PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – Josh Williams will bring one of his longest-running sponsors back to the race track as the NASCAR Xfinity Series returns to Homestead-Miami Speedway for twin 250-mile races.
Williams has renewed his association with Star brite Inc., a Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based manufacturer of vehicle care and appearance products, as the primary sponsor of his No. 92 DGM Racing Chevrolet Camaro for both the Hooters 250 and the Contender Boats 250.
Star brite Inc. specializes in applications for the marine industry and first came on board with Williams in the Xfinity Series as a co-primary sponsor at Daytona Int’l Speedway in 2017.
They were a major part of Williams’ 20-race Xfinity Series deal in 2018 and also served as the primary sponsor for Williams’ career-best eighth-place run at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway in April of 2019.
The upcoming weekend marks the company’s second time as a full primary partner of Williams in the Xfinity Series, and comes on the heels of Star brite’s ramped-up production of Performacide, an EPA-registered disinfectant that is approved for use in the fight against COVID-19.
“We’re really excited to be supporting Josh and all of NASCAR as the country starts up again,” noted Gregor Dornau, Executive Vice President for Star brite. “At Star brite, as manufacturers of maintenance and appearance products for almost everything outdoors, our motto is to clean and protect, and never have we taken it so seriously. At a time when cleaning, protection and disinfection have hit record levels of awareness, we’re glad that we’ve been able to make the products that have supported our country during one of its greatest challenges.
“To celebrate the return of NASCAR to Homestead this weekend, we’re excited to be running back-to-back races with our newly-skinned Star Tron and Star brite car, along with the addition of Performacide, our pharmaceutical-grade chlorine dioxide-based disinfectant. With Josh behind the wheel, the veterans in the stands, and Americans finally able to enjoy sports again, it makes us proud that Star brite can be a part of NASCAR’s and the nation’s ‘restart.’”
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, which shut down all NASCAR action for two months between March 8 and mid-May, Williams has started off 2020 with the strongest stretch of his Xfinity Series career.
In eight races, he’s earned a pair of top-10 finishes – 10th at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., and ninth at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway – and ranks a career-high 14th in the Xfinity Series standings.
Williams is just 34 points behind the cut line for the playoffs through eight races and believes that he and his team are starting to hit their stride and find consistency, despite a late spin at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway that left him with a disappointing 28th-place finish.
“Atlanta wasn’t what we hoped for, but we’re not getting down or hanging our heads. Before that spin, we had the speed to run where we’ve been running for most of the season, so we’re optimistic and excited to get to Homestead for two races this weekend, instead of just one. Particularly to do this weekend with Star brite – who has been there with me since I started racing in NASCAR’s national series – is a big deal and we’re really glad to have them on board at their home track.
“It’s going to be a little different this weekend racing twice, but from our standpoint, it’s something we feel can really benefit us,” added Williams in regards to racing on both Saturday and Sunday in the Xfinity Series. “With no practice or qualifying, having that second race allows us an opportunity to build on what we learn from Saturday’s race and really apply some of those lessons to hopefully better our finish and keep getting closer to that top 12 for the playoffs. It’s right in front of us; we just have to go out, be consistent and put ourselves in position to capitalize each and every week.”
The Hooters 250 takes the green flag at 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday, while the Contender Boats 250 rolls off at noon ET on Sunday.