PLAINVIEW, NY (October 10, 2023) – Heading into one of the biggest races of the NHRA Countdown, Maynard Ashley Racing is proud to welcome a new associate marketing partner, Leatherwood Distillery, to its roster. Leatherwood Distillery branding will take over Justin Ashley’s Phillips Connect Top Fuel dragster, his uniforms, his firesuit and his helmet at the NHRA Texas Fall Nationals at Texas Motorplex, just south of Dallas, Texas.

“The partnership brings together two of my favorite things – sipping Tennessee bourbon and watching Justin Ashley’s Top Fuel dragster blast down the track,” said Joe Maynard, team owner, JCM Racing and partner in Leatherwood Distillery. “I’m really excited about what Leatherwood Distillery is doing and what they represent. I couldn’t be prouder to introduce this brand to the NHRA community at the Dallas race during the Stampede of Speed and NHRA Texas Fall Nationals. We got off to a great start in St. Louis with Tony Schumacher and Tim Wilkerson and we are excited to add Justin to the mix for the Dallas NHRA national event.”

Leatherwood Distillery, a Clarksville, Tenn.-based distiller of bourbon, rye, moonshine, rum, and other spirits, was founded by retired Green Beret Andrew Lang. While serving in Afghanistan, Lang built a homemade still that he would use to clean water for drinking. When he wasn’t purifying water, he would distill moonshine using locally sourced ingredients like corn, wheat, rolled oats and dried molasses. After retiring from the Green Berets, Lang started distilling craft spirits back home in Nashville. He then launched Leatherwood Distillery, where he distills spirits like 911 Apple Pie Moonshine, Check Point Rye Whiskey, Jalapeno Lemon Rum, and Vanilla Whip Moonshine.

“Our team is very grateful for the opportunity to represent Leatherwood Distillery,” said Ashley, an 11-time Top Fuel national event winner. “I am particularly proud to work with a company that has such strong ties to the Army and continues to give back to our community of veterans. This weekend is an excellent time to closely connect Leatherwood Distillery with NHRA’s contingent of brand loyal fans and explore further business to business opportunities. I am excited for all to begin familiarizing themselves with the best bourbon in the country. “         

Leatherwood Distillery’s products are available at retailers throughout Tennessee, as well as at the distillery in Clarksville. The distillery also offers tours, tastings, and live music. Fans outside of Tennessee can order Leatherwood Distillery spirits through the brand’s online store.

“This is an incredible opportunity to share our story and our products with a whole new audience,” said Lang, Leatherwood’s founder and head distiller. “I’m looking forward to continuing our work with Joe Maynard and the Maynard family, who have already done so much for the Clarksville community. We invite fans to come see us next time they’re in the area.”

With Leatherwood Distillery on board, Justin Ashley will head to Texas Motorplex just 30 minutes south of Dallas, Texas, for the NHRA Texas Fall Nationals on Oct. 12-15. Ashley has won the Texas Fall Nationals the previous two years and is looking to become the first Top Fuel driver to win the historic event three years in a row.

For more information about Leatherwood Distillery, please visit https://leatherwooddistillery.com/home.

About Maynard Ashley Racing

Maynard Ashley Racing (MAR) was founded in 2023 with the express goal of delivering world class results, on and off the racetrack, for a growing community of marketing partners and fans drawn to Justin Ashley, the 2020 NHRA Rookie-of-the-Year and seven-time Top Fuel national event winner. Behind Maynard Ashley Racing is a partnership between JCM Racing, led by Joe E. and Cathi Maynard, Joe C. Maynard, and Eric and Kim Lehman, who have taken the NHRA by storm over the last year, and Max Out Motorsports a partnership between Justin Ashley, Dustin Davis and Jim Epler.