Everyone is anxious to put 2020 behind and build a better 2021. With racing on full go, industry companies and race teams are doing what they do best – pressing forward despite all obstacles. Will Smith Motorsports and Hirata Motorsports lost little lustre in 2020 and are preparing for their best season yet.
Will Smith Motorsports welcomes new partners Asphalt Consultants, Inc. and NutScentz, LLC for 2021. “We’re expecting a great year,” said Smith, driver of the Hirata Motorsports TAD. “I’m thrilled to have Asphalt Consultants and NutScentz on board. They are great companies who see the value in motorsports marketing. Now more than ever, it’s important for companies to have a platform they can trust. The Smith/Hirata team and NHRA are just that. We understand what companies may have lost in 2020 and how to move forward in 2021.”
Asphalt Consultants is a Tuscaloosa, AL. based company founded in 1994. It is a prominent emulsion and asphalt supplier for leading pavers across the southeast. They use only state-of-the-art equipment to deliver outstanding results.
“Machine application and paint sprayed striping with economical pricing makes our company unique in its field,” said owner Danny Gelwix. “Estimates and consultations are free so there’s no reason not to utilize our expertise. We only use asphalt based products for seal coating which contains no carcinogens, unlike Coal Tar which is very toxic and dangerous to not only the people that work with it but also anyone that comes in contact with it for the life of the product. We use asphalt based sealcoating because we care about our employees, the environment, and our clients.
“Partnering with Will is a good fit for us. We see the value he and the Hirata team bring to their sponsors. We’re excited for 2021.”
NutScentz’s owner Rob Paparo and Smith were introduced last year and quickly hit it off, the relationship developing into a sponsorship for 2021.
“It’s a lifetime dream to be involved with the NHRA and sponsor on this level,” began Paparo. “Will has been unbelievable. He’s got a lot of marketing ideas that we’re already working on. He’s developing his own scent, and we added a mullet to our mascot Wally to showcase on the dragster. Small companies like ours are still recovering from 2020, but we’re excited and ready for anything. We were at Gainesville last year when it got shut down, so we’re ready to see a good event there this year.”
NutScentz is currently offering a Valentine’s Day sale through the month of February. Get 15% off their aloe-based ball soap using code kiss15 for all orders over $15.
Hirata Motorsports begins their season March 4-6 for the Gainesville regional event and the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals the following week. The Hirata dragster will have a new look for 2021. Just as the previous “ode to Top Fuel dragsters of the past” scheme was a one-of-a-kind hit wherever they went, you can count on Smith and Hirata to deliver a head-turning look.
“We believe that as rough as 2020 was, 2021 can be the flip side of that. We’re ready to make it an amazing year for our team and all our sponsors,” Smith continued. “This new look is going to be perfect for our team, who is anything but run of the mill. I can’t wait to get to Gainesville and kick off this season.”
This story was originally published on February 9, 2021. 
