Smithfield Commemorates Its Inaugural Season with Stewart-Haas Racing By Rewarding Fans with Premium Prizes

SMITHFIELD, Va., Feb. 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

Smithfield kicked off its 10-day “Road to Daytona” celebration today, commemorating Aric Almirola’s new role as the driver of the No. 10 Smithfield Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR).

Smithfield^® kicked off its 10-day “Road to Daytona” celebration today, commemorating Aric Almirola’s new role as the driver of the No. 10 Smithfield Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR). As Almirola fuels up his car for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at the Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, Smithfield will reward fans on and off the track with fun surprises and driver appearances along the way.

Almirola will host a pep rally with students at Pierce Middle School in Tampa on Tuesday, Feb. 13, where he will get them excited for race weekend at Daytona. He will storytell about his journey, race against the principal, and show off the Harley J. Earl trophy that will be presented to the winner of this year’s Daytona 500.

“This is my seventh full season in the NASCAR Cup Series, but I’ve never been more ready to go to Daytona and get in my Smithfield Ford,” Almirola said. “I’m so fired up about this opportunity with Stewart-Haas Racing and Smithfield where we can perform at a high level every week. To be able to get out into the community and say thanks to fans and celebrate with them through Smithfield’s Road to Daytona program makes it even more special.”

In addition to rewarding fans, Almirola will also join Smithfield to give back to the local community on his Road to Daytona. On Friday, Feb. 16, Almirola, along with SHR co-owner and three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart, will join Smithfield and Winn-Dixie to donate over 40,000 pounds of protein to Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida in Daytona Beach as the second stop of Smithfield Foods’ 2018 Helping Hungry Homes^® donation tour. As an additional way to say thank you to the local Daytona community, fans will get the chance to race against Almirola and Stewart in realistic racing simulators following the donation event to see if they have what it takes to defeat the pros. The first 10 fans to beat the drivers’ times will walk away with bragging rights and premium prizes.

Back at the track in Daytona, fans can visit the Smithfield booth in the midway for free samples, a chance to spin the prize wheel, and more race weekend fun. Live and on the airways, Sirius XM hosted by Marty Smith will broadcast live from the Smithfield booth on Thursday afternoon. On Sunday, Almirola and Stewart will have a question-and-answer session before the big Daytona 500 race. Lucky fans in the campground can also be on the lookout for additional giveaways and samples of Smithfield race-day bites hand-delivered from some surprise guests.

“Smithfield’s racing program has been a source of pride for us over the years, and we can’t wait to continue our support of Aric this season,” said Tim Zimmer, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Smithfield Foods’ packaged meats division. “Through our Road to Daytona program, we look forward to connecting with all the race fans who share in our enthusiasm.”

For those who can’t make it to Daytona, Smithfield will share behind-the-scenes racing action and more chances to win on social media. Fans can follow Smithfield on Facebook (@CookingwithSmithfield) and Twitter and Instagram (@SmithfieldBrand), and check out the #SmithfieldRacing hashtag to get in on the fun.

For more information and race-day recipe inspiration, visit www.Smithfield.com.

Smithfield is a brand of Smithfield Foods.

About Smithfield
A leading provider of high-quality pork products, Smithfield was founded in 1936 in Smithfield, Virginia, establishing the town as the “Ham Capital of the World.” From hand-trimmed bacon and slow-smoked holiday hams to marinated tenderloins, Smithfield brings artistry, authenticity and a commitment to heritage, flavor, and handcrafted excellence to everything it produces. With a vast product portfolio including smoked meats, hams, bacon, sausage, ribs, and a wide variety of fresh pork cuts, the company services retail, foodservice, and deli channels across the United States and 30 countries abroad. All of Smithfield’s products meet the highest quality and safety standards in the industry.  To learn more about how Flavor Hails from Smithfield, please visit www.Smithfield.com, www.Twitter.com/SmithfieldBrand, and www.Facebook.com/CookingWithSmithfield. Smithfield is a brand of Smithfield Foods.

About Smithfield Foods
Smithfield Foods is a $15 billion global food company and the world's largest pork processor and hog producer. In the United States, the company is also the leader in numerous packaged meats categories with popular brands including Smithfield^®, Eckrich^®, Nathan's Famous^®, Farmland^®, Armour^®, Farmer John^®, Kretschmar^®, John Morrell^®, Cook's^®, Gwaltney^®, Carando^®, Margherita^®, Curly's^®, Healthy Ones^®, Morliny^®, Krakus^® and Berlinki^®. Smithfield Foods is committed to providing good food in a responsible way and maintains robust animal care, community involvement, employee safety, environmental and food safety and quality programs. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com.

About Stewart-Haas Racing
Stewart-Haas Racing is the title-winning NASCAR team co-owned by three-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart and Gene Haas, founder of Haas Automation – the largest CNC machine tool builder in North America. The organization fields four entries in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series – the No. 4 Ford Fusion for Kevin Harvick, the No. 10 Ford Fusion for Aric Almirola, the No. 14 Ford Fusion for Clint Bowyer and the No. 41 Ford Fusion for Kurt Busch. The team also competes in the NASCAR XFINITY Series by fielding a full-time entry – the No. 00 Ford Mustang for Cole Custer – and one part-time entry – the No. 98 Ford Mustang. Based in Kannapolis, North Carolina, Stewart-Haas Racing operates out of a 200,000-square-foot facility with nearly 370 employees. For more information, please visit us online at www.StewartHaasRacing.com, on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/StewartHaasRacing, on Twitter @StewartHaasRcng and on Instagram @StewartHaasRacing.

Media Contact:

Hunter PR for Smithfield Michael Bernardini (212) 679-6600 mbernardini@hunterpr.com	True Speed Communication for Stewart-Haas Racing Lauren Emling (704) 885-4267 Lauren.Emling@TrueSpeedCommunication.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/40a5eecb-c6fd-40ce-9386-924d1932929d