ADAIRSVILLE, Ga. — Series officials with Crate Racin’ USA are proud to announce a new affiliation with Sweet Victory Apparel Co. that will make the Genna Gentry-owned company the official souvenir vendor for the Adairsville, Ga-based sanctioning body for the 2021 racing season.
Gentry’s brand new trailer will be on hand at many events on the Newsome Raceway Parts-sponsored Crate Racin’ USA Dirt Late Model Series schedule, which was released in early December as a 22-event season but will likely grow by a few more dates before the season-opening Rumble on the Gumbo takes place April 9-10 at Greenville (Miss.) Speedway. She will also have the trailer on hand at several of the remaining Winter Series Shootout events.
A brand new Crate Racin’ USA T-shirt has been designed, along with several different cap styles. T-shirts will be $25, and hats will sell for the same price, and more products are coming in the future. Stainless steel tumblers, coffee cups, keychains and other unique items which carry the series logo will also be available soon.
“We are very pleased to have contracted with Sweet Victory Apparel Co. to represent our organization at many of our events,” series director Adam Stewart said. “There is a tremendous opportunity to better market our series and drivers to racing fans across the country with an improved souvenir program, which in turn benefits our sponsors, tracks and drivers with increased attention. We hope to provide a better connection between fans and drivers that will help continue to grow the national awareness of our organization.”
Gentry’s trailer will be on hand Feb. 4-6 as the Newsome Raceway Parts-sponsored Crate Racin’ USA Dirt Late Model Series continues its Winter Shootout Series with an appearance at East Bay Raceway Park in Gibsonton, Fla. Three separate races will be held during that weekend, preceded by a practice session slated Wed., Feb. 3.
Now 17 years old, Gentry started her business career as a very young entrepreneur, opening an online boutique store at age 14 that has gradually evolved and become successful over the past three years.
“It was always a dream of mine to have a boutique-type store, and my parents said, “Why wait until you’re older?” Gentry said. “Just do it now. That’s how we got started, and we basically did it mostly via Facebook and Instagram. I’d advertise and organize online shows to sell the clothing, and it just started to grow from there. It’s been about three years now.”
Bolstered by a racing family that has been involved in the sport for many years, Gentry then established Sweet Victory Apparel Co. approximately a year ago, which is concentrating on the motorsports market providing casual clothing, hats and other items tailored to race teams and touring series. The company can also work with non racing-related businesses. Access www.shopsweetvictory.com for additional information about the company’s products and souvenir-related items.
“We grew to a point where we wanted to start a racing apparel brand,” Gentry said. “There’s a superstition-type thing where drivers don’t like to wear their own T-shirts when they’re at the track, and everyone was always telling me they had nothing to wear except T-shirts from other drivers, so it struck me to establish a brand that people could identify with and wear at the racetrack. That’s what Sweet Victory Apparel Co. has been all about, but now it’s becoming a company that can provide the same items for race teams and drivers.”
Sweet Victory is currently working closely with young Martinsville, Ind., driver Hudson O’Neal's souvenir sales program, and the new alliance with Crate Racin’ USA gives the company an even stronger presence in the industry as Gentry continues to guide her burgeoning company into the future.
“We’ve only been established for about a year, and it’s been growing steadily for us,” Gentry said. “It’s a great opportunity for us to be involved with Crate Racin’ USA, and I’m really glad to have this come together. Adam {Stewart] needed someone to help with his T-shirts, hats and souvenirs, and it’s also going to be great exposure for our company. It’s something they needed, and something we needed, and I believe it’s going to work out well for both."
Sweet Victory’s presence at many events gives the Adairsville, Ga-based sanctioning body a chance to reestablish a souvenir sales program that once flourished for the company.
“This return and gradual expansion of our souvenir program is a new development that has us really excited, and we look forward to having our fans checking out some new merchandise at East Bay Raceway Park,” Stewart said. “Genna [Gentry] has already proven that she’s a smart, young businesswoman, she is always very polite and genuine with her customers so we know she will represent our company well, and we are looking forward to working closely with her as we continue to develop our souvenir line of products.”