ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hooters of America, LLC, and Chanticleer Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:HOTR), a franchisee of international Hooters locations, today announced Hooters is sponsoring Nelson Piquet, Jr.’s No. 30 Chevrolet Camaro in the NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) race at Chicagoland Speedway on Sept. 14. The No. 30 car sponsorship celebrates Hooters 30th anniversary year, honoring the iconic legacy of the brand and continued growth as one of the most successful dining destinations in the world.
The 27-year-old driver, who is competing in his first full season in the NNS for Turner Scott Motorsports, became the first Brazilian to win in one of NASCAR's top-three national touring series events when he took the checkered flag last year at Road America. Piquet Jr. went on to win two more races in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2012, while also earning the series’ Most Popular Driver and Most Improved Driver awards. Piquet Jr. is a former Formula One driver and is the son of three-time Formula One world champion, Nelson Piquet.
“With a talented driver like Piquet, Jr., his international presence and a venue like Chicagoland, Hooters is proud to represent the number 30 car as we celebrate our 30th birthday this fall,” said Dave Henninger, chief marketing officer, Hooters of America. “The sponsorship gives us a special opportunity to showcase the contemporary evolution of Hooters, while paying tribute to our rich history that includes a longstanding relationship within the sport of stock car racing.”
Part of the Hooters evolution is the expansion of the casual dining restaurant brand into international markets. Chanticleer Holdings, which secured exclusive rights to operate Hooters restaurants in parts of Brazil earlier this year, plans to announce its first Brazil location in the near future.
“Hooters is such an iconic brand and has a rich history in the sport of stock car racing,” Piquet Jr. said. “It’s truly an honor to celebrate Hooters’ first 30 years and also the brand’s growth in global markets like my home country of Brazil.”
The official No. 30 Hooters car design was first revealed to the NASCAR world today via Piquet, Jr.'s Twitter account @nelsonpiquet. After a series of Hooters clues, Piquet, Jr., unveiled the sleek design that will hit the racetrack in Chicago with the new, modern Hootie owl logo. The design is an intentional nod to the past, painted in the iconic Hooters orange and white color scheme and modeled to pay homage to the famous No. 7 car of the late NASCAR champion and Hooters-sponsored driver, Alan Kulwicki.
This year also marks 20 years since a tragic airplane accident took the lives of Kulwicki along with Hooters executives Mark Brooks, Dan Duncan and Charlie Campbell. Dedicated to preserving their memory, Hooters will host the 20th annual Hooters Memorial Cup Golf Tournament on Sept. 16, two days after the Chicagoland race, in Marietta, Ga. This special fundraising event has helped generate more than $8 million to-date for the Hooters Community Endowment Fund (HOO.C.E.F.), which contributes to many of Hooters philanthropic endeavors.
In November 1992, just months before the accident, one of Hooters fondest NASCAR memories occurred as Kulwicki took second place in the season-ending Hooters 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway to clinch the Winston Cup Championship by a mere 10 points, the closest margin in NASCAR history at the time. The race is often regarded as one of the best in NASCAR history, marking the final start in the career of legendary driver, Richard Petty, and series debut for future champion, Jeff Gordon.
To request interviews with Hooters, Piquet or to find photos of the Hooters No. 30 car, visit the Hooters newsroom at http://news.hooters.com.
About Hooters of America, LLC
Hooters of America, LLC is the franchisor and operator of more than 412 Hooters restaurants in 44 states and 27 foreign countries. The first Hooters opened in 1983 in Clearwater, Florida. Everyone is liberated from the ordinary at Hooters while enjoying great food, fun and uniquely-Hooters service from the iconic Hooters Girls. For more information about Hooters visit www.Hooters.com or follow us at www.twitter.com/Hooters or www.Facebook.com/Hooters.
About Chanticleer Holdings, Inc.
Chanticleer Holdings (HOTR) is focused on expanding the Hooters® casual dining restaurant brand in international emerging markets. Chanticleer currently owns in whole or part of the exclusive franchise rights to develop and operate Hooters restaurants in South Africa, Hungary and parts of Brazil, and has joint ventured with the current Hooters franchisee in Australia, while evaluating several additional international opportunities. The Company currently owns and operates in whole or part of six Hooters restaurants in its international franchise territories: Durban, Johannesburg, Cape Town and Emperor's Palace in South Africa; Campbelltown in Australia; and Budapest in Hungary.
In 2011, Chanticleer and a group of noteworthy private equity investors, which included H.I.G. Capital, KarpReilly, LLC and Kelly Hall, president of Texas Wings Inc., the largest Hooters franchisee in the United States, acquired Hooters of America, a privately held company. Today, Hooters of America is an operator and the franchisor of over 430 Hooters® restaurants in 28 countries. Chanticleer maintains a minority ownership stake in Hooters of America and its CEO, Mike Pruitt, is also a member of Hooters' Board of Directors.
For further information, please visit www.chanticleerholdings.com.
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