Fanatics Casino to sponsor J.J. Yeley card during Firekeepers Casino 400 NASCAR race

For the second straight year, Fanatics Betting and Gaming will be a primary sponsor of a driver at a NASCAR Cup Series event. Courtesy of a partnership with New York Racing Team, Fanatics will have its logo on the No. 44 Chevrolet of driver J.J. Yeley – with Fanatics Casino sponsoring Yeley during Sunday's FireKeepers Casino 400 and Fanatics Sportsbook taking over a month later at Chicagoland Speedway.

Broadcast live on Prime Video, the FireKeepers Casino 400 will be the first race of June, with an expected start time of 3 p.m. ET at Michigan International Speedway. 

While last year's winner Denny Hamlin – who is tied for the most FireKeepers victories (3) among active drivers – and NASCAR Cup Series leader Tyler Reddick are favored to win, Fanatics will have its eyes on the No. 44 Chevrolet.

The operator's sports betting platform has sponsored the team before, but Sunday will be the first for the online casino side, which new users can discover by signing up with the Fanatics Casino promo code. Yeley's card will be adorned in a black-and-white paint scheme and the signature logo of the real money online casino on the hood and sides of the Chevrolet.

Fanatics won't just have a presence on the track, but it will also be a highlight of NASCAR Victory Lane throughout race weekend thanks to an officially licensed slot experience from 916 Gaming.

As noted, this will be the second consecutive year that Fanatics will sponsor a NASCAR driver in the Great Lakes State, but the first time it does so with its Michigan online casino brand.

Fanatics will use its sports betting platform as the primary sponsor for Yeley's Chevrolet at Chicagoland Speedway on July 5.

"We're excited to show up in a state where Fanatics Casino is live," Michael Afflick, vice president of casino brand marketing at Fanatics, said in a statement, "giving customers a memorable and rewarding race-weekend experience, and capturing behind-the-scenes content that brings fans closer to the car, the driver and the energy of NASCAR."

Added New York Racing Team owner John Cohen: "Fanatics understands today's sports fan better than anyone, and NASCAR provides an incredible platform to connect with passionate audiences across the country. Having Fanatics Casino on the No. 44 Chevrolet at Michigan and Fanatics Sportsbook at Chicagoland is a major opportunity for our team, and we're proud to represent their brand on race day."

A Fanatics Casino car sponsorship for a race in Michigan feels fitting, especially after the industry produced a record-setting $322.1 million in March, followed by another $303.4 million in April. Fanatics has consistently been on the upper half of leading revenue-generators from casino games online, more recently driving over $20.2 million in April revenue.

Grant Lucas