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For the Daytona 500, Kaulig Racing is debuting a brand new sponsor with Grizzly Nicotine Pouches on the No. 10 Chevy of Ty Dillon. These nicotine pouch sponsors are starting to focus their marketing on NASCAR and that could be good for the sport.
Last season Zone partnered with Kyle Busch. Kaulig Racing and Richard Childress Racing are closely linked. So, it’s not surprising to see another brand throw together a deal like this. Ty Dillon is going to have a great-looking Chevy for the 500.
Kaulig Racing released this video to hype up the Grizzly partnership. It will be interesting to see if this is a one-off or a multirace deal. New sponsors are almost always good for the sport.
The No. 10 Grizzly Nicotine Pouches Chevrolet is ready to roar to life at the #Daytona500! pic.twitter.com/pyWohxJRmC
— Kaulig Racing (@KauligRacing) January 24, 2025
Ty Dillon is back in the Cup Series full-time for 2025. He returns after a previous stint at Spire Motorsports in 2023 and then in the Truck Series in 2024. He made select starts with Kaulig, AmeriVet, and RCR last season as well.
Will his return to the Cup Series be better than his last go around? Hard to say. It is going to be an uphill battle. Kaulig Racing took a step back in 2024. AJ Allmendinger is back, he could score a win on a road course or a superspeedway.
I think if you’re Kaulig, the plan for Dillon is to just not wreck. Take care of the car. Make the most of your opportunities and good things will happen. This driver and this car just have not shown the speed in recent years to make me a believer.
Kaulig Racing looks to improve in 2025
The 2024 season was tough for Kaulig Racing. There were highlights. When Shane van Gisbergen or AJ Allmendinger got in the car, it usually meant good things were going to happen.
Daniel Hemric did his best to take care of his car with only three DNFs on the year. He also had his good moments. Dover and Nashville were great drives from Hemric. But Kaulig Racing is the “trophy hunting” team, and the rosters lately have not backed that up much in the Cup Series.
Now, I will say, adding Christian Eckes and Daniel Dye to the Xfinity Series roster is great. Eckes might be a real star in the making. He was fantastic in the Truck Series last season. He should win a race or two this year.
I’m being doom and gloom a bit on Kaulig Racing, I know. But I just have to see improvement on the track. Until we get cars down at Daytona, we won’t really know.
More must-reads:
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Emma Raducanu and Elena Rybakina retired during DC Open doubles semifinals
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All signs point to Yankees moving on from Anthony Volpe
With the trade for Ryan McMahon now complete, it would seem New York Yankees’ general manager Brian Cashman has fulfilled one of his three priorities. He can now cross third base off the list, which leaves the rotation and bullpen as his remaining priorities. However, according to one Yankees writer, Cashman might not be done with the infield. Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reported this after the McMahon trade: “The Yankees may not be done adding to their infield. A team source said the Yankees are interested in adding a right-handed hitter who could play the infield.” Kirschner adds that the Yankees have had interest in Willi Castro and Amed Rosario. But the question now is, how would another player fit in the Yankees’ infield? Needless to say, Paul Goldschmidt and Jazz Chisholm Jr. aren’t going anywhere, and McMahon is just getting there. That leaves the low-hanging fruit. Anthony Volpe has been at the center of controversy all this season. His 13 errors, many of which had come at make-or-break moments, amount to the second-highest total in the game. In addition, his bat has not been able to compensate, hitting .214/.286/.407 with 14 home runs. There was always a lot to like about Volpe. He won a Gold Glove in his rookie year, his power has always been promising and his speed is nothing to scoff at. Unfortunately, his glove has become a liability and his speed has also produced very few results. Volpe has swiped just 10 bags in 17 attempts. His power is the one thing that still has some upside, but it hasn’t been enough to justify a spot in the lineup. Both Castro and Rosario have been far more productive at the plate this season than Volpe. Kirschner doesn’t clarify how serious the Yankees are in their pursuit of another infielder, but that most likely isn’t available information. Having just turned 24, Volpe could still become the type of player that was expected from him as a top prospect. However, his recent performance has weighed heavily on his team’s efforts and it may be buying him a ticket out of the Bronx — or at least a spot on the bench.
Dustin Rhodes Assigns Blame After Hulk Hogan’s Death
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Five potential landing spots for Christian Wilkins after stunning Raiders release
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