Driver, wife's three dogs highlight Mars Inc. Banfield Pet Hospital
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AVONDALE, Ariz. -- It's a bit of a different look for the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 18 entry with driver Kyle Busch today at Phoenix International Raceway.
Busch's No. 18 Toyota features what may be a first, a paint scheme that includes photos of the three pets he and wife Samantha own -- West-Highland Terriers Suzie and Kelly, along with Lucy, a Pomeranian Yorkie.
The scheme is part of Busch's Mars, Inc. sponsorship through its Banfield Pet Hospital group. The hospitals can be found in 880 Pet Smart stores across the U.S.
Busch said Sunday morning that he never thought he'd see a photo of his pets adorning the side of his race car.
"I've seen the Pedigree car over the years," he said. "Even when I came here for my first race back in -- I want to say it was '94. I think Terry Labonte won and Jack Sprague was in the 51 Pedigree car."
Actually, according to records it was Rich Bickle in the No. 51 entry, but Busch's memory was otherwise spot-on.
"It was a Pontiac, just a plain Pedigree car with no pictures of dogs on it or anything, and you wonder 'Well, why didn't they have a picture of his pets on it' or something like that," he said. "I think today is the first time a driver's pet's picture has been on a car, so that's pretty cool."
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