With an AdventHealth show car on display in the Gatorade Victory Lane at Daytona International Speedway today, AdventHealth announced it is expanding its relationship with Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR) by teaming up with both Kyle Larson and Ross Chastain.
During the 2020 season, Kyle Larson will pilot the No. 42 AdventHealth Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE for the Clash at Daytona, as well as the NASCAR Cup Series playoff race at Kansas Speedway in the fall. In addition, Florida-native Ross Chastain will drive the No. 77 AdventHealth Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, prepared by CGR, for starts at the DAYTONA 500 in Florida and the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in North Carolina.
“We’ve been a proud supporter of Chip Ganassi Racing since 2016, and I’m really excited to further expand our winning partnership by teaming up with both Kyle and Ross,” said David Banks, AdventHealth chief strategy officer. “This collaboration is something all of our employees across the nation can get excited about.”
As one of the country’s largest faith-based health systems, AdventHealth has nearly 50 hospitals in almost a dozen states. Iconic racetracks like Daytona International Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Kansas Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway, are all located in close proximity to an AdventHealth market.
AdventHealth has previously had a presence on the No. 1 car, racing in the 2019 Clash at Daytona with Jamie McMurray, and with Kurt Busch’s entry in the 2019 fall race at Kansas, in addition to sponsoring Larson’s All-Star Race winning ride.
“We had a great run with Kyle last year and are excited about the 2020 season,” Banks said. “In our first race on Kyle’s car, he not only raced his way into the NASCAR All-Star race, but also went on to win it! We are looking forward to continuing that momentum and success together in 2020.”
“It’s great to have AdventHealth back with the No. 42 team for some races in 2020,” Larson said. “It was awesome to win with AdventHealth on our car at the All-Star Race, in their first race with the 42 team, and I hope we can have more exciting races with them this year. They have been a great partner, on and off the track, and I’m glad to see our relationship continue.”
AdventHealth will also support Chastain, who continues to be a CGR development driver, in a Spire Motorsports entry as he makes his second career DAYTONA 500 start, following a 10th place finish in last year’s race.
Chastain will run the No. 77 AdventHealth Chevrolet in Charlotte for the Coca-Cola 600, while juggling full-time duties in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2020.
Nicknamed “Melon Man,” Chastain is an eighth-generation planter and fourth-generation watermelon farmer from Alva, Florida. Chastain made his NASCAR debut in 2011 at the age of 18, competing in five NASCAR Gander RV and Outdoors Truck Series events before transforming the opportunity into a full-time ride in 2012.
In 2019, Chastain earned a second Xfinity Series win while competing for championship honors in the Gander RV and Outdoors Truck Series. By season’s end, Chastain led 591 laps, earned one pole, three wins, 10 top-five finishes and 19 top-10 finishes. When the checkered flag waved at Homestead Miami Speedway, signaling the end of the 2019 campaign, Chastain came home fourth, missing out on the title by a mere two points. The “Melon Man” was bestowed with the series Most Popular Driver Award in 2019, bringing his career full circle from once very humble beginnings.
“To have the opportunity to run the DAYTONA 500 is awesome, and it’s great to do it this year with AdventHealth on board my car. I’ve only had one start in the DAYTONA 500, and can’t wait to run that race again in what I know will be a competitive car,” Chastain said. “I’m also looking forward to racing the Coca-Cola 600. That’s another iconic race that all of us want to win.”
AdventHealth continues to support the Human Innovation and Development Lab (HIDL) at CGR. The HIDL features tools, technology and unique training to improve the performance of CGR’s pit crews and drivers and help them prepare for upcoming races both mentally and physically. Headed by Josh Wise, both Larson and Chastain utilize the resources made available in the HIDL.
Locally, AdventHealth has been a Founding Partner of Daytona International Speedway since 2014. As the Official Healthcare Partner of Daytona International Speedway, AdventHealth cares for more than 1,000 patients each year on-site. In the event of an emergency, there are 11 AdventHealth ambulances, two care centers and nine first aid stations standing ready to care for drivers and fans alike. The AdventHealth injector– or gate entrance – at the Daytona Beach, Florida, track is a 20,000-plus-square-foot oasis.
“With our injector at the Daytona International Speedway, we’ve been able to engage with the hundreds of thousands of race fans that attend Speedweeks, but are beyond thrilled to have an AdventHealth car racing in the DAYTONA 500 for the first time ever,” Banks said. “I can’t wait to watch Florida’s own ‘Melon Man’ race on the track this year in our watermelon-themed AdventHealth Chevy.”
“We are thrilled to be continuing our partnership with AdventHealth for a fifth year,” said Doug Duchardt, CGR chief operating officer. “The partnership has generated some exciting moments on track, like Kyle’s All-Star win. Additionally, AdventHealth’s dedication to helping people feel whole has aided the growth of our drivers and pit crews off the track through the Human Innovation and Development Lab. We’re looking forward to another exciting year of the partnership.”