CONCORD, N.C. — In the heart of Carolina Panthers country, in a NASCAR garage filled with fans of the Charlotte-based NFL team who should recognize its most well-known player, Christian McCaffrey, the star running back strolled through the garage inside Charlotte Motor Speedway virtually invisible a few hours before Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600. No, McCaffrey wasn’t wearing a disguise. At that moment he just happened to be in the same vicinity as Armando Pérez, more commonly known as Pitbull, and the international music star was turning heads and capturing the attention of anyone he walked past.
Advertisem*nt
No offense to McCaffrey, heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury and other dignitaries in attendance on Sunday, but it was clear Pitbull’s celebrity was in a stratosphere of its own. Although, unlike many celebrities whose arrival in a NASCAR garage often coincides with a film, TV show, album or something else to promote (sort of like a pit stop on a late-night talk show), Pitbull was there because he chose to be. He wants to be.
“I love it,” Pitbull said. “It’s good to be out here. It’s good to see how cars can bring people together like music can.”
As a partner in the Trackhouse Racing Team owned by Justin Marks, Sunday was the first time Pitbull could be inside the garage since the partnership was formed in January. NASCAR’s COVID-19 protocols prohibited him from being in the garage at the Daytona 500 and a few weeks later at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the other two races he’s attended this year. (He served as the Daytona 500 grand marshal but gave the command via video.)
But as the pandemic has slowed within the United States and vaccinations have become more prevalent, NASCAR has loosened its restrictions and begun to allow nonessential personnel within its garage. With the opportunity now presenting itself for Pitbull to get an up-close view, “Mr. Worldwide” was on site to spend time with Trackhouse inside their environment.
That desire to be at the track with Trackhouse was on full display from the time Pitbull first showed up in the garage until he departed the pit box at Lap 50 to make his way to a suite.
Roughly two hours before the green flag waved, Pitbull stood outside the Trackhouse hauler holding court with Marks, driver Daniel Suarez, Trackhouse president Ty Norris, sponsor reps and various crew members.
“Look at him, he brings so much energy and positivity,” Suarez said. “He’s having so much fun.”
Advertisem*nt
For many Trackhouse members, Sunday wasn’t their first time meeting Pitbull. Trackhouse had a team dinner prior to the Daytona 500 and a co*cktail reception Saturday night at a downtown Charlotte hotel. In February, Marks, Suarez, crew chief Travis Mack and NASCAR president Steve Phelps visited the Sports Leadership and Management Academy (SLAM) charter school Pitbull founded in the Little Havana neighborhood of Miami.
These interactions have created a lasting impression. Team members described Armando — at his insistence, everyone calls him by his given name rather than his stage name —as affable and engaging, not at all someone with an ego befitting the “Mr. Worldwide” moniker.
“He makes you feel like you’ve known him for years, like he’s your best friend,” Mack said. “He’s a great, great guy.”
Also standing outside the hauler was famed motivational speaker Tony Robbins. Growing up in a drug-riddled area of Miami, Pitbull’s mother used to play Robbins’ motivational tapes as she drove her son around, with the hope it would inspire him to strive for success. Pitbull credits Robbins’ lessons for helping him become a global icon and over the years the two have developed a friendship.
At Pitbull’s urging, Robbins was making his first visit to a NASCAR race and is interested in investing in Trackhouse, intrigued by both the business opportunities and ways to give back through social programs Trackhouse is committed to aiding, like SLAM.
Robbins’ presence illustrates how Trackhouse and Pitbull want to leverage Pitbull’s star power to generate additional marketing and sponsorship opportunities designed to push the team’s trajectory upward. And though the relationship is still in its infancy, the benefits have already begun to materialize, according to Marks.
“As (Armando) starts learning more about the sport and learning more about what Trackhouse is, he starts to open up his book a little bit,” Marks said. “He brought Tony Robbins down this weekend, who’s somebody that would be wonderful to be involved in this team — I think he’s kind of just kicking the tires, seeing what we’re all about. It’s about the network and the connections.
Advertisem*nt
“Armando’s such a big supporter of ours. … And so as he starts to promote what we’re doing and starts to really go into his network and tell people about what we’re all about, it’s only going to help this.”
The conference outside the hauler broke up and Pitbull headed to pit road, where he’d been asked to give a hype speech to be televised during Fox’s prerace broadcast. Not surprisingly, for someone whose essence is energy and infectious optimism, Pitbull smashed the first attempt. But wanting to make sure they had a suitable backup, producers asked for a second take.
. @pitbull pumps up Trackhouse Racing on pit road prior to today's NASCAR race. pic.twitter.com/D0et1xBOyM
See AlsoWhat States Allow Pit Bulls?— Jordan Bianchi (@Jordan_Bianchi) May 30, 2021
Next came a look at Suarez’s No. 99 Chevrolet. A quizzical Pitbull peppered Mack with questions about the ride height, and how the wheel well looked close to rubbing against the tire, and how putting tape on the grille can impact handling. A NASCAR official meandered over and gave Pitbull good-natured ribbing about touching the nose of the car, something not allowed, eliciting a belly laugh from Pitbull, who then introduced himself.
Whoops. Pitbull taps the No. 99’s right front with his foot, which would draw some attention from a NASCAR official. (Jordan Bianchi / For The Athletic)
After inspecting the car, Pitbull exited pit road and the garage for a short respite, crossing paths with McCaffrey as he departed.
At 5:45 p.m. ET, Pitbull returned, and again he was greeted with an overwhelmingly positive reaction by those who saw him step onto pit road. It coincidently came at the exact moment during driver intros when Kyle Busch’s name was called, causing the grandstands to lob reverberating boos down upon him. That one person is so disliked while another appears beloved is a distinct juxtaposition.
Here now is where Pitbull’s appeal becomes even more obvious.
Because it was Pitbull’s first opportunity to meet many in the NASCAR industry, Marks made it a point to introduce him and Robbins to several folks standing on the grid. First up was polesitter (and eventual race winner) Kyle Larson and Rick Hendrick, NASCAR’s most successful team owner.
Advertisem*nt
“I just told him it was neat to have him in the sport, that we’re glad to have him and they’ve done a great job,” Hendrick said. “It’s fun to meet these kinds of folks and I’m glad they like our sport.”
During this conversation, you could see the lightbulb go off above Robbins’ head when he realized something. Although he and Hendrick had never met, Hendrick had helped Robbins’ party secure a helicopter so they could get in and out of the track, and once Robbins made the connection he graciously thanked the team owner.
“He didn’t know that was my helicopter when he started talking to me,” Hendrick said. “Then somebody said, ‘Well, he’s the guy that gave you the helicopter to get in here.’ Then it was a different conversation. … He said I could come to his resort. But it’s in Fiji, I think.”
Similar meet-and-greets occurred with Chase Elliott, Martin Truex Jr., track owner Marcus Smith and various sponsor reps. Austin Dillon explained to Pitbull and Robbins how his team, Richard Childress Racing, and Trackhouse have an alliance that effectively makes Dillon and Suarez teammates. Throughout these conversations Pitbull and Robbins asked about NASCAR’s inner workings. Marks introduced Corey LaJoie by saying he’s a “throwback” and the son of a two-time Xfinity Series champion; LaJoie responded by thanking Pitbull for his involvement in NASCAR. And there was no shortage of people stopping Pitbull for photos, whether they were drivers, sponsors, security, members of the military or NASCAR officials.
A two-hour whirlwind, filled with handshakes, smiles, developing partnerships and groundwork that potentially will help Trackhouse grow into a winning organization, must conclude. There was a race to be run and everyone on the grid dispersed. Pitbull and Robbins climbed atop the Trackhouse pit box and settled in behind Mack and Marks; the social and business components of NASCAR take a backseat to the competition side.
If you would’ve asked Marks a year ago if he could imagine being a NASCAR team owner who spent the afternoon hobnobbing with Pitbull, who just so happens to be a partner in the team, Marks wouldn’t have believed it. Yet now it’s very much a reality.
“I’m here for it,” he said. “I’m here for the ride.”
And so too is Pitbull.
(Top photo: David Rosenblum / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Jordan Bianchi is a motorsports reporter for The Athletic. He is a veteran sports reporter, having covered the NBA, NFL, Major League Baseball, college basketball, college football, NASCAR, IndyCar and sports business for several outlets. Follow Jordan on Twitter @jordan_bianchi
