NSCS: Ty Dillon to make Daytona 500 debut in No. 33 Cheerios/Kroger Chevrolet SS

Richard Childress Racing announced on Tuesday, December 9th that Ty Dillon will make his Daytona 500 debut in February, driving the No. 33 Cheerios/Kroger Chevrolet SS for Circle Sport Racing. The Daytona 500 is scheduled for February 22nd at Daytona International Speedway.

“We are fortunate to have a great partner like General Mills giving me the opportunity to race in one of the most prestigious events in all of sports,” Dillon said. “Not only has General Mills been a long-time supporter of RCR but also my family, partnering with Austin (Dillon) for the 2013 Daytona 500 and this past season. I can’t thank General Mills and Kroger enough for being part of this race.”

This marks the sixth year that General Mills has been partnered with Richard Childress Racing and will also sponsor Austin Dillon’s No. 3 Sprint Cup Series Chevrolet SS. The Minneapolis-based company’s Honey Nut Cheerios is known as “America’s Favorite Cereal”.

“We are proud to support Ty Dillon as he makes his Daytona 500 debut,” Brian Kittelson, director of Shopper Marketing and Motorsports at General Mills, said. “We have been an active sponsor within NASCAR for many years and look forward to joining Kroger in another season opener at Daytona.”

RCR has won the Daytona 500 twice, scoring the victory in 1998 with Dale Earnhardt and in 2007 with Kevin Harvick.

“The Daytona 500 is a major step in Ty’s career and it’s terrific to have General Mills as a big part of this monumental race,” Richard Childress, Chairman and CEO of Richard Childress Racing, said. “General Mills has such a great history in NASCAR and we are proud to feature the Cheerios colors on Ty’s race car for the Daytona 500 and the millions of NASCAR fans who will be watching. We hope to bring Cheerios a victory.”

Dillon is coming off of a successful season in the NASCAR Nationwide Series that saw him finish top-five in points following a victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.