GAFFNEY, S.C. – Ryan Vargas’ sponsorship for this weekend’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at the Daytona Int’l Speedway road course all started with a tweet.
After coming off an 18th-place finish in the season opening race at Daytona, Vargas and JD Motorsports with Gary Keller found themselves without a primary partner for the second race of the season at the Daytona road course.
Vargas took to social media to try and attract potential partners, and the answer came flying in from the end zone.
Alvin Kamara, a current NFL running back for the New Orleans Saints, reached out to Vargas about a partnership highlighting The Big Squeezy, Kamara’s chain of juice bars based in Louisiana.
The deal was finalized overnight, and Vargas will sport the colorful brand in Saturday’s Super Start Batteries 188.
“Having the opportunity to work with Alvin Kamara and The Big Squeezy is such a huge honor. As one of the best running backs in football, I know Alvin puts 110 percent effort into everything he does, and that can easily be said for myself and our No. 6 JD Motorsports team,” Vargas said. “I’m excited to be a part of Alvin’s first step into the NASCAR industry and I believe this is just the start of a long, successful partnership.”
The Big Squeezy currently has nine locations throughout the state of Louisiana with ambitions of opening more in the future. Kamara, an icon in the New Orleans sports scene, serves as a co-owner in the chain.
Kamara became a NASCAR fan last season, and has attended multiple races as a VIP fan. This weekend marks a big stride in his involvement, as it will be his first time ever as a sponsor. The move aims at bridging a fan base of two iconic sports – NASCAR and the NFL.
“When this opportunity presented itself, I knew I couldn’t let it slip by,” said Kamara. “I did a bit of research on Ryan as an individual and JD Motorsports and was impressed with what I read. I’m excited to play a small role in what they already have going on. In the same breath, I’m just as excited for the opportunity that this gives The Big Squeezy. With us gearing up for franchising our new express concept in 2021, I think this gives us an avenue to express our passion for serving healthy fresh foods and juices throughout the country.”