I grew up at the racetrack.

My dad is a former world champion. Some of my earliest memories aren’t just from schoolyards or playgrounds—they’re from pit lanes, and long weekends at the track. Racing wasn’t something we casually followed. It was what we lived. It brought our family together every single weekend.

Racing teaches you things early: discipline, pressure, teamwork, and the expectation of constant improvement. You don’t get to stand still. Every week demands that you get better. It’s never just cars going in circles—it’s preparation, precision, and people performing under pressure.

I raced too, and now I’m passing that passion down to my kids.

Today, my full-time role is with Poppulo, where I help organizations elevate how they show up on their biggest stages through digital signage. I get to work across industries—but every once in a while, you get an opportunity to merge your professional expertise with something deeply personal.

Poppulo was on-site at the 2026 Daytona 500

Partnering with Hendrick Motorsports and being invited to support them at the Daytona 500 was one of those moments.

It was full circle.

Racing’s Biggest Stage

The Poppulo Team: Joe Palomares, Sean Rochambeau, Justin Kimball, Nate Gaulke-Janowski

The Daytona 500 isn’t just another race. It’s Speed Week. It’s global. More than 30 countries tune in. Every detail is magnified. Every activation matters.

Partnering with Hendrick wasn’t just about installing screens. It was about helping one of the most iconic organizations in motorsports operate at the level their brand demands—in the pits, inside the haulers, throughout hospitality, and across the garage.

Our team was on-site the entire week because when you’re operating on racing’s biggest stage, there’s no room for “good enough.”

And being there mattered.

Spending that time embedded with the team significantly strengthened our partnership. LJ, who I’ve been working with extensively at Hendrick, shared she wouldn’t have made it through the week without our support—a moment that really underscored the trust we’ve built. We weren’t just a vendor on site—we were an extension of their team, stepping in wherever needed.

We supported Mr. Hendrick’s suite, trackside hospitality, and the pits—ensuring a seamless experience for guests and stakeholders. We also worked closely with all four teams to confirm operations were running smoothly and that sponsorship assets were properly displayed and represented. On a stage like Daytona, brand integrity and visibility are non-negotiable.

We delivered.

Poppulo Supported Digital Signage in the Hendrick Motorsports Hospitality Suite

The Hendrick team deployed signage in their pit boxes

Digital Signage in Motion

Speed Week moves fast.

Sponsors arrive early. Hospitality fills quickly. The garage is active long before most fans ever arrive. There’s no pause button.

That’s where digital signage proves its value.

In the pits, screens created dynamic sponsor visibility - content that could be updated in seconds. Rotating partner activations, highlighting crew members as brand ambassadors, and preparing instantly for a potential victory moment all became easier with real-time control of messaging.

Inside hospitality suites, signage helped set the tone, welcoming guests, spotlighting partners, reinforcing Hendrick’s brand, and evolving throughout the weekend as events unfolded.

Around the haulers and activation zones, the opportunity became even clearer: immersive sponsor touchpoints that extend far beyond static logos and traditional placements.

At Daytona, if something changes, you adapt immediately. That agility is powerful, and it only works when everything is dialed in before the green flag drops.

Full Circle at Daytona

Being at the Daytona 500 in this capacity hit differently.

I’ve been there as part of a race team.
I’ve been there as family.
I’ve been there grinding to secure sponsors.

This time, I was lucky enough to be there with an amazing Poppulo team that was helping elevate one of the most iconic teams in the sport—delivering real operational value, enhancing sponsor experiences, and supporting execution on racing’s biggest stage.

That’s not something I take lightly.

Racing is woven into the fabric of my life. It always has been. To now help shape how organizations like Hendrick Motorsports, and potentially others across the sport, show up at events like the Daytona 500 is incredibly meaningful.

For me, this wasn’t just about screens at a race.

It was about honoring a legacy of a GIANT in the industry, supporting a world I deeply understand, and building partnerships and relationships alike that will continue to grow long after the checkered flag waves at the track.

And we’re just getting started.

Poppulo will be trackside with the Hendrick team throughout the 2026 season and beyond