Veteran ARCA Racing Series and super late model driver Hal Martin, nicknamed the “Ragin’ Cajun” from his Louisiana roots, who earlier announced he will pilot a Toyota Camry in the TriStar Motorsports stable for three races during the 2012 NASCAR Nationwide Series season – announced his sponsor portfolio for Kansas Speedway today. The 26-year-old driver, competing for the NASCAR Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year honors in 2013, announced he will drive the No. 44 American Custom Yachts Toyota Camry in the Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway on October 20th. Also coming onboard are Louisiana-based forensic engineering firm US Forensic, as well as nonprofit Gulf coast advocacy group RestoreOrRetreat.org.
American Custom Yachts, Inc., one of the most prestigious custom yacht builders in the Southeastern United States, will be the primary sponsor for the duration of Martin’s 2012 NASCAR Nationwide efforts – Kansas Speedway; followed by the O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge at Texas Motor Speedway on November 3rd and the Ford EcoBoost 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The company builds and maintains several of the vessels that travel the waterways native to Martin – the Louisiana Bayou. Martin, an engineering graduate from the University of New Orleans, landed his first job at US Forensic as a young engineer and race car driver.
“NASCAR is truly an American tradition, and American Custom Yachts is proud to sponsor Hal Martin,” said Dominick LaCombe, President of American Custom Yachts. “We believe he’s one of the most promising up-and-coming drivers in the Nationwide Series.”
U.S. Forensic Managing Partner, Gary Bell, echoed the same enthusiasm, “When Hal approached us with the opportunity to support his racing career in NASCAR, we were excited to extend our assistance to a past member of the U.S. Forensic family. We enjoy the opportunity to live our dreams vicariously through Hal and his mechanical engineering /driving abilities. We’re really excited to see Hal driving that U.S. Forensic car at Kansas Speedway – and to watch one of Louisiana’s own continue on a great tradition of doing it on his own.”
Martin, a Gulf Coast native with a love of Louisiana’s precious coastal wildlife, felt passionate about supporting local nonprofit RestoreOrRetreat.org – an organization which advocates for the protection of mass estuary and waterway erosion in one of the busiest oil drilling and shipping-industry states in the union. Through a hashtag donation campaign #SaveLACoast and “Tag Along with a Louisiana Waterway” program on Martin’s car, he hopes to bring federal awareness to a Louisiana erosion crisis.
“Everyone onboard my Toyota Camry this season has meaning to me and my career, and that really drives me forward as I make my debut in the NASCAR Nationwide Series,” said Martin. “American Custom Yachts has supported me in my racing efforts since the first time I knocked on their door. Likewise, it says so much about US Forensic, as a company; to not only support me as a young engineer, but to support my continued efforts to race at the elite level in NASCAR. With RestoreOrRetreat.org, both the Barataria and Terrebonne estuaries flank my home parish of Lafourche – I grew up in those waters. We have to do something to stop the 80% erosion rate that is quickly destroying irreplaceable habitats for native Louisiana wildlife and ecosystems.”
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