That story is very familiar at Pilot. Great outcomes, whether on a racetrack or throughout our North American network of travel centers, never happen alone.

Bringing Pilot to Race Day 

Our partnership with NASCAR’s JR Motorsports and race car driver Sammy Smith puts Pilot front and center in NASCAR’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race season. There are 33 races in the O’Reilly Series, all broadcast on The CW Network, with an average of 1.1 million viewers per race, not to mention the thousands of fans who attend races in person.

At each race, Pilot’s brand appears on Smith’s car, creating national visibility to connect with fans coast-to-coast.

We even bring the NASCAR experience straight to our travel center guests. A recent meet-and-greet event was hosted at our Pilot in Lincoln, Alabama, where Smith connected with fans in person.

Sammy Smith, Rising NASCAR Star

Sammy Smith’s journey into racing started early. He first got behind the wheel of a go-kart at just eight years old. What began as a weekend activity alongside other sports quickly turned a pastime into a passion. Smith transitioned to an online school in sixth grade to allow flexibility to develop his racing career.

By his early teens, he progressed through racing Legend Cars and late models, eventually earning championships in the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) Menards Series East.

Today, Smith competes full-time in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, driving the #8 JR Motorsports Chevrolet. At just 22 years old, he’s already had standout achievements, including being the youngest winner in a Pilot-branded car and multiple series wins.

The People Behind the Performance

Ask Smith what it takes to win, and he won’t just talk about driving. He’ll champion the team of 25 men and women who make his performance possible. Behind every lap on the racetrack is a coordinated effort.

During each race, Smith is in communication with a spotter, who guides him from above the racetrack, and his pit crew chief, who helps him make split-second strategy calls. His pit crew executes critical adjustments in seconds, engineers fine-tune every detail of the car and his hauler driver works morning to night to make sure Smith’s car arrives at every race safely.

“Racing is more of a team sport than people realize,” Smith says. “Communication, leadership and how you treat people really matter to build a strong team.”

That idea reflects Pilot’s purpose of showing people they matter at every turn.

Teamwork at Every Mile

At Pilot, serving approximately 1.2 million guests each day requires a coordinated effort across North America. 30,000 team members work together to deliver on our mission to create exceptional experiences.

Team members at our travel centers create welcoming, reliable stops for drivers. Fuel and energy teams ensure that supply, logistics and innovation advance. Operations, technology and support teams work behind-the-scenes to keep everything running seamlessly.

Like a great NASCAR team, success depends on clear communication, strong leadership and trust across every role. Every individual contribution matters.

The Road Ahead

Whether it’s chasing a checkered flag or delivering a consistent, high-quality experience at over 900 Pilot locations, the formula for success is the same. It takes a clear goal, continuous improvement and, above all, a strong, unified team. At Pilot, just like in racing, lasting success is a team effort.

If you’re a journey maker—someone who is driven, reliable, authentic, welcoming and shows people they matter at every turn—come join our team! Pilot’s careers webpage has all the information you need to get started.

Fans can catch a special moment this season at Chicagoland Speedway on July 4, where Sammy Smith’s car will feature a patriotic stars-and-stripes wrap. Tune in to see it on the track!

UT has partnered with Pilot to accept donations at the Pilot PSS Warehouse from Tuesday, October 15, through Thursday, October 17. The drop-off times are from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

The donated supplies will be sent to the Northeast Tennessee Disaster Relief Center. The address is 4200 Middlebrook Farm Lane, Building #5, Knoxville, TN 37921.

UT Staff, students, and student-athletes can sign up for shifts through the Division of Student Life's Jones Center.

The following items are in critical need of donation:

• Tents
• Sleeping Bags
• New Blankets
• Hot Hands
• Medical Gloves
• Work Gloves
• Personal Hygiene Items (Deodorant, Shampoo, Condi\oner, Body Wash)
• Hand Soap
• Band-Aids
• Tylenol and Ibuprofen (Unopened and in date)
• Wet Wipes
• Multifunctional Scraper or Flathead Shovel

Pilot is also mobilizing its extensive network of travel centers to support communities affected by Hurricane Helene through an in-store round-up campaign* for the American Red Cross. From October 4 to October 18, 2024, guests can visit any U.S. owned and operated Pilot, Flying J and One9 travel center location to round up their purchase to the nearest dollar to provide aid to those affected by the hurricane. One hundred percent of funds raised will support Red Cross response efforts in impacted communities across the Southeast.

Tennessee Athletics and local bottler Coca-Cola Consolidated will begin the donation drive on Friday, October 11, delivering hundreds of cases of water to the Northeast Tennessee Disaster Relief Center.

Late last week, Tennessee Athletics announced that fans can now purchase t-shirts, hats, and stickers featuring the "Mountain Strong" helmet decal that the Tennessee football team will wear to honor those impacted by Hurricane Helene.

The "Mountain Strong" merchandise is available at the Vol Shop and Alumni Hall.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone impacted during this difficult time," said Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics Danny White. "We sincerely hope these initiatives will bring much-needed support and awareness to the affected communities."

The proceeds from all of the merchandise sales will go to charity.

*At participating locations. Pilot will donate 100% of round-up contributions to American Red Cross. Certain purchases not eligible for round-up. Void where prohibited.

Tennessee Athletics and Pilot are breaking new ground in college sports by entering a multi-year partnership that preserves the iconic venue's name and enhances the stadium experience for future generations. Under the terms of the agreement, which is slated for up to 20 years and could extend further, the names of Neyland Stadium and Shields-Watkins Field will remain unchanged. Pilot is designated as the presenting partner of the Neyland Stadium renovation project and the official travel stop of Tennessee Athletics.

"As we navigate the changing landscape of college athletics, we are dedicated to building the best athletics department in the country," said Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Danny White. "Because we were committed to preserving the name of Neyland Stadium, finding a partner who shared this vision was essential. With deep roots here in Knoxville, Pilot recognizes the significance of Neyland and the importance of tradition to our fans and the university. Our focus continues to preserve and honor our storied past while modernizing to ensure we lead the way in college sports."

Neyland Stadium. Home of the Vols. Proudly preserved by Pilot.

"Neyland Stadium is one of the most iconic sporting venues in the world and UT is a significant part of making Knoxville a special place that Pilot is proud to call home," said Pilot CEO Adam Wright. "Through this partnership, we will preserve the legacy of Neyland while also investing in its future to create exceptional experiences for generations to come. We look forward to seeing you out here as we cheer on the Vols in Neyland."

New signage on the east side of Neyland Stadium will feature a return of the iconic "Home of the Vols" along with Pilot’s logo. Pilot’s branding will also be on each side of Shields-Watkins field and in sponsored content with Tennessee Athletics and the Vol Network.

“Vol fans know better than anyone the magic of Neyland on game day and the feeling of singing Rocky Top in the same stadium where the greatest Vol legends made their name,” said UT Knoxville Chancellor Donde Plowman. “Our partnership with Pilot is all about preserving and enriching that experience to make sure fans and their families will continue to make these same kinds of memories for decades to come.”

Pilot's transformative sponsorship underscores its dedication to the Knoxville community by ensuring Neyland Stadium remains a flagship destination for future generations. Headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, Pilot is committed to showing people they matter at every turn and building strong relationships within the communities it operates. Pilot employs over 2,500 team members in the greater Knoxville area and has a long-standing relationship with the University of Tennessee.

“For more than 65 years, we have fueled fans across North America as they hit the open road for big games,” said Pilot’s chief marketing officer Adrienne Ingoldt. “There’s nothing like Neyland Stadium packed with passionate fans who’ve traveled from near and far to root for the beloved Vols. Pilot is out here to fuel them up, fill them up and lift them up on the way to victory.”

Neyland Stadium Renovation Project

One of the many unique aspects of this partnership is the investment in the Neyland Stadium renovation project, which will continue to modernize and enhance the fan experience. Future updates will include necessary upgrades to the south side and perimeter of the stadium, such as widening concourses, constructing expanded gates and entryways, and adding additional restrooms and concessions areas.

This element of the partnership will dramatically improve fan comfort and safety, reduce wait times, and allow for more food and beverage offerings. There will also be a Pilot-sponsored Fast Favorites refreshment and snack stand located inside the main stadium entrance at Gate 21.

Fans can expect to see the new “Home of the Vols” signage with Pilot branding and many of the completed renovations in Neyland Stadium with the start of the football season, which kicks off on August 31.

For more information about Tennessee Athletics, visit UTSports.com, and to learn more about Pilot, visit pilotflyingj.com. The agreement was negotiated by Tennessee Athletics’ multimedia rights partner, The Vol Network, and Intersport. Financial details of the sponsorship will not be made public.