Local company deepens motorsports ties during Richmond race weekend
RICHMOND, Va. — Black’s Tire Service will be prominently featured throughout NASCAR weekend at Richmond Raceway, serving as the primary sponsor of AJ Allmendinger’s No. 16 Chevrolet in Saturday night’s NASCAR Cup Series race and as the presenting sponsor of Friday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event, the Black’s Tire 250 Presented by BTS Rewards.
The arrangement marks the fourth straight year the North Carolina–based tire retailer has partnered with Kaulig Racing and Allmendinger. The sponsorship highlights the company’s continued investment in motorsports while reinforcing long-standing regional ties to stock-car racing.
Company legacy and regional footprint
Founded as a single service station in Whiteville, North Carolina, in 1929, Black’s Tire has expanded into one of the nation’s largest independent tire dealers. Now in its 97th year, the family-owned company operates more than 62 retail and commercial locations and maintains 15 wholesale distribution centers across Carolina and mid-Atlantic states.
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Years in business | 97 |
| Retail/commercial locations | 62+ |
| Wholesale distribution centers | 15 |
| Employees | More than 1,200 |
Black’s Tire’s wholesale centers and retail footprint extend into Virginia, along with North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee and West Virginia. The Benton family, who purchased the company in 1996, remains involved in operations; members of a fifth generation have also joined the business.
What fans will see at Richmond Raceway
Racegoers can expect Black’s Tire branding across the weekend. On Friday, the company is the presenting sponsor of the Craftsman Truck Series race — billed as the Black’s Tire 250 Presented by BTS Rewards. On Saturday night, Allmendinger will carry Black’s Tire as the primary sponsor on his No. 16 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Cup Series event. The weekend will also feature product and promotional tie-ins tied to Black’s Tire’s regional customer base.
- Friday: Black’s Tire 250 Presented by BTS Rewards — Craftsman Truck Series (presenting sponsor)
- Saturday: AJ Allmendinger’s No. 16 Chevrolet — NASCAR Cup Series (primary sponsor)
- Additional: Down East Heating & Air will appear as a partner on the hood of Allmendinger’s car
Driver and team context
AJ Allmendinger, a veteran driver for Kaulig Racing, celebrated his 500th NASCAR Cup Series start in June. Over his career he has earned three Cup Series victories and 18 NASCAR Xfinity Series wins, establishing himself as one of Kaulig Racing’s most recognizable drivers.
For Richmond-area fans, Allmendinger’s presence along with a regional sponsor underscores the continued role of local and regional businesses in supporting NASCAR events at the city’s track. The visible partnership between a family-owned regional company and a national racing team ties a part of motorsports culture back to its local business roots.
Local impact and outlook
Race weekends at Richmond Raceway draw visitors and attention to the city, and sponsorships like Black’s Tire’s contribute to the pageantry and commercial ecosystem surrounding those events. For a company with operations in Virginia and neighboring states, presenting and primary-sponsorship roles create promotional opportunities among the core demographic that attends short-track and regional NASCAR events.
Black’s Tire’s continued affiliation with Kaulig Racing for a fourth consecutive year signals that the relationship has been mutually beneficial and that the company sees value in the visibility offered by Richmond’s fall race weekend. That bodes well for continuity of branding at the track and for fans who follow regional sponsors as much as the racing itself.
