Mooresville, N.C. – After a beating-and-banging race around the “World’s Fastest Half-Mile,” lots of NASCAR drivers end up eating humble pie. But when Danny O’Quinn Jr. comes to Bristol Motor Speedway, he’s looking for another item on the menu: home cooking.
The reigning 2006 Busch Series Raybestos Rookie of the Year grew up in Coeburn, Va., not far from NASCAR’s most popular track, so he’s always glad when it’s time to return to that particular venue.
“Oh yeah, whenever I can race at Bristol, I look forward to it,” O’Quinn said. “To have all that history, and a great competitive atmosphere, right near my hometown, I mean you just can’t beat that.”
And the time for O’Quinn’s next trip to Bristol is here, as the Roush Fenway Racing driver will pilot Mac Hill Motorsports’ No. 56 Chevy Monte Carlo SS in Friday’s Food City 250. O’Quinn is driving a limited schedule in the Busch Series for Mac Hill this year.
He’ll be backed by Knoxville, Tenn.-based Power Equipment Company, which will be the primary sponsor of the 56 car for the fourth time. The company, which sells, services and rents construction, earthmoving, forestry, crane, material handling and demolition equipment, liked the taste of NASCAR it got last year at Bristol and Memphis and wanted to do more after hearing a tremendous response from customers.
“The customers in the Power customer base are huge NASCAR fans. We have over 300 ticket requests,” said Todd Nelson, regional sales manager for Power. “The customers have been ecstatic that we are participating, and are very interested in the car and driver.”
Power will also be the 56 car’s primary sponsor at Memphis on Oct. 27. The company sponsored Mac Hill at Nashville on June 9, and its sister business, Brandeis Machinery and Supply Company, sponsored the 56 at Kentucky Speedway on June 16.
One of Power’s major suppliers, Komatsu, is participating in Friday’s sponsorship and corresponding hospitality area, as well. Komatsu holds many of the same values as NASCAR, including recognizing the importance of using state-of-the-art technology and providing unequaled customer service.
“The customers are very interested in Komatsu sponsoring a car, especially since our prime competitors are involved,” Nelson said. “Power has been overwhelmed by the response from customers and vendors, and we hope to carry this to the next level with major manufacturer sponsorship in the future.”
Mac Hill is also pleased to have Rodefer Moss & Co, PLLC on the 56 this week as an associate sponsor. Headquartered in Knoxville, Rodefer Moss was recently judged as the seventh-largest accounting firm in Tennessee by Business Tennessee Magazine.
“Having offices in the Tri-Cities, participating in a sponsorship for the Power Equipment Chevrolet at Bristol is a win-win for all of us,” said Jimmy Rodefer, CEO of Rodefer Moss & Co, PLLC. “This is our first venture with a racing sponsorship, and we are thrilled to be working with the great team at Mac Hill Motorsports.”
Likewise, O’Quinn and the entire Mac Hill team are excited about all of their sponsors this weekend.
“We just hope to make a good run for Power, Komatsu, Rodefer Moss, and all of our sponsors,” O’Quinn said, “make a good run that we all can be proud of.”
O’Quinn finished 21st in the Sharpie Mini 300 at Bristol on March 24 for Mac Hill. His best finish at Bristol is 11th, which came on March 25, 2006.
The Food City 250 will be broadcast on ESPN2. Coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. EDT (6:30 p.m. CDT), and the race starts at 8 p.m. EDT (7 p.m. CDT).
About Power Equipment Company
Power Equipment is the only full-line equipment distributor serving the entire Tennessee market. The company operates branch dealerships in Knoxville, Kingsport, Chattanooga, Memphis and Nashville, and in Tupelo, Miss. In addition to a full line of equipment sales and rentals, Power Equipment offers 24/7 service powered by a fleet of service trucks equipped with air compressors, welders, cranes, and specialized tools for on-site diagnostic and repairs service. Power Equipment is a subsidiary of Bramco Inc. along with Brandeis Machinery and Supply Company, which is headquartered in Louisville, Ky. For more information on Power Equipment, please see powerequipco.com.
About Rodefer Moss & Co, PLLC
Rodefer Moss has nearly 150 employees in its offices in Knoxville, Nashville, Greenville, and the Tri-Cities. The firm’s services include audits, tax preparation, consulting, information technology, disaster recovery, employee leasing, and small business entrepreneurial services.
Rodefer Moss is also an independent, privately-owned member of the BDO Seidman Alliance, an association of firms across the country that pool their expertise, knowledge and specialties to provide a broader range of services to clients. For more information on Rodefer Moss, please visit rodefermoss.com.
And for more information on Danny O’Quinn Jr. and Mac Hill Motorsports, see dannyoquinn.com and machillmotorsports.com.