Drivers hope to attract new fans with SpongeBob-themed cars

In the latest SpongeBob SquarePants movie, the cast of nautical characters head above sea level to save Bikini Bottom. This weekend, the crew heads to Kansas Speedway for their first NASCAR weekend.

Not only is Saturday night's race called the SpongeBob SquarePants 400, but a number of drivers are carrying SpongeBob characters on their car throughout the weekend.

Anthony DiCosmo, vice president of sports marketing and partnerships for Nickelodeon, thanked everyone involved for taking part in the program; one they hope will introduce a new generation of kids to NASCAR.

"I want to thank all of the drivers up here and their race teams for taking a chance on something that's maybe a little out of the box, but we're having fun with it," he said Friday at Kansas Speedway. "We're getting a really good response on social media. A lot of kids are excited about it. That is what our goal was, to really help cultivate that next generation fan."

Ben Kennedy took the SpongeBob characters around Kansas Speedway during Friday night's NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race. The 23-year-old grew up watching SpongeBob SquarePants and was excited about the opportunity to feature them on his Red Horse Racing truck.

"It's so cool to have SpongeBob on the truck," he said. "I've always been a big SpongeBob fan, myself. I remember watching the commercials for the first episode that came out in 1999. If I turn it on today, I'll still sit there for hours watching SpongeBob. It's so addicting."

Personal reasons aside, Kennedy is happy to take part in a program that has the potential to cultivate future NASCAR fans.

"It's so important for our sport to bring in these kids and turn them into fans, because they're really the future fans of the sport," Kennedy said. "Twenty, 30 years down the road the kids that were watching SpongeBob, they're going to be sitting in the stands and watching on TV."

David Ragan has the privilege of driving the SpongeBob SquarePants paint scheme on his No. 55 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota. Ragan said two of his young neighbors came by his house earlier this week saying they would cheer for him now that he drove the SpongeBob car.

"There's definitely some fans that will be watching this weekend for the first time and hopefully making some new fans for the NASCAR world," he said.

Driving the Squidward Tentacles paint scheme, Casey Mears admitted his face looked a lot like the cartoon on his hood throughout practice on Friday, but has been having fun with the kid-themed promotion.

Like Ragan and Mears, Michael McDowell's children are excited he is driving the Larry the Lobster car during this weekend's event.

"I didn't grow up watching SpongeBob but I have kids and my six-year old son thinks I am the coolest dad ever because I got to drive the Ninja Turtle car and now I get to drive the Larry Lobster car," McDowell said. "I am definitely winning cool points with my kids. This is really cool to engage the youth and bring in a new fan to NASCAR and that is an important aspect for all of us for all our partners moving forward in the sport. It is exciting."

Roush Fenway Racing's Greg Biffle has Patrick Star on his No. 16 Ford, and he hopes to live up to his daughter's request heading into the weekend.

"My daughter is three and a half and she loves watching SpongeBob and she asked before I left if I could bring him back with me," Biffle said. "I told her he would be at the race track and she wasn't able to come this weekend. I don't know if he is interested in coming back with me or not but hopefully I can take a trophy home anyway. I am glad to represent the brand and it is a fun promotion we are doing and hopefully we can reach the young kids."

The trophy for Saturday night's race is also drawing attention. The trophy features SpongeBob SquarePants in the shape of a traditional trophy cup.

What happens if Biffle earns the victory and takes home the trophy?

"That is easy, it will go in my daughter's bedroom," he said.