Cargill Beef has renewed its agreement with Roush Fenway Racing as the primary sponsor of the team's No. 6 Ford Mustang driven by defending NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Stenhouse, 24, is a native of Olive Branch, Miss. He will drive the Cargill Beef Mustang for 12 races in the series during the 2012 season that began in late February, with multiple brands represented on the car during the season.

The first 2012 Nationwide Series race in which Cargill Beef is the primary sponsor was at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tenn., on March 17, with the remaining racing dates to be set by the end of March.

Cargill Beef Renews NASCAR Sponsorship

"We are delighted to once again be sponsoring Ricky coming off an exciting and spectacular 2011 season in which he won the NASCAR Nationwide Series championship at Homestead, Fla., while driving the Blackwell Angus Beef Roush Ford Mustang in the final race of the season," said Tammy Shaw, Cargill Beef vice president of marketing and sales.  "The enthusiasm we experienced from our customers, employees and race fans confirmed that high quality beef products and NASCAR racing fit well together.  This is a win for everyone involved and we're looking forward to another terrific season of racing."

"We are very pleased to have Cargill back on Ricky's Ford," said team owner Jack Roush.  "They have been a part of the program for the past two seasons, taking a chance on a young driver two years ago and having the opportunity to celebrate a championship with Ricky last season.  We are certainly happy to continue this relationship as we see Ricky's career continue to grow and his potential further realized."

"Ricky has been an excellent spokesperson for Cargill Beef and we are very pleased with how well Roush Fenway Racing skillfully collaborates with sponsors to maximize the value of the return on their racing investment," said Shaw.  "As research shows, NASCAR fans are fiercely brand loyal and support companies whose names and logos appear on car hoods.  We are leveraging our racing sponsorship to drive brand buzz and excitement with our retail and foodservice customers who can use it as a point of differentiation to increase beef sales.  Whether grilling beef at home or tailgating at the track, beef is a perfect choice for NASCAR racing fans everywhere and we aim to make Cargill Beef products their first choice."

"I am thrilled to have Cargill back as a sponsor on our No. 6 Ford Mustang," stated Stenhouse.  "They have been great partners of our entire Roush Fenway organization. They supported me and the No. 6 team last year as we contended for the championship, and I look forward to continuing our partnership and winning another championship for them."

The 2012 NASCAR racing season marks the third consecutive year Cargill is a primary sponsor with Roush Fenway Racing and with Stenhouse as the driver.  Prior to winning the 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series championship, in 2010 Stenhouse was rookie of the year in that same series.