FRE Nicotine Pouches Bets on Herbst in High-Stakes NASCAR Play

SANTA MONICA, Calif. – March 12, 2026 – In a move that blends high-octane motorsport with calculated retail strategy, FRE® Nicotine Pouches has announced a significant partnership with 23XI Racing driver Riley Herbst and the No. 35 team. The deal brings the rapidly growing nicotine pouch brand into the NASCAR Cup Series, leveraging not just the speed of the track but also the vast retail network of Terrible's, the convenience store chain owned by the Herbst family. The partnership is set to debut at Herbst’s hometown race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 15, creating a powerful, localized launchpad for the collaboration.

NASCAR's New Fuel: The Rise of Nicotine Pouch Sponsorships

The roar of engines in NASCAR has long been accompanied by the logos of major consumer brands, but the re-emergence of nicotine product sponsorship marks a pivotal shift in sports marketing. Decades after the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement and the 2009 Tobacco Control Act effectively banned cigarette and smokeless tobacco branding from sports, a new category has found a legal pathway to the track. Nicotine pouches, which are free from tobacco leaf, are not explicitly covered by the same restrictions, opening the floodgates for brands like FRE, Zyn, Velo, and Grizzly to invest heavily in motorsports.

NASCAR, which once hosted the Winston Cup Series, has embraced this new category. The sanctioning body has actively courted nicotine pouch sponsors, viewing the category as a lucrative revenue stream and a way to connect with its significant adult fanbase. This FRE-Herbst partnership is a prime example of this trend. However, the strategy is not without controversy. Public health organizations have raised concerns about the potential for these high-visibility sponsorships to expose a younger demographic to nicotine products, arguing that the association with high-performance athletes can be misleading. While brands and leagues maintain that their marketing is targeted strictly at adult consumers, the debate over nicotine's place in sports continues to simmer.

The 'Motorsports-to-Retail Loop': A Strategic Play in Las Vegas

What sets the FRE and Riley Herbst partnership apart is its deeply integrated marketing strategy, described as a “motorsports-to-retail loop.” This isn’t just about placing a logo on a car; it’s a full-circle commercial play that leverages Herbst’s unique family connections to the Las Vegas market. FRE branding will be prominently featured on the No. 35 car and Herbst's driver suit, but the activation extends far beyond the speedway.

Through a comprehensive partnership with Terrible’s, the Herbst family's well-known chain of convenience stores, FRE will gain preferred partner status across all Nevada locations, stocking 16 different SKUs. The campaign will saturate the Southern Nevada market with in-store promotions, point-of-sale displays, gas pump advertisements, digital billboards, and takeovers of in-store screens during the race weekend. The strategy is designed to convert on-track visibility directly into over-the-counter sales, allowing fans who see the FRE logo on Sunday to purchase the product on Monday.

“This partnership represents a natural alignment between two brands focused on innovation and performance,” said Bryan Breeden, VP of Advertising and Marketing at Terrible’s. “Together with FRE, we’re introducing a new in-store offering while also connecting through our shared presence in motorsports, bringing our ‘Deliberately Different’ approach to customers both in our stores and on the track.”

Owning the Edge: Riley Herbst and the Athlete Endorsement

At the center of this deal is Riley Herbst, a third-generation racer now in his second full-time season in the Cup Series with the formidable 23XI Racing team, co-owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin. The partnership narrative is built around Herbst’s “performance-first mentality” and FRE's brand message of “owning your edge.”

Herbst himself lends an air of authenticity to the endorsement, a quality often sought but rarely captured in such deals. “FRE fits my lifestyle on and off the track. It's a brand I’ve used for a long time, and that makes this partnership feel real,” Herbst stated. This isn't his first foray into the category, having been previously sponsored by nicotine pouch brand Lucy Breakers, solidifying his image within this market segment. The personal connection is amplified by the involvement of his family's business. “Having FRE on the car at my hometown race in Vegas, combined with the Terrible's integration, makes this incredibly personal,” he added.

FRE is positioning itself as a brand that “propels people forward in the moments that count,” a deliberate choice to associate nicotine with control, intention, and high performance. By aligning with athletes like Herbst, the company aims to redefine the perception of nicotine use among its adult target audience, moving it away from a passive habit and towards a tool for focus and momentum.

High Stakes in a High-Growth Market

The partnership is a calculated move by FRE's parent company, Turning Point Brands, to claim a larger piece of the booming nicotine pouch market. With sales surging industry-wide, the competition is fierce. Major players like Philip Morris International’s Zyn and British American Tobacco’s Velo have already made significant inroads in motorsports, sponsoring teams in IndyCar and Formula 1. FRE’s deal with a rising NASCAR star on a championship-contending team is a direct challenge to these established competitors.

23XI Racing provides a powerful platform. The team has demonstrated significant momentum, with its three drivers securing eight top-10 finishes to start the 2026 season. The organization’s high-profile ownership and on-track success make it a prime partner for ambitious brands.

“Riley represents the next generation of NASCAR talent, and that competitive mindset aligns perfectly with what FRE stands for,” said Connor Smith, Vice President of Marketing for FRE. “Pairing that on-track intensity with a retail presence through Terrible's gives us a unique opportunity to connect with fans and consumers both at the track and point of sale.” As the No. 35 car rolls onto the track in Las Vegas, it will represent more than just a driver and a team; it will be the physical embodiment of a complex, modern marketing machine firing on all cylinders.