The NASCAR season is almost here. Stock car racing action will kick off with the Daytona 500, which is arguably the biggest fixture on the Cup Series calendar. With the stakes high and the anticipation higher, fans will be flocking towards the ‘World Center of Racing’ for ‘The Great American Race’, with thousands attending the event. Given the foot traffic, brands are also eager to capitalize on the opportunity, with two prominent fast-food chains eyeing the season opener to undertake promotional efforts.

After withdrawing from the Chicago Street race, McDonald’s will be making a sensational comeback in the world of NASCAR at Daytona International Speedway. However, the fast-food chain will have stiff competition from rivals Wendy’s, who will also be offering free food.

Fast food giants to go head-to-head at NASCAR’s season opener

The news sent shockwaves through the NASCAR community. After two years as a founding sponsor, McDonald’s ended its association with the Chicago Street race earlier this year. The QSR giant was the first company that announce its support for the event in 2023, signing a three-year deal with NASCAR, which was due to expire in 2025. Also, the fast-food chain will no longer be associated with the event later this year and its logo has been taken off the NASCAR Chicago’s partner page portion on the website.

However, McDonald’s will be making a comeback at the Daytona 500 but will face competition from rivals Wendy’s during the season-opener. In a tweet uploaded by Sports Business Journal’s Adam Stern, the journalist wrote, “.@McDonalds and @Wendys
will both activate again at Daytona, with McDonald’s giving away free chicken McNuggets and French fries on the midway and Wendy’s giving away Dave’s Singles cheeseburgers, fries, Frostys, and Coke products in the infield.”

McDonald’s will be present at the ‘midway’, the central area of Daytona International Speedway which features vendors, food stands, and fan engagement activities. Meanwhile, Wendy’s, worth approximately $2.92 billion will be in the infield, an area inside the track which also gets a significant amount of foot traffic. It seems like the Daytona 500 will not just be a battleground for Cup Series cars going head-to-head against each other but for two rival fast-food chains as well, with both being engaged in promotional activities for fans.

While McDonald’s has withdrawn from the Chicago Street race, their involvement in the NASCAR world is far from over. The QSR (quick service restaurant) chain remains associated with Michael Jordan-owned 23XI Racing and has no plans to end its sponsorship from Bubba Wallace for the foreseeable future. It will be interesting to see which of the two brands manages to leverage the large audience at Daytona International Speedway to give away more freebies than the other.

Trending

1

Kyle Busch Bags Another Deal as $700M Partner Extends More Lifeline After Iconic Sponsor’s Exit

2

NASCAR Star Drops Life-Changing Announcement as Racing Community Melts Over Welcome Surprise

3

Richard Petty’s Tribute to the Late “First Lady of NASCAR” Has Mark Martin Mourning With the Community

4

Richard Petty’s Son Betrays the King’s NASCAR Legacy With Humble Dale Earnhardt Claim

5

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Caught in a Tricky Dilemma After He Sees His Father’s Residues in the Xfinity Series

Donald Trump to make Daytona 500 appearance

After his dominant win in the Presidential Elections, Donald Trump is reportedly going to be making an appearance at the upcoming Daytona 500. The 78-year-old will be attending ‘The Great American Race’ for the third time in history, having made his first appearance in 2001 when Dale Earnhardt tragically lost his life in a devastating crash. His last appearance at the 2.5-mile oval was in 2020 when the Republican Party member issued the command to start the engines and made a few laps in his presidential vehicle, ‘The Beast’.

Trump’s appearance at the NASCAR season opener was confirmed by CBS News’ Senior Correspondent Ed O’Keefe, who wrote on X, “START YOUR ENGINES: Per @NicoleSganga, @kristincbrown, and me: President Trump will attend the Daytona 500 next Sunday, Feb 16, multiple people tell us. We’re told we may ‘see the Beast do a few laps on the track.’ Trump was previously there in 2020.”

Last year, Donald Trump attended the Coca-Cola 600 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway for his campaigning efforts, while vice-president JD Vance attended another NASCAR event in Charlotte. The 45th and 47th U.S. President is a well-known fan of the Chicago-based fast food chain, having previously said, “I love McDonald’s”. He consistently orders the Big Mac, Filet-o-Fish, fries, and a vanilla shake in the White House and will be happy to hear that his favorite QSR chain will be handing out freebies at Daytona International Speedway this year.