Tankless water heater manufacturer Takagi recently entered into the word of NASCAR as the primary sponsor of the No. 88 JR Motorsports Nationwide team at Great Clips 200 race in Phoenix in December. The No. 88 Takagi car was driven by NASCAR Nationwide rookie Cole Whitt and featured the Takagi logo backed by a bold red, white and blue paint scheme.

“I was happy to partner with Takagi for the Phoenix race,” said Whitt. “My family’s plumbing business often installs tankless water heaters, and we are excited about the Takagi brand. We use them for many of our jobs.”

Whitt began the race in 13th place and spent time in the Top 10. Ultimately, he finished in 29th place after a multicar accident on the 198th lap. Whitt captured three Top 10 finishes in the NASCAR Nationwide Series last season.

“We at Takagi are thrilled to have partnered with Cole Whitt and JR Motorsports,” said David Chisolm, director of marketing for Takagi. “Cole is a talented driver and should have a bright future ahead of him.”