Part of the job description for a NASCAR Cup Series driver involves sponsor obligations. Usually that means the standard motorsports routine: drink the sponsor’s energy drink on cue, sign hero cards at a display tent, smile for photos, and make sure the logo on the race car gets plenty of airtime.
But San Diego is not a normal race weekend.
For the first time NASCAR is running a street course on an active military base and suddenly sponsor appearances have become a little less predictable than standing next to a stack of branded coolers.
Take 23XI Racing. The team partnered with the San Diego Zoo, and each of its four Cup Series entries this weekend carries special animal-print decals, with every driver matched to one of the zoo’s famous big cats.
Which is how Tyler Reddick and Corey Heim ended up spending Thursday at one of the most recognizable wildlife parks in the country instead of inside a garage stall.
And because no modern sporting event is complete without it, that also meant media duties.
Greg Engle
“It’s been really special,” Reddick said. “Appreciate everything the San Diego Zoo is up for us this morning… everything that they strive to do here, you know, help some of these animals and species that are endangered it’s really cool to be a part, be here and understand it, learn a little bit more.”
Unlike many race-week obligations, this one came with a perk: family was invited.
For Reddick, that meant wife Alexa and sons Beau, 6, and Rookie, who just turned 1, came along for the visit, turning what could have been another sponsor appearance into something that looked suspiciously close to an actual family outing.
“Sometimes it’s fun to not talk about the racing side of things as much and just kind of talk about some cool special opportunities we get to do as race car drivers.”
“From the dad’s side of things, seeing reactions from Beau and Rookie this morning has been really cool,” he said. “So yeah, seeing a number of species and animals that I haven’t ever seen before. So just taking it all in and enjoying it.”
Heim, meanwhile, does not yet have the built-in entertainment package known as children, so his review of the experience was a bit more…muted.
His favorite part?
“I mean, the pandas were really cool,” he said. “I’ve never seen one in person. I think most of the other things I’ve seen in person before, so that was probably the number one for me.”
Not that he minded the schedule change.
“I always love kind of talking about fun stuff,” he said. “Sometimes it’s fun to not talk about the racing side of things as much and just kind of talk about some cool special opportunities we get to do as race car drivers. So yeah, it’s a fun deal.”
For Reddick, however, the day’s most memorable wildlife encounter happened before they even reached the zoo.
“I’m glad I can laugh about,” he said. “But yeah, we were trying to get out the door and get here on time. Rookie decides to fill up a diaper and Beau’s like, ‘I got to go to the bathroom too.’ And I’m just like, we’re going to be late.’ Thankfully, it didn’t seem to back things up too much… you know, that had me in a tailspin this morning. But when we got in the car and got here, everything’s been amazing ever since.”
Greg Engle
The biggest surprise of the day for Heim came during a meeting with a cheetah and learning one mildly uncomfortable fact: a cheetah reaches 60 mph quicker than a NASCAR Cup car.
“I was shocked to hear that it was, what did they say, 3 seconds? I mean, that’s unbelievable,” Heim said.
And yes, he appeared willing to concede defeat.
“Surely, right? I mean, I think especially with the grip levels we’re going to have on the runway this weekend, I don’t think we’re getting 0 to 60 in three seconds. That’s pretty crazy.”
By the time NASCAR takes the green flag this weekend, Reddick and Heim will be back to thinking about lap times, grip levels and pit strategy. But for one morning at the San Diego Zoo, they got a reminder that not every sponsor activation involves free samples and branded hats. Sometimes it means standing next to a cheetah and discovering that nature still builds a quicker 0-60 machine than a NASCAR Cup car.
I have been around and written about the sport of NASCAR for over three decades and previously worked fulltime for the Sporting News and Scripps-Howard News Service. I am also a contributor to two Chicken Soup for the Soul books including the NASCAR edition, published in 2010 and the author of “The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers’ Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing.” I am a multiple National Motorsports Press Association award winner. Early in life I spent 23 years combined active and active reserve military service, much of that in and around the Special Operations community serving in support of Operation Just Cause, Desert Shield/Storm and ended my military career in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.