Check out Alex Bowman’s Charlotte FC paint scheme for NASCAR race at the Roval
NASCAR driver Alex Bowman will race at Charlotte Motor Speedway’s road course next month with a soccer-themed paint scheme. The newly unveiled design for Bowman’s No. 48 Chevrolet will feature a nod to the city’s Major League Soccer team, Charlotte FC, for the playoff race at the Roval on Oct. 10.
As Charlotte FC gears up for its first season in 2022, Bowman is competing as one of 12 Cup playoff drivers looking to advance to the Round of 8, and beyond, during NASCAR’s postseason. The championship race is set for Nov. 7.
The paint scheme partnership stems from a relationship developed through mutual sponsor Ally Bank, a founding partner of the MLS club and sponsor for Bowman’s No. 48 car.
Ally announced a multi-year partnership with Charlotte’s MLS team when the city was awarded an expansion franchise in 2019. The pandemic delayed Charlotte FC’s debut by a year to ‘22, but last year it rolled out the club branding and crest that will soon be featured on Bowman’s car.
The car’s rear quarter panels will display the team’s crest and #ForTheCrown hashtag that overlays a net-inspired pattern and Charlotte FC’s blue, which blends to Ally’s purple on the hood. The display is intended to highlight Ally’s early support for Charlotte FC while drumming up fan interest before kickoff next year.
“Being an ally and creating opportunities for (partnership) is part of who we are and why we exist,” Ally chief marketing officer Andrea Brimmer said in a statement. “So it was natural for us to bring two of our Ally-sponsored teams together to support each other and celebrate Charlotte’s growing sports community in a fun, celebratory way with an Ally Racing paint scheme dedicated to Charlotte FC.”
As part of the partnership between the NASCAR team and MLS club, Bowman and Charlotte FC defender Christian Fuchs have also collaborated for a video series called “Unexpected Allies,” which features the athletes trying each other’s respective sports.
“I am really excited to have the Charlotte FC program on the car for the ROVAL in a few weeks,” Bowman said in a statement. “It was really cool to meet Christian and show him the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet. We even got him in the pit practice car, which was a cool thing for him to be a part of.”
Fuchs, a former English Premier League player, is one of seven names so far on Charlotte FC’s roster, which will increase to 30 players by January. The team will play at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte for home matches next season.
“I haven’t ever been to a soccer game in a big stadium, so I might have to change that after this,” Bowman said. “It is a cool program that Ally has with two sports coming together for one major event, which is the NASCAR Cup Series playoff cut-off race at the Charlotte Roval.”
Bowman is ranked 11th of the 12 playoff drivers (13 points behind the cut off) heading into this weekend’s race at Talladega. That race is scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday on NBC with the Roval set for the following Sunday (2 p.m. on NBC).
This story was originally published September 28, 2021 at 6:00 PM with the headline "Check out Alex Bowman’s Charlotte FC paint scheme for NASCAR race at the Roval."
