Story By: LAUREN EMLING / STEWART HAAS RACING – KANNAPOLIS, NC – After a rookie season in which Cole Custer scored his first career NASCAR Cup Series victory and advanced to the playoffs, the driver of the No. 41 Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing is raising the bar in 2021 by partnering with Dixie Vodka.
The largest premium craft vodka produced in the Southeast, Charleston, South Carolina-based Dixie Vodka is now the Official Vodka of Stewart-Haas Racing and will be the primary sponsor of Custer for two NASCAR Cup Series races in 2021. Custer will drive the No. 41 Dixie Vodka Ford Mustang on Feb. 21 at the road course at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway and on June 20 at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway. For all other races, Dixie Vodka will be an associate sponsor on the No. 41 Ford.
“As the Official Vodka of NASCAR and title sponsor of the Dixie Vodka 400 on Feb. 28 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, a driver and team partnership was the last piece of the puzzle for us going into the new season,” said Matti Christian Anttila, founder of Dixie Vodka and CEO of Grain & Barrel Spirits. “We’re proud to partner with Stewart-Haas Racing and Cole Custer for 2021. Cole is a great driver and has the right personality to help introduce Dixie Vodka to NASCAR fans worldwide. We look forward to toasting Cole’s success as he races for more victories on the track.”
Launched in 2014 by Grain & Barrel Spirits, Dixie Vodka includes six unique expressions, all representing the best of Southern flavor and craftsmanship. Since its debut, Dixie Vodka has been one of the most awarded vodkas in the United States, including Dixie Black Pepper being crowned the top-flavored vodka in the world at the globally recognized San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2019 and Dixie Citrus being named one of the Top 100 Spirits of 2020 by Wine Enthusiast magazine.
Similarly to Dixie Vodka, Custer has proven to be a unique competitor whose talent has been rewarded. When he won the NASCAR Cup Series race last July at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, he became one of just 10 drivers to have won a race in all three of NASCAR’s national touring series – Cup, Xfinity and Truck – as well as ARCA and a NASCAR developmental series (K&N Pro Series). Additionally, Custer secured the NASCAR Cup Series rookie-of-the-year award more than two months before the season ended as he was the only rookie in the NASCAR Playoffs.
“I’m genuinely excited about my new partnership with Dixie Vodka,” said Custer, who turns 23 on Friday. “Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series is a privilege and success doesn’t come easily. You have to work hard for it, and when you taste success, you’re ready to celebrate. I’ve got a great partner in Dixie Vodka that knows how to celebrate. The people behind the brand have worked incredibly hard to make Dixie Vodka the largest premium craft vodka produced in the Southeast. I look forward to raising a glass with them as we enjoy more success together in 2021.”
