Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, Daniel Suarez, Trackhouse Racing Partner For Nashville Race

/in /by

Daniel Suarez’s No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevy Camaro in the Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge design for the June 20 Ally 400.

Legendary honky tonk Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge will be sponsoring Daniel Suarez‘s No. 99 Chevrolet Camaro for Sunday’s Ally 400 Nascar Cup Series race at Nashville Superspeedway.

Trackhouse Entertainment Group founder Justin Marks chose Nashville as the headquarters for his burgeoning sports and entertainment enterprise to marry the cultures of music and motorsports. Marks called it an honor to represent a country music institution that is world famous for launching hundreds of musician’s careers.

“Nothing is more quintessential Nashville than Tootsie’s,” he shares. “When I saw Nashville on the Cup Series schedule last year, my first thought was to find a way to represent this amazing city in a big way. It is very important to me that Trackhouse become a recognized part of the Nashville community, as a professional sports team, as good citizens, and as vocal ambassadors for the region.”

Tootsie’s has operated across the alley from the Ryman Auditorium almost continuously since 1960. Its proprietor from 1960 to 1978, Hattie Louise “Tootsie” Bess, bought the lounge called “Mom’s” and named it for herself. It is now owned by Steve Smith who was very excited for this partnership with Marks.

“We love a big party and having Nascar in Nashville is worth celebrating,” says Smith. “Country music fans and racing fans are one and the same. We are very excited to host these passionate fans and be a part of such a historic event.”

Suarez’s No. 99 car will be painted in the iconic pink and orchid purple with the flower on both the side of the car as well as the hood. Suárez, a native of Monterrey, Mexico, won the Xfinity Series title in 2016, becoming the only foreign-born national series champion in Nascar history. With the first-year Trackhouse team, Suárez has posted two top-10’s and led 74 laps overall in 2021.

“I know much more about country music in Mexico than I do about country music in the United States, but my crew chief, Travis Mack and I are going to Nashville early in the week to experience Tootsie’s for ourselves,” says Suárez whose driver uniform will incorporate Tootsie’s logos.“Tootsie’s has meant so much to so many young artists and I am so very thankful Tootsie’s is supporting our young team, as well.”

The sold-out Ally 400 is set for Sunday, June 20) at 2:30 p.m. CST and will air on NBCSN. This will be the first Nascar cup series race to take place in Nashville in 37 years.

Steven Boero
Latest posts by Steven Boero (see all)