Kevin Harvick To Stop Driving No. 4 Budweiser Chevrolet

Kevin Harvick will no longer be driving the No. 4 Budweiser Chevrolet SS after the 2015 season; instead he will be driving the No. 4 Busch Chevrolet SS, as Anheuser-Busch has decided to change the racecar’s branding.

Anheuser-Busch produces both the Busch and Budweiser brands. Budweiser has been the featured sponsor of a racecar in NASCAR’s premier series since 1983. Drivers that have driven under the Budweiser logo and paint scheme include Dale Earnhardt Jr., Bill Elliot, Ricky Craven, Kasey Kahne, Neil Bonnet, Terry Labonte, Darrell Waltrip, and Kevin Harvick.

Busch was formerly the sponsor of NASCAR’s second most popular racing series, from 1984 to 2007, which is now known as the XFINITY Series. Busch also was the main sponsor of three-time NASCAR champion Cale Yarborough’s car from 1979-80. Former Budweiser driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr., will be honoring Yarborough at the Bojangles’ Southern 500 on September 6^th by featuring a paint scheme on his racecar similar to the one Yarborough competed with from 1981-82.

“NASCAR continues to be a priority for our beer portfolio.” Lucus Herscovici, Anheuser-Busch vice president for consumer connections, said in a statement. “We will be shifting our brand equity in Harvick’s car and team from Budweiser to our Busch beer portfolio for the 2016 NASCAR season.”

“The Busch brand is well positioned for this partnership given the brand’s storied history with the sport.”

Kevin Harvick currently leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in the overall standings with 908 points. He has won races at Phoenix and Las Vegas.

The change from Budweiser to Busch for the No. 4 Chevrolet SS will take effect at the beginning of the 2016 season.

Video: Harvick Wins Sprint Cup Championship

News Sources: ESPN & Fox Sports