Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum has taken his once dark-horse candidacy to front-runner status in the race for the GOP nomination and is bringing his “underdogs can be champions” message to the Daytona 500.
The Santorum campaign announced Saturday that it will be sponsoring Tony Raines’ No. 26 Front Row Motorsports car in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event.
Raines was not guaranteed spot in the race, but he qualified last Sunday and will start 42nd in the lineup for the Daytona 500.
Santorum’s campaign messaging will be on the hood and quarter panels of the No. 26 Ford Fusion at the race in Daytona Beach, Fla.
“NASCAR and the Daytona 500 are about as American as you can get — and it’s great to have my campaign represented by one of these incredible machines,” said Santorum. “The race weekend is a wonderful tradition that we’re excited to be a part of as we spread our message.”
“I like how Tony Raines turned some heads last weekend with his qualifying run, and we’d like to keep turning heads too. I think we’re both looking for a win in the end,” Santorum added.
Front Row Motorsports owner Bob Jenkins said he hoped that Santorum’s current fate in the race of the GOP nomination will mirror No. 26’s performance Sunday. (RELATED: Full coverage of the Santorum campaign)
“We’re glad to partner with the Santorum campaign,” Jenkins said. “We know there will be millions of eyes on these cars on Sunday and we know we can help get their message out. It’s a pretty tight battle for the Republican nomination right now, and the former Senator is right in the thick of it. We hope we’re in the thick of it come Sunday out on the racetrack, too.”
SBNation reports that former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney will be attending Sunday’s race. It is unclear whether Santorum will be in attendance.
“Talked w Tony Raines the driver of the #26 car aka @RickSantorum Car running @ Daytona tomorrow. Watch him coming from the pack late! #tcot” Santorum tweeted Saturday afternoon.
Santorum follows in a long line of politicians who have used NASCAR for campaign purposes.
According to USA Today, in 1960 Roy Tyner became the first the driver to push a political message by putting a “John F. Kennedy for President” sticker on his car.
The Daytona 500 will be aired on FOX Sunday beginning at noon.