NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is an organizer of car racing events in the United States.

2002

In 2002, NASCAR teamed up with the Muppets for a marketing campaign that involved plush toys, die-cast cars and other merchandise meant to promote a series of car designs used to decorate cars in the organization's primary Winston Cup Series.

In addition to a program car which featured all of the Muppets, the following teams of Muppets and drivers appeared:

Driver	Muppet	Number	Car	Team	Sponsor
Casey Atwood	Rowlf the Dog	#7	Dodge Intrepid	Ultra Motorsports	Sirius Satellite Radio
Johnny Benson	Fozzie Bear	#10	Pontiac Grand Prix	MBV Motorsports	Valvoline
Bill Elliott	The Swedish Chef	#9	Dodge Intrepid	Evernham Motorsports	Dodge Dealers
Dale Jarrett	Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog	#88	Ford Taurus	Robert Yates Racing	UPS
Bobby Labonte	Pepe the King Prawn	#18	Pontiac Grand Prix	Joe Gibbs Racing	Interstate Batteries
Jeremy Mayfield	Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker	#19	Dodge Intrepid	Evernham Motorsports	Dodge Dealers
Ricky Rudd	Gonzo	#28	Ford Taurus	Robert Yates Racing	Havoline
Jimmy Spencer	Animal	#41	Dodge Intrepid	Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates	Target

On April 25, 2002^[1], a press conference was held announcing the marketing campaign. Muppets in attendance included Kermit, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, Fozzie Bear, Animal, Rowlf the Dog, The Swedish Chef, Sam the Eagle, Pepe the King Prawn, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Beaker, and Sweetums. They were joined by NASCAR drivers Dale Jarrett, Casey Atwood, Jeremy Mayfield, Bill Elliott, Johnny Benson, Jimmy Spencer, Bobby Labonte, and Ricky Rudd who were all dressed in uniforms featuring the Muppet logo. Additionally, Brian Henson and Mia Sara attended.

2014

Gonzo served as the Grand Marshall for the Auto Club 400 on March 23, 2014.^[2]

References

Sesame Street featured a spoof called "Nascount" in Episode 4154 (2007). In the sketch, the Count is a race car driver on a pit stop who refuses to rejoin the race until he has counted all forty cars that go by.

Racing driver Jimmie Johnson inspired a Muppet Celebrity T-shirt featuring Kermit as a NASCAR driver in 2005.

Sesame Street Episode 4203 features the Worm racing organization, WASCAR, as well as several spoofs of famous NASCAR drivers (and an appearance by Jeff Gordon as commentator).