Nationwide Insurance to take 7 rides in the 17 car of Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

CONCORD, N.C. — Step aside superstitions. Nationwide Insurance has finalized its 2014 sponsorship of Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series beginning with season opening events at Daytona International Speedway. Nationwide’s primary sponsorship of Stenhouse in the No. 17 Nationwide Insurance Ford Fusion includes seven races, while maintaining its associate sponsor status for the balance of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.“Our partnership with Ricky was an easy decision and race fans can expect to see more of him when we introduce our new season kick-off campaigns in a few weeks,” said Matt Jauchius, chief marketing officer for Nationwide Insurance. “Our company has been an active NASCAR sponsor for 15 years, but fielding our first car in ‘The Great American Race’ will make the 2014 season even more special for our members, agents and associates.”

Stenhouse, the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year and back-to-back NASCAR Nationwide Series Champion (2011, 2012), will drive the No. 17 Nationwide Insurance Ford Fusion in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races on Feb. 15 in the Sprint Unlimited, Feb. 20 in The Budweiser Duel and on Feb. 23 in the Daytona 500 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. Other races include March 16 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, April 12 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, April 26 at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway and June 1 at Dover (Del.) International Speedway.

“To be with Nationwide Insurance and reunited with my two-time NASCAR Nationwide Series championship crew chief, Mike Kelley, for seven races, will be pretty special for us,” said Stenhouse. “I am thrilled Nationwide is partnering with me this year and look forward to creating something magical together again.”

About Roush Fenway Racing

Roush Fenway Racing is the winningest team in NASCAR history, fielding multiple teams in the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series’ with championship drivers Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Trevor Bayne, Ryan Reed and Chris Buescher. Having celebrated 25 winning years in 2012, Roush Fenway is the leader in NASCAR marketing solutions, pioneering motorsport’s first team-focused TV show and its award-winning marketing campaigns for “RFR Driven”, “Let Ricky Race”, “Pillow Pets Invasion,” RickyvsTrevor.com, “25 Winning Years” and Google+.