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The Cougar Strong race team from Long Cane Middle held its sixth annual sponsorship luncheon on Wednesday. Representatives from KIA motors, Colony Bank, Emory Healthcare, Chicken Salad Chick among others were present as the Cougar race teams pitched themselves to the representatives from a wide variety of companies in the area. 

“We are able to utilize sponsorship dollars to provide an experience that the students will never forget,” said Matthew Graham, the leader of the Cougar Strong program. 

One of those special moments was the fact that they got to compete at the National Championship race at Talladega Superspeedway in late May where the seventh grade team narrowly edged the eighth grade team for the national title. 

The companies are given a chance to buy in at various levels. The size of the sponsorship donation affects the size of the logo put on the race cars, banners, etc. 

Some representatives were just there as a formality. Shane Tanner and Adam Toney were there representing Trackmobile and have been sponsoring the Cougar Strong race team for a number of years and were on hand to receive their national championship plaque from 2021-22 in honor of them sponsoring the team last season. 

The students gave presentations on the various different roles the students take on. Fifteen students (five from each grade level) answered any questions that the variety of representatives might have.

The best part for the representatives was a tour of the lab where they got to see the cars and all the equipment and tools that the young racers get to use.  

The Cougar Strong race team is looking for another big year during the 2022-23 season. The Cougar Strong team has won three national titles in the last four years with no national title being awarded in the COVID shortened 2019-2020 season. The season is just around the corner as the first race for Long Cane is scheduled for Oct. 1 at LaFayette, Alabama. 

“This is a great time to jump in,” Graham said. “There have never been more events on the calendar.”