Getting Real for Turkeys at Talladega

Realtree has partnered with Beard Motorsports for the GEICO 500 NASCAR Cup Series race April 23 at Talladega Superspeedway and will help wild turkey conservation in the process.

The unique design of the No. 62 Chevrolet Camaro, driven by Austin Hill, is highlighted by Realtree's Timber camo pattern and will carry a special promotion for Turkeys for Tomorrow. Realtree, the car's primary sponsor, has donated the hood of the car to TFT to help create awareness for the turkey conservation group.

Turkeys for Tomorrow, a 501(c)3 nonprofit group dedicated to turkey conservation, has humble roots. Formed in 2021 by veteran turkey hunters who were concerned about the future of the wild turkey and the turkey hunting tradition, the group has continued to grow and be at the forefront of cutting-edge turkey research projects.

(Don't miss: Podcast: What Hunters Should Know About Turkeys for Tomorrow)

Realtree was one of the first national brands to support Turkeys for Tomorrow and has been a steadfast supporter ever since, said Ron Jolly, a founding board member of TFT. In 2023, our partnership has grown to a new level. The TFT logo will grace the hood of the No. 62 Camaro at Talladega, and that is made possible solely by Realtree. We look forward to growing this partnership and making a difference for wild turkeys.

With more than 2,000 licensees using its patterns and brands, Realtree is committed to supporting people and groups that work to ensure our outdoor heritage, veterans and military affairs, the conservation of natural places, and the wildlife that resides there. The Columbus, Georgia-based company has partnered with outdoorsmen throughout the NASCAR industry for three decades.

The Talladega race weekend comes at a great time of year for both Realtree and Turkeys for Tomorrow since turkey season will be well underway in many parts of the country, said Tyler Jordan, strategic business coordinator at Realtree. And the racing doesn't get much better than Talladega. Austin Hill is a Georgia boy and avid outdoorsman. He is the perfect driver to represent TFT in front of millions of people during this race, and to help create awareness for all that TFT does for the wild turkey.

In addition, Realtree will put additional financial backing toward Turkeys for Tomorrow by giving 5 percent of its overall online net proceeds to the organization for the duration of the Georgia turkey season — April 1 to May 15.

For many hunters, including myself, the future of the wild turkey is one of the most important conservation issues of today, Jordan said. We want to be sure future generations get to enjoy the sound of a gobble and sight of a strutting tom on a clear spring morning. Giving back to groups like TFT is one way we can all help.

Realtree was one of the first national brands to support Turkeys for Tomorrow and has been a steadfast supporter ever since. — Ron Jolly

Like Realtree, Beard Motorsports was founded by family and continues to build a legacy of excellence. Run by Linda Beard and her children, Amie and Mark, Beard Motorsports made its NASCAR Cup Series debut in 2017. It started as a passion project for the late Mark Beard Sr. and continues today in his honor.

For me, my mom and my brother, racing is all about legacy, said Amie Beard, executive vice president of Beard Motorsports. I'm so proud of the work our team has done and the effort that goes into these races. I know my dad would be just as proud. It's an honor to have a brand like Realtree partner with everyone here at Beard Motorsports to sponsor our No. 62 Chevrolet.

From the driver's seat, Hill will attempt to qualify for his second career start in the NASCAR Cup Series. Driving the No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet in February, he was poised to be part of the field for the season-opening Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway before getting collected in an accident not of his making during the qualifying races.

I'm looking forward to getting to Talladega and having Realtree and Turkeys for Tomorrow on our No. 62 Chevrolet, said the 28-year-old Hill. Realtree has been a great partner of mine and, as an outdoorsman, I love representing their company and the values that they stand for, including conservation. I truly enjoy fishing, hunting and spending time outdoors, and Realtree always makes sure I'm geared up properly whether I'm in a hunting blind or taking my kids to school. Daytona didn't go like we had hoped on the Cup side, but a positive of the week was getting to know the Beard family better. We are going to give it our best shot in Talladega, and I can't wait to get back behind the wheel of a Cup car.

Hill is a five-time winner and the current championship points leader in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, the stepping-stone division to the elite NASCAR Cup Series. Of his five career wins in the series, four have been scored on superspeedway-style tracks — two at Daytona, the sister track to Talladega, and two at Atlanta Motor Speedway on the reconstructed track surface.

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