Starting a NASCAR Cup Series team is never simple. The majority of initiatives stop because they run out of funding, are unable to obtain the necessary equipment, or can’t assemble the staff required to compete. However, none of those problems stood in the way of one aspirational company. Rather, an unforeseen sponsorship obstacle unrelated to racing itself wrecked its Cup Series goal.

Team Stange Racing’s NASCAR Cup Series dream cut short

“Our original plan was to run about eight Cup races in 2022. Getting the cars built. You know, it was the brand-new chassis that year. Getting the cars built, getting an engine deal. None of it was a problem. We had it all worked out; we had it all figured out. We had partnerships with, you know, people building the cars, getting our engines. That was not the issue whatsoever. We had good people. The problem was, the sponsor was not allowed.”

John Stange Jr. clarified that his team was well-prepared while reflecting on the unsuccessful NASCAR Cup Series attempt.

Stange clarified that a newly implemented filing requirement prevented Dignity Gold, the team’s main sponsor, from running advertisements in the United States. The corporation was unable to appear as a sponsor on the race vehicle since the paperwork was never finished.

“We landed a mining company called Dignity Gold,” Stange recalled. “They’re a wonderful sponsor. They stood by us back then, they’re still with us today.”

A blockchain development firm with headquarters in the United States, Dignity Gold, LLC (previously Dignity Corp.), links digital finance with the mining sector. Through DIGau, a security token backed by tangible assets like gold, silver, platinum, rare earth elements, and other precious metals, rather than fiat currency like the US Dollar, the firm offers alternative finance for investors.

Team Stange Racing thought the problem would be short-lived. Instead of ending the initiative right away, it waited to see if the regulatory issue could be fixed. Months passed, but nothing changed. The group eventually came to terms with the fact that its initial strategy would not work out.

He clarified that it’s not as easy as placing a sticker on a car and driving to the racetrack to participate in Cup racing. Long-term preparation and a significant financial investment are necessary. The team believed it would be wiser to consider other options rather than pressuring a NASCAR Cup Series debut because the sponsorship problem remained unresolved.

“It takes a lot of investment, you know, into a deal like that. There’s a lot of commitment, and we’re kind of weighing the options. Maybe let’s do something different along with the Cup program and so forth. And you know, we’ve been working on that, you know, really ever since,” Stange concluded.

Hopefully, this isn’t the end of the story. If the right opportunity comes along, Team Stange Racing could still find its way onto the NASCAR Cup Series grid in the future.