WHEELING, WV- The Wheeling Nailers, proud ECHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins, are teaming up with NASCAR race car driver Garrett Smithley during Saturday's Pocono Green 250.
Smithley, 25, is a native of Ligonier, Pennsylvania, and is a big fan of the Pittsburgh Penguins organization. Garrett drives the number zero car in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, which in hockey terms, is equivalent to the American Hockey League. Saturday's Pocono Green 250 will take place at Pocono Raceway, which is less than 30 miles away from Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza - the home of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The race will be aired nationally on FOX, starting at 1:00. Smithley races for JD Motorsports with Gary Keller. Look for the Nailers logo on the side of Smithley's car.
"I'm very excited about representing the Nailers this weekend at Pocono Raceway in the NASCAR Xfinity Series," said Smithley. "Being a Pittsburgh native, I'm a big Pittsburgh sports fan, so naturally I thought it was pretty cool to work with the Nailers, especially given the Penguins run in the Stanley Cup Finals. I think it's a great way for some cross promotion in NASCAR and hockey, and I hope we have the opportunity to continue a relationship past this race!"
In addition to Saturday's race with Garrett Smithley, the Nailers have two other connections in the racing world. Tim Hall, who was a member of the 2015-16 team, is now in the Hendrick Motor Sports Pit Crew Development program. Also, three-year Nailer Adam Krause's wife's cousin, Chais Eliason, is an engineer with seven-time NASCAR Champion Jimmie Johnson's team.
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