NASCAR: DC Solar moves up to sponsor Ganassi Cup cars

DC Solar will continue to sponsor Chip Ganassi Racing in NASCAR in 2018, including races in both the Xfinity Series and the Cup Series.

Heading into the offseason ahead of the 2018 NASCAR season, there were concerns at Chip Ganassi Racing over losing sponsorship. Target left the team at the end of 2017 after reallocating their funds to sponsor Major League Soccer. However, other sponsors have stepped up in their place, including DC Solar. Today, the solar energy company reaffirmed their support for CGR for the coming year.

Chip Ganassi Racing confirmed on Tuesday that DC Solar will sponsor Kyle Larson and Jamie McMurray in select Cup Series and Xfinity Series races during the 2018 season. The move comes after DC Solar was the primary sponsor in every race for Brennan Poole with the team in the last two seasons before Poole left the organization at the end of 2017.

Interestingly, the announcement also confirms that McMurray will return to the Xfinity Series for select races in the #42 Chevrolet.

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There is no word yet on the number of races that DC Solar will appear on each car in either Cup or Xfinity. DC Solar will also expand their partnership to Ganassi’s IndyCar Series entries, serving as an associate sponsor on the #9 and #10 Hondas of Scott Dixon and Ed Jones, respectively, in 2018.

Team owner Chip Ganassi had this to say about continuing their partnership with DC Solar in the new year:

"We have enjoyed our partnership with DC Solar and are very excited to welcome Jeff and Paulette to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. It has been a fun three years growing our partnership and we look forward to an exciting and successful first year with them on the cars with Kyle and Jamie."

DC Solar will also continue their partnership with the former Phoenix Raceway, now renamed as ISM Raceway. They were one of the first partners for the track’s renovations, as well as title sponsor of the spring Xfinity Series race at the track.

Jeff Carpoff, co-founder and CEO of DC Solar, had this to say about their relationship with Ganassi:

"We’re excited about expanding our relationship with CGR, and we’re especially proud to have Kyle and Jamie representing the DC Solar brand as we move to the sport’s highest level. We see an immense amount of value in the sport, with the unique opportunity each weekend to build relationships and interact with multiple partners, and we have every confidence that 2018 is going to be a successful year for everyone involved."

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Be sure to stay tuned to Beyond The Flag for the latest news, rumors, and analysis from Chip Ganassi Racing and the rest of the NASCAR Cup Series garage ahead of the season opener at Daytona in just one month.