Tagliani reveals new entry for NASCAR Canada

Tagliani Autosport, in conjunction with 22 Racing, revealed in Toronto on Saturday, that it had secured a major sponsorship from home improvement giant, Lowe's Canada, for its 2017 NASCAR Pinty's Series (NPS) season. At the Toronto Motorama Custom Car & Motorsport Show press conference, Tagliani Autosport unveiled the No. 18 racecar. Lowe's Canada joins long-time sponsor EpiPen, as a major contributor to driver Alex Tagliani's effort in the Canadian series.

Tagliani's No. 18 will also be sponsored by St-Hubert, Quebec's largest rotisserie restaurant chain which was founded in 1951. Alex Tagliani was proud to showcase his brand new car and shared his enthusiasm for the upcoming season.

"I feel fortunate to unveil this car. Our partnering sponsors are a great fit for me personally," Tagliani said. "I have been the brand ambassador for EpiPen since 2013 and since then we have successfully promoted food allergy awareness using the motorsports platform. It suits me well to have St-Hubert join our team. It's just great. The whole family loves St-Hubert, and knowing how much my wife enjoys her chicken, it's a perfect fit!

"I am very excited about our newest sponsor, Lowe's Canada. As someone who really enjoys home renovation and construction, carrying the Lowe's logo is a huge honour for me. It's no secret that I spend as much time as I can in Lowe's and can often be found there while my wife is doing the groceries! It's not every day that you can find such a personal connection with the brands you represent. I can't wait to start interacting with our new fans, customers and Lowe's employees across Canada."

Joining Tagliani and team owner Colin Livingston, car owner Scott Steckly, Joe Balash, NASCAR International Liaison, and Tony Spiteri, Pinty's Senior Vice President, at the Toronto Motorama Show unveiling, was Sylvain Prud'homme, President and CEO of Lowe's Canada.

"We are very proud to support Alex Tagliani, a driver who holds an exceptional track record in the racing world and who shares the same values as Lowe's Canada in terms of excellence and integrity," commented Mr. Prud'homme. "We look forward to a very exciting NASCAR season with Alex and his entire team!"

Taglian added: "The partnerships carried on the No. 18 EpiPen-Lowe's-St Hubert car will be great for NASCAR in Canada, for Pinty's and for the sport in general. Tagliani Autosport, in collaboration with 22 Racing, have worked hard to make the No. 18 car a crowd pleaser and we hope fans will be able to watch it battle for the lead many times this season. We share a passion for reaching out to fans, and both our team and our sponsors can't wait for the season opener in May!"

Thirteen races are on tap for the 2017 season. The two opening rounds of the 2017 NASCAR Pinty's Series will be held in Ontario, the first on the May 21 Victoria Day weekend at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park road course, followed by the June 3 oval race at Delaware Speedway. The NPS kicks off its Quebec rounds with an oval race on June 17 at Autodrome Chaudière, followed by three weeks off before tackling Circuit ICAR on July 8. The NPS biggest show of the year comes the following Saturday, July 15 at the Indy Toronto held on the street course of the Toronto's Exhibition Place. The series will then start its Western swing with a double-header at Wyant Group Raceway in Saskatoon on Wednesday evening, July 26, followed three days later with its annual stop at Edmonton International Raceway.

Aug. 13, the NPS visits Circuit de Trois-Rivières as Sunday's headliner for the 47th running of the Grand Prix of Trois-Rivières. Six days later, Aug. 19, the series heads further east to Nova Scotia for its sixth oval race of the season at Riverside International Speedway. The last stretch of season features a return trip to the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park on Sept. 3, followed by a return trip to Quebec to Autodrome St-Eustache on Sept. 9. The season's finale will be held Sept. 17 at Kawartha Speedway, Ontario.