The NASCAR Xfinity Series will welcome two newcomers this season – a new team with a rookie driver. Jade Buford will drive the No. 48 Chevrolet for Big Machine Racing Team. The team is owned by Scott Borchetta, the president, CEO, and founder of the powerhouse independent record label Big Machine Label Group.
The team will run full-time and it has purchased the No. 93 owners’ points from last year. The No. 93 finished 32nd in the owners’ championship standings last year.
“I’ve always been involved in racing, it’s a part of my DNA,” Borchetta said in a press release. “Whether as a competitor, a fan or a sponsor, racing is a constant in my life and is a part of our Big Machine culture. The formation of the Big Machine Racing team only broadens the integration opportunities for our recording artists and the sport.”
Borhcetta’s company Big Machine Vodka has been the title sponsor for the NASCAR Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2019 and 2020. Borchetta has also started racing himself in Trans-Am competition.
Patrick Donahue will serve as the crew chief. He comes to the team after spending last season working at SS-Green Light Racing.
“The opportunity to partner with Scott and all things Big Machine is one that I just could not pass up,” Donahue added. “He’s driven to succeed in everything he does and I have no doubt that with our hard work ethic and determination, we will find our way to the front.”
“I’m thrilled and honored to pilot the Big Machine Xfinity Chevrolet Camaro in 2021,” Buford said. “I’ve dreamed of being in the NASCAR Series and I intend to make the absolute most of this opportunity. I know it’s a steep learning curve, and we face great challenges, but I have the utmost confidence in what we’re building and I just can’t wait to get to Daytona!”
Buford competed in four Xfinity Series races last year, all on road courses with backing from Big Machine Vodka and Big Machine Hand Sanitizer. He finished eighth in the wet at Charlotte Motor Speedway’s ROVAL in October.
About the author
Mark Kristl joined Frontstretch at the beginning of the 2019 NASCAR season. He is the site's ARCA Menards Series editor. Kristl is also an Eagle Scout and a proud University of Dayton alum.
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