NASCAR’s Chris Boecher highlights the LeBron James family foundation with the #17

by

LeBron James isn’t making a career change, but his presence will be felt at NASCAR FireKeepers Casino 400.

On Sunday, August 7, Chris Boecher’s #17 vehicle will display numerous references to James’ humanitarian efforts, including the LeBron James Family Foundation logo and numerous references to James’ I PROMISE School in his hometown of Akron, Ohio.

After revealing the new look for the #17 car, James took to Twitter to share his excitement, stating that it was “for the love of my children and family.”

So why NASCAR and why now and why car number 17?

Why did LeBron James appear in Chris Bucher’s car number 17?

James is one of the biggest stars the NBA has ever seen, in part because his stardom isn’t limited to the basketball world.

Since 2011 James has owned a minority ownership stake in Liverpool Football Club, a stake that increased in 2021 when James and his business partner Maverick Carter became Official Partners of Fenway Sports Group (FSG). In addition to Red Sox and Liverpool FC, FSG is the parent company of RFK Racing, the stock car organization that places Buescher’s No. 17 as well as Brad Keselowski’s No. 6.

The partnership paved the way for the James Foundation and his school to be prominent in Sunday’s race.

LeBron James’ history with NASCAR

As star-sized as James, it should come as no surprise that Sunday isn’t the first time his name or photo has appeared on an ordinary car.

In 2005, an animated version of James appeared on Bobby LaPont’s #18 Sharpie 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

The collaboration, done as part of a partnership with Powerade, led to 20-year-old James attending the race in Tennessee.

The presence of the NBA in NASCAR

LeBron’s presence at FireKeepers Casino 400 is a reminder that the worlds of NBA and NASCAR have been intertwined for some time now.

The most notable example of this is Michael Jordan.

In 2020, Jordan with Denny Hamlin founded 23XI Racing, an organization that includes the #23 Bubba Wallace and Kurt Busch’s #45.

While Jordan now has the largest ownership presence to date, former NASCAR first-drafter Brad Dougherty has long been a broadcaster and former team owner.

Other NBA stars who have appeared in NASCAR racing include Magic Johnson, Yao Ming, Dirk Nowitzki and Shaquille O’Neal.

NASCAR Cup Series 2022 Schedule

Date a race a path time (Eastern time) TV channel radio
August 7 FireKeepers Casino 400 Michigan International Highway 15:00 United States of America MRN
August 14 united auto parts 400 Richmond Raceway 15:00 United States of America MRN
August 21 Go bowling at the glen Watkins Glen International 15:00 United States of America MRN
August 27 Coca-Cola Zero Sugar 400 Daytona International Speedway 7 pm NBC MRN

NASCAR 2022 Schedule: Playoff Races

(all times east)

Date a race a path time (Eastern time) TV channel radio
September 4 south 500 Darlington Racecourse 6 pm United States of America MRN
September 11 Hollywood Casino 400 Kansas Speedway 15:00 United States of America MRN
September 17 Bass Pro Shops Night Race Bristol Motor Speedway 7:30 PM United States of America PRN
September 25 AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 500 Texas Motor Speedway 3:30 pm United States of America PRN
October 2 Yalla Wood 500 Talladega Superspeedway 2 pm NBC MRN
October 9 Bank of America Roval 400 Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval 2 pm NBC PRN
October 16 South Point 400 Las Vegas Motor Speedway 2:30 pm NBC PRN
October 23 Dixie Vodka 400 Homestead – Miami Speedway 2:30 pm NBC MRN
October 30 Xfinity 500 Martinsville Speedway 2 pm NBC MRN
November 6 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Phoenix Racecourse 15:00 NBC MRN

In Canada, fans can watch all of the NASCAR races on TSN.

Leave a Comment