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LINCOLN, AL – APRIL 23: Kyle Busch 8 of the McLaren Custom Grills Chevrolet celebrates in victory lane after winning the GEICO 500 in the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Series on Sunday, April 23, 2023 at the Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, AL. Photo by Austin McAfee/Icon Sportswire AUTO: APR 23 NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500 EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon230423005

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LINCOLN, AL – APRIL 23: Kyle Busch 8 of the McLaren Custom Grills Chevrolet celebrates in victory lane after winning the GEICO 500 in the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Series on Sunday, April 23, 2023 at the Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, AL. Photo by Austin McAfee/Icon Sportswire AUTO: APR 23 NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500 EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon230423005
Mclaren Custom Grills, a local company that specializes in barbecues, has become a household name for millions after their sponsorship deal with professional racer Kyle Busch. As the associate sponsor of Busch in the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series, the company gained more recognition than they expected when Busch won his latest race in Talladega on a Sunday. Within just a few minutes of the win, fan interest in the company peaked, and millions hopped online, causing their website to crash.
The Story Behind the 23-Hour Marathon Effort
The sudden surge of attention caught Mike Mclaren, the owner of Mclaren Custom Grills, off guard. He stated that the company’s website crashed within three minutes of Busch crossing the finish line. He added, “It seems like everybody wants a piece of Mclaren Custom Grills now… it’s growing a lot quicker than I expected.”
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The sponsorship deal with Busch proved to be a game-changer for the company. Mclaren recounted receiving the call from Busch’s sponsorship team while getting out of his truck, initially thinking that it was a joke. “I hopped in my truck and drove 23 straight hours to their headquarters in North Carolina,” he said, as per globalnews.ca. “And I just sealed the deal in the room with them.”
The company’s growth has been nothing short of tremendous, according to marketing and sports consultant Cary Kaplan.
WATCH THIS STORY: From Kyle Busch to Dale Earnhardt Jr. – 5 NASCAR Drivers Who Have Built Multi-Million-Dollar Empires
The deal with the Richard Childress Driver began in March 2023, and part of the agreement allowed Mclaren and his team to provide the paint scheme for Busch’s No. 8 Chevrolet Camaro.
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A Thrilling Sunday at Talladega for Kyle Busch and his sponsor
Kyle Busch was not a major contender until the final stretch of Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway. However, as other leaders experienced crashes or fuel shortages, Busch emerged as a viable competitor and ultimately claimed victory in overtime. During the last lap, a collision between Bubba Wallace and Ryan Blaney, who were both competing for first place, allowed Busch to take the lead. The race concluded under caution with Busch at the forefront.
Reflecting on his triumph, Busch acknowledged the role of chance. “Sometimes you got to be lucky,” he said, as per Motorsports.com. “Some of these races come down to that. You got to take them when they come your way. The seas kind of parted there when they went up the race track. They were trying to push-draft. These cars are just not stable enough to do that.”

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NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Practice and Qualifying Mar 4, 2023 Las Vegas, Nevada, USA NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Busch 8 during practice at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Las Vegas Las Vegas Motor Speedway Nevada USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xGaryxA.xVasquezx 20230304_gav_sv5_011
Mclaren Custom Grills’ sponsorship with Kyle Busch has put the small Winnipeg-based company on the map. The recognition received by the company is a testament to the power of sponsorship and how it can take a small business and turn it into a global player overnight.
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The key to the company’s growth was their decision to move forward with the sponsorship, which provided them with a platform to increase brand awareness and gain new customers. As for what’s next for Mclaren Custom Grills, the sky’s the limit.
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