Not only is it one of the most anticipated races of the season for NASCAR race fans, but Leavine Family Racing and Michael McDowell, driver of the #95 Thrivent Financial Ford Fusion, are also eager to return to Bristol Motor Speedway for the IRWIN Tools Night Race this Saturday, Aug. 23. McDowell and the #95 team had a very strong run during the spring Bristol race that ended abruptly in an accident. After two rain delay periods, McDowell had climbed his way up to the Top-15 when an on-track accident occurred causing heavy damage to the No. 95 and relegating the team to a 37th place finish. McDowell’s #95 Ford Fusion will have a new paint scheme this weekend – a white and red scheme featuring Thrivent Financial, a new sponsor for LFR and the organization’s first time in NASCAR. Leavine Family Racing recently created a time-lapsed video that documented the transition to the new paint scheme. A Bristol tradition, drivers get to choose their entrance song for driver introductions during the pre-race ceremony. In honor of the new sponsorship, McDowell has chosen ‘Thrive’ by Casting Crowns. McDowell will have an extended role in the Bristol Motor Speedway ceremonies and will give the invocation prior to the start of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. As part of its sponsorship with the team, Thrivent Financial is running a #DrivenToThrive sweepstakes and giving away McDowell’s Thrivent firesuit and pieces of the #95 race car to fans who enter to win at www.thrivent.com/driventothrive. For each entry, Thrivent will donate $1 to support wounded veterans through the Operation Heal Our Patriots program. Thrivent will donate up to $10,000 as part of this initiative and its mission to live life generously.(LFR), see an image of the car/scheme on the #95 Team Schemes page.(8-21-2014)
