NASCAR blocked driver Brandon Brown from including the vulgar “Let’s Go Brandon’’ meme on his 68 Chevrolet Camaro, but Brown and the cryptocurrency coin inspired by the anti-Biden slogan are moving forward with a sponsorship deal.
The two-year pact will include non-NASCAR sanctioned publicity events, videos, crypto conferences, and other events but not car decals, according to a press release issued Saturday by LGBcoin.io, the cryptocurrency company.
“I’m working to achieve my own American dream,” Brown said, according to the press release. “I’m humbled and thankful for LGBcoin.io’s reaffirmed support for my professional journey and their commitment to maintain a patriotic message. LGBcoin.io has already demonstrated incredible potential and I’m excited to help build this brand through the 2022 season and beyond.”
Brown, 28, had previously said he has no interest in political statements and that the coded, offensive “Let’s Go Brandon’’ meme had hurt his chances to find corporate sponsors.
“I have zero desire to be involved in politics,” he said in a New York Times story published Dec. 19.
In an opinion piece published in Newsweek magazine Dec. 20, Brown wrote, “I have no interest in leading some political fight. I race cars. I am not going to endorse anyone, and I am certainly not going to tell anyone how to vote.”
LGB stands for “Let’s Go Brandon," an offensive anti-Biden saying that originated when a reporter misinterpreted a chant they thought was supporting Brown after he won his first career Xfinity race in October at Talladega Superspeedway.
On Dec. 30, Brown's team at Brandonbilt Motorsports announced the agreement with the cryptocurrency company and released photos and videos showing "LGBcoin.io" and said it had written approval from NASCAR. But on Wednesday, Brown’s team announced NASCAR has blocked the deal.
Four days later, Brown and LGBcoin.io announced what they called an “expanded’’ sponsorship deal for Brown’s Brandonbilt Motorsports for the 2022 Xfinity Series season and beyond.
NASCAR did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
LGBcoin.io indicated it already has capitalized on the publicity over Brown’s relationship with the cryptocurrency story.
“The original sponsorship announcement...had the highest single-day viewership and media reach of any crypto project in industry history,’’ according to the press release, which also asserted that thousands of new coin holders were added during the 24-hour period.
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