and Farm Sector, the No. 1 selling farm tractor company in the world based on volumes across all company brands.
Briscoe just completed Rookie-of-the-Year season in the Cup Series driving the No. 14 HighPoint.com Ford Mustang.
“The NASCAR Cup Series is the toughest racing I’ve ever been a part of. It’s so competitive,” Briscoe said. “I learned so much this year and I really can’t wait to apply it all next season.
“I’m incredibly honored to represent Mahindra Tractors and all of its dealers,” Briscoe added. “We both want to continue to grow and perform – me on the racetrack and Mahindra in the marketplace. It’s a true partnership that’s valuable to both of us.”
Prior to being promoted to the NASCAR Cup Series, Briscoe competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series where he won a series-high nine races in 2020.
“Chase has earned his spot in the Cup Series,” said Stewart, a fellow Hoosier from Columbus, Ind., who lives on a 414-acre spread. “He was relentless. Anytime he was challenged, he never backed down, and that’s the way you to have to be at this level.
“Chase is just a really hard worker,” Stewart added. “He’s earned everything that’s come his way and then made the most of each opportunity. That’s what has always impressed me about him, and I think that’s what impressed Mahindra Tractors. They’re a really good fit. This is a very rewarding partnership and I’m proud to be a Mahindra customer.”
Briscoe is a third-generation racer whose career began on dirt tracks in and around Indiana. Stewart raced with Briscoe’s dad, Kevin, in USAC sprint cars and in non-wing cars, and he watched Chase come up through the open-wheel ranks of sprint cars and midgets on his way to NASCAR.
“When it comes to the 14 car, I obviously have a passion for having dirt drivers behind the wheel,” Stewart said. “It’s special, but also practical. With the lower horsepower package they have in the Cup Series, you have to run these cars a lot freer, and I think that suits a driver with a dirt background.”
Briscoe’s next race will be the Chili Bowl Nationals the second week of January.
“Dirt-track racing makes me a better Cup Series driver,” said Briscoe, who will make his eighth Chili Bowl appearance in 2022. “It forces you to adapt. You have to run different lines to get the most out of your car and you have to do it quickly.
“When I won my first Xfinity Series race on the Roval at Charlotte, I drove it like a dirt track,” Briscoe added. “I made sure to not spin the rear tires to where I was good at the end of a run. Running the Chili Bowl is fun, but it also keeps you sharp. It’ll be a great way to kick off our first season with Mahindra Tractors.”