ASA: Texas Roadhouse To Sponsor August ASA Hawkeye Downs Event
Posted By Terry CallahanMotorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
May 1, 2001
Restaurant Chain Expands on Relationship with Series, Cywinski
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – Texas Roadhouse, the Official Restaurant of the American Speed Association, announced today it will sponsor the Saturday, August 4 ASA ACDelco Series event at Hawkeye Downs Speedway in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The announcem ent of the Texas Roadhouse 300 marks the restaurant chain’s first foray into motorsports event marketing.
“On Monday, in Cleveland, Ohio, we open our 100th store and the key to our success is teamwork and partnerships,” said Texas Roadhouse President, GJ Hart. “This introduction into large motorsports marketing is the perfect partnership for us. Our customers are ASA ACDelco Series fans. We’re looking forward to a weekend of festival activities we have planned surrounding qualifying and the race.”
In addition to the event sponsorship and relationship with the 34-year-old stock car series, the Louisville, Ky.-based restaurant chain also serves as primary sponsor for the number 21 LaFavre Racing Teams Chevrolet driven by Kevin Cywinski. It also serves as an associate sponsor on the number 1 Scott LaFavre-owned Tecumseh Chevrolet driven by Mike Garvey.
“We are really excited to have Texas Roadhouse step up and become a bigger part of this series, and what better place to do it than in Cedar Rapids,” said ASA Vice President of Sales and Marketing Mark Gundrum. “In addition to their role as the Official Re staurant of ASA and their association with LaFavre Racing and Kevin Cywinski, the sponsorship of the Texas Roadhouse 300 is the capper to a very successful marketing program. We look forward to a great event.”
Founded in 1993, Texas Roadhouse is a full-service restaurant chain featuring casual family dining with an authentic Southwest "Roadhouse" atmosphere known for its legendary food, legendary service and legendary people. Texas Roadhouse features freshly cut , great tasting steaks, “killer ribs,” made from scratch rolls, plus chicken and seafood dishes. Texas Roadhouse currently operates 100 stores around the country with the closest right here in Cedar Rapids.
Hawkeye Downs Speedway, which opened in 1925 as a dirt track, was paved in 1989, inheriting the title as the only paved racetrack in the state of Iowa. ASA has held two races at Hawkeye Downs Speedway since 1997 after making its first appearance in 1994. L egendary short track drivers such as Mike Eddy, Bob Senneker, Tim Sauter, Mike Garvey, Rick Beebe, Scott Hansen and Tony Raines have all captured ASA wins at the half-mile oval.
The Texas Roadhouse 300 is set to begin at 8 p.m. (Central) and will be telecast LIVE on TNN Sports and shown live in all Texas Roadhouse Restaurants nationwide.
Text provided by Jeremy Troiano
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