When NASCAR driver Corey LaJoie headed to the track with Trump 2020 logos on his car, he and the Go Fas Racing team faced criticism from Twitter users. Team owner Archie St. Hilaire is aware of the comments about the sponsorship deal and the massive Trump 2020 paint scheme, but they haven’t changed his opinion. He said that he “had no problem” taking the deal and showing support for President Donald Trump‘s reelection campaign for nine races.
“I have taken a lot of grief over it. A lot of the bigger teams didn’t want to get into the political game, or they didn’t have the intestinal fortitude to take the deal,” St. Hilaire said, per Bangor Daily News. “I had no problem taking it. I support the President. He has done a decent job.” The sponsorship started as two small Trump 2020 logos during the doubleheader races at Pocono, but it has since expanded to cover the entire No. 32 Ford Mustang.
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According to FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass and other sources, the sponsorship deal brought $350,000 to the Go Fas team. Trump did not pay for the paint scheme; Patriots of America PAC did so to promote the reelection campaign. Additionally, St. Hilaire said that this partnership was a way to encourage NASCAR fans to “do their part” and head to the polls.
Go Fas is one of NASCAR’s smallest teams and one that is considered underfunded. There is only one driver on the roster, and Go Fas has fewer than two dozen employees. Similarly, the operating budget is much smaller than other teams such as Hendrick Motorsports or Stewart-Haas Racing. Reaching an agreement on the $350,000 sponsorship deal with Patriots of America PAC provided some much-needed funds for a team trying to secure top-20 finishes each week.
“We have a $7 million budget and 18 employees,” St. Hilaire continued. “The big teams like Gibbs Racing, Hendrick and Stewart-Hass have 400-500 employees and a $25-$30 million budget.” He also explained that “money buys speed,” which became evident when the team reached an engine agreement with Stewart-Haas. LaJoie’s car doesn’t have the best engines used in other Mustangs, but it has still seen a significant performance upgrade.
In 20 races, LaJoie has finished among the top 20 drivers six separate times. This number matches his total from the entire 2019 season. He also finished eighth during the season-opening Daytona 500. He has also improved his average finish from 25.9 to 23.5.
