September 18, 2024
Nashville, Tennessee – Nick Sanchez will drive the #48 Big Machine Vodka SPIKED Coolers Chevrolet in the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series as announced today by Scott Borchetta, CEO/Owner of Big Machine Racing. The team also announced Gainbridge®, a Group 1001 company, as an associate sponsor on the #48 entry.
Sanchez, 23, of Miami, Florida joins Big Machine Racing from the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series where he has won twice this season, driving the No. 2 Gainbridge Chevy Silverado with Rev Racing. He is the 2022 ARCA Menards Series Champion and drove for Big Machine Racing in the same year, when he drove the #48 in six NASCAR Xfinity Series races.
“In 2022 we put Nick in our car for a handful of races and he was fast right out of the gate,” said Borchetta. “At Martinsville in particular, I watched him go full-on, elbows out, putting the car right where it needed to be, with no fear against the best-of-the-best in the series. Since then, he’s done a fantastic job in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and I know that he and Crew Chief Patrick Donahue and the entire Big Machine Racing Team are going to be a force to be reckoned with in 2025.”
Gainbridge® is an innovative digital platform offering direct access to trusted financial products to grow savings. Gainbridge® invests in sports sponsorships, including motorsports, as a vehicle for brand growth. “Gainbridge is excited for Nick and will continue to support him as he advances through the ranks of NASCAR,” said Group 1001 President and CEO Dan Towriss. “We are looking forward to following him during this year’s Craftsman Truck Series playoffs with Rev Racing and next year’s Xfinity Series with the Big Machine Racing family.”
“I couldn’t be more excited to join Big Machine Racing with Chevrolet next year in the Xfinity Series, commented Sanchez.” “I’m grateful to get the opportunity to work with Scott Borchetta, Patrick Donahue, and the whole Big Machine team next year. This amazing opportunity would not be possible without Big Machine Records, Big Machine Vodka SPIKED Coolers, Chevrolet, Gainbridge, the NASCAR Diversity program, Rev Racing, Bono, and everyone at Spire, who made this dream a reality. As a driver, I feel that I’m ready to move to the next level and I look forward to competing for wins and ultimately a championship next year driving the #48 for Big Machine Racing!”
Big Machine Racing joined the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2021 and scored their first win in just their second season. Led by Crew Chief, Patrick Donahue, the Big Machine team made the playoffs in 2023 and have a very good chance to lock in 2024 playoffs spot this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway. The race will air live on the CW at 7pm eastern. The team is currently 10th in points and ninth in driver points with Parker Kligerman who recently announced his departure from full-time racing.
Borchetta commented on Kligerman’s achievements, “I am so grateful to Parker Kligerman for coming to Big Machine Racing for the 2023 and 2024 seasons. He was the perfect driver at just the right time to help us go to the next level in the Xfinity Series. His smarts as a race driver have been on display since his first race with us. He’s simply a very fast driver that makes very few mistakes and unforced errors. His ability to bring home race cars with all four corners intact while battling door to door is absolutely top percentile in the series, which is fully on display with him on the eve of clinching our second consecutive playoff appearance. He and the team are determined to go as far as we possibly can in the play-offs and, who knows, maybe we’ll cap this off at the finale in Phoenix! I have nothing but great things to say about Parker and I hope that our relationship continues at the highest level as he navigates his next career moves. He will always be a Big Machine Driver.”