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Chip Ganassi Racing drivers Kyle Larson and Jamie McMurray both have picked up additional sponsorship for their respective 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series campaigns. The team announced Tuesday that DC Solar, which has partnered with CGR for three seasons in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, will move up to the Monster Energy Series with both the Nos. 1 and 42 Chevrolets.
The company will be the primary partner on the No. 42 during the Advance Auto Parts Clash at Daytona on Feb. 11.
DC Solar will continue to be seen in the Xfinity Series for several races on the No. 42 Chevrolet with both Larson and McMurray behind the wheel.
“We have enjoyed our partnership with DC Solar and are very excited to welcome (them) to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series,” team owner Chip Ganassi said in a team release. “It has been a fun three years growing our partnership and we look forward to an exciting and successful first year with them on the cars with Kyle and Jamie.”
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DC Solar and Larson previously joined forces in 2016 when Larson drove a DC Solar-sponsored truck to Victory Lane in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Eldora Speedway. DC Solar also served as a co-primary partner with Larson and the No. 42 team in last season’s finale at Homestead, which resulted in a third-place finish.
Larson won four races in 2017 and had 15 top-five finishes in 36 points-paying events.
“DC Solar has been a part of motorsports for quite awhile,” Larson said during the announcement. ” … For me to get to run DC Solar on the Truck at Eldora a couple years ago and get the win, after being a close a couple times before that, was special. Hopefully, this year we can bring them many more good runs and good wins.”
McMurray, meanwhile, will compete in the Xfinity Series for the first time since 2013. He has not run multiple races in one season in the series since 2011, when he competed in six races. McMurray is an eight-time winner in the Xfinity Series, with his most recent win coming at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 2010 driving for JR Motorsports.
“I’m looking forward to it (returning to Xfinity),” McMurray told reporters following the announcement. “There’s been talk the last couple years about doing some Xfinity races and it just hasn’t worked out. It’s going to this year. … There’s certainly some differences, but I’m looking forward to getting to do some Saturday races soon.”