Characters in the Pit

Characters from TV, films, and gaming have increasingly been linked with racing—a high-profile sector within the licensing business these days—for promotional initiatives that, in some cases, include merchandise. Auto racing has been seeing growing interest from younger fans in recent years, and these collaborations serve to both take advantage of that fact and further the trend. Meanwhile, although most of the interest is in motorsports, horse racing has been in the mix as well, at least for a few thematically relevant properties.

Here is a look at some of the recent ventures: 

• In June 2025, Nascar driver Tyler Reddick and the 23XI Racing team paired with Upper Deck along with Warner Bros. and DC Studios for a co-branded car design to promote the July 11 release of the Superman feature film. The car and the first of two complementary trading card drops debuted at the Nascar Cup Series race at EchoPark Speedway on June 28. Upper Deck has been one of 23XI’s partners since 2024. 

• Disney announced in May of this year that it was pairing with Formula 1 for a Mickey & Friends collaboration launching in 2026. Not many details about the joint initiative are available yet, except that it will encompass content, experiences, and merchandise. A Mickey & Friends branded car was created for the announcement. 

• In April, Cygames said it had forged a sponsorship deal with Churchill Downs Racetrack to promote the anime, manga, and gaming franchise Uma Musume, and some of its other brands, leading up to the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby. A race for fillies and mares, the Unbridled Sidney Stakes Presented by Cygames, took place on Kentucky Oaks Day (May 2, the day before the Derby) and featured the Cygames logo throughout the race: on the starting gate, on the saddle towels of the horses competing, and on the finish line signage. A 360-degree panoramic photo area and demos of a variety of Cygames titles, including Uma Musume: Pretty Derby, which was about to release in English, were also part of the promotion. Umu Musume, about a group of girls who are reincarnations of famous racehorses and possess some of their physical features and their ability to run fast, had previously teamed with the Breeders’ Cup, in 2024. 

• Nascar driver Bubba Wallace and the 23XI team paired with McDonald’s and Crunchyroll in July 2024 for a branded car themed to both the QSR company and the anime Jujutsu Kaisen. The black vehicle featured streaks of red lightning, a McDonald’s logo, the name of one of the chain’s then-new products, Special Grade Garlic Sauce, and an image of one of Jujutsu Kaisen’s lead characters, Sukuna. The car debuted during the Nascar Chicago Street Race, with a Bubba Wallace’s Block Party being part of the festivities. The collaboration was an extension of McDonald’s marketing campaign for the garlic sauce, which debuted with eight Jujutsu-themed collectible packages and a 30-day trial of the Crunchyroll streaming service. McDonald’s has been a sponsor of the 23XI team since 2020, involved with branded cars, merchandise collections, and other initiatives.

While the pace of collaborations between characters and racing have picked up of late, there have been examples in the past. Anime, manga, and gaming characters frequently appear on vehicles in motorsports events in Japan, where the word itasha is used to describe anime-decorated cars that are popular both in races and for personal use. And, in 2019, the Japan Racing Association paired with the anime Golgo 13 to promote the 86th annual Nippon Derby GI horse race, with merchandise, ads, and a Where’s Waldo?-style contest being some of the components. 

One of the earliest examples of the pairing of characters and racing in the U.S. was in 2001, when Monster Jam worked with Marvel to add Spider-Man and Wolverine trucks as competitors. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, then licensed by 4Kids Entertainment, appeared on a truck in 2003 and Warner Bros.’ first DC Comics vehicle, Superman, and a Looney Tunes truck, debuted in 2005. Over the years, there have been a wide variety of Monster Jam vehicles based on Marvel and Warner Bros. properties, as well as examples featuring IPs from other licensors (e.g., Bakugan). 

A reminder that Raugust Communications’ July e-newsletter goes out tomorrow, July 15, 2025. The Licensing Topic of the Month examines the “dupes” phenomenon, while the Datapoint research spotlight focuses on art licensing programs by specialty. If you are not yet a subscriber to this free publication, you can sign up here.