‘The King’ to Receive Argetsinger Award
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (July 27, 2015) – Smithfield Foods, the primary sponsor of Richard Petty Motorsports’ legendary No. 43 Ford in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series,, has joined
industry stalwarts honoring Richard Petty next month in Watkins Glen.
Petty, the winningest driver in NASCAR, is being honored on Aug. 6 with the Cameron R. Argetsinger Award for Outstanding Contributions to Motorsports at the International
Motor Racing Research Center Award Dinner, presented by NASCAR, International Speedway Corp. and Watkins Glen International.
Smithfield Foods has signed on as the sponsor of the cocktail reception of the event, which will be at the world-renowned Corning Museum of Glass in nearby Corning, N.Y.
“Smithfield Foods and Richard Petty corporately found each other in 2011, but our relationship goes back much further than that as fans of The King and his untouchable records set over a career that continues to this day,” said Bob Weber, Smithfield Foods vice president of corporate marketing.
“We are thrilled to join race fans throughout the country in honoring Richard on this special evening,” Weber said.
Smithfield Foods is a $15 billion global food company and the world’s largest pork processor and hog producer. The company has partnered with Richard Petty Motorsports on numerous occasions to support food pantries in local communities of the NASCAR race circuit.
Aric Almirola, the driver of the No. 43 Smithfield Ford, joined Richard Petty Motorsports in 2012, is the 2014 Daytona 500 champion, and currently occupies the final slot in the 2015 Chase for the Sprint Cup. Almirola and Smithfield Foods’ Weber will be among the dinner speakers honoring Petty.
The dinner is the Thursday evening prior to the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Watkins Glen International, the famed upstate New York road race course. The award memorializes Cameron R. Argetsinger, founder and organizer of the first races at Watkins Glen. Team owner and former driver Chip Ganassi was the first recipient of the Argetsinger Award in 2014.
Petty, who earned a record 200 career races and seven NASCAR Cup championships during his 30-year driving career, competed in eight NASCAR races at Watkins Glen, including July 19, 1964, when both he and his father, the legendary Lee Petty, were on the track. It was Lee Petty’s final career race.
“Smithfield’s commitment to ensuring families do not go hungry is well-known,” IMRRC President J.C. Argetsinger said. “Their concern for America’s communities matches Richard Petty’s own philanthropy, and the Racing Research Center is proud to be associated with both.”
The IMRRC Award Dinner is open to the public, but tickets are limited. The ticket price is $250 per person. Tickets may be purchased online at http://racingarchives.org/special_event.php or by calling the Racing Research Center at (607) 535-9044. Full details about the event can be viewed at www.racingarchives.org.
Other event supporters include Corning Incorporated, Glenora Wine Cellars, Chip Ganassi Racing, Sports Car Club of America, Welliver and Elmira Savings Bank.
About International Motor Racing Research Center
The Racing Research Center is an archival library dedicated to the preservation of the history of motorsports, of all series and all venues, through its collections of books,
periodicals, films, photographs, fine art and other materials. For more information about the Center’s work and its programs, visit www.racingarchives.org or call 607-535-
9044. The Center also is on Facebook at International Motor Racing Research Center.
About Smithfield
A leading provider of high-quality pork products, Smithfield was founded in 1936 in Smithfield, Virginia, establishing the town as the “Ham Capital of the World.” From hand-trimmed bacon to slow-smoked holiday hams, Smithfield brings artistry, authenticity and a commitment to heritage, flavor, and handcrafted excellence to everything it produces. With a vast product portfolio including smoked meats, hams, bacon, sausage, and fresh pork cuts, the company services retail, foodservice, and deli channels across the Unites States and 30 countries abroad. All of Smithfield’s products meet the highest quality and safety standards in the industry. To learn more about how Flavor Hails from Smithfield, please visit www.Smithfield.com, www.Twitter.com/SmithfieldBrand, and www.Facebook.com/CookingWithSmithfield. Smithfield is a brand of Smithfield Foods.
About Smithfield Foods
Smithfield Foods is a $15 billion global food company and the world’s largest pork processor and hog producer. In the United States, the company is also the leader in numerous packaged meats categories with popular brands including Smithfield®, Eckrich®, Farmland®, Armour®, Cook’s®, John Morrell®, Gwaltney®, Nathan’s Famous®, Kretschmar®, Margherita®, Curly’s®, Carando® and Healthy Ones®. Smithfield Foods is committed to providing good food in a responsible way and maintains robust animal care, community involvement, employee safety, environmental and food safety and quality programs. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com and www.smithfieldcommitments.com.