(GREENVILLE, S.C.) – The Greenville Swamp Rabbits, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings and AHL’s Ontario Reign, announced additional guests for their upcoming “NASCAR Night” against the Savannah Ghost Pirates on January 24^th.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr, 2023 Daytona 500 Winner and 2013 NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) Sunoco Rookie of the Year, joins the Upstate’s very own Jeremy Clements, Lavar Scott, and returning guests Todd Gilliland and Pastor Joe Nelms. The Swamp Rabbits announced their initial attendees on January 6^th, bringing their total to 15 special guests for the annual fan-favorite night.

Additionally, the Swamp Rabbits will host the club hockey teams of Clemson University and the University of South Carolina for the “Palmetto Cup” rivalry game. Doors to Bon Secours Wellness Arena will open for the game at 12:30pm, with puck drop slated for 1:00pm. Tickets for “NASCAR Night” gain you entry into both the “Palmetto Cup” and the game later that evening, which you can purchase at www.swamprabbits.com. 

Stenhouse Jr. enters his 16^th season at the NCS level, currently piloting the No. 47 Chevrolet Camaro for HYAK Motorsports. The 2023 Daytona 500 winner earned one top-five and three top-10 finishes in the 2025 NCS season, with his best result coming at fifth place at Atlanta last February. In an NCS career of 472 starts, of which 396 are currently consecutive, Stenhouse Jr. has four wins, 26 top-fives, and 63 top-10 finishes to go along with three poles. He captured 2013 NCS Sunoco Rookie of the Year recognition after winning back-to-back championships in the newly named NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (NOAPS) in 2011 and 2012.

Hailing from Spartanburg, South Carolina, Clements is a 20-year veteran of the NOAPS, presently wheeling the No. 51 Chevrolet SS for Jeremy Clements Racing. Competing in all 33 races last season, bringing his consecutive starts to 426 dating back to 2013, he finished in the top-10 four times. In his career of 530 NOAPS starts, Clements has two wins, six top-fives, and 42 top-10 finishes, with his best season finish coming in back-to-back campaigns at 12^th in 2021 and 2022. He and his father, Tony, run Clements Automotive, a recognized leader in racing and performance engine building, specializing in building complete racing engines, cylinder head services, dyno testing, custom porting, and CNC machining for virtually all types of racing applications. His grandfather is Crawford Clements, a renowned engine builder and famed NASCAR owner. 

Scott joins the Swamp Rabbits for his first “NASCAR Night” as he enters his first full-time NOAPS season with Alpha Prime Racing, operating the No. 45 Chevrolet SS. He made his NOAPS debut last season at Dover in July, and appeared six weeks later at Gateway, earning a career-best 19^th finish. He competed full-time in the ARCA Menards Series in the No. 6 Chevrolet for Rev Racing over the last two seasons, finishing second in the point standings in both campaigns. He is part of NASCAR’S Driver Development Program.

Gilliland returns for a third “NASCAR Night” with the Swamp Rabbits, set to begin his fifth NCS campaign in the No. 34 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Front Row Motorsports. He finished 27^th in the NCS drivers standings, scoring a career-best second place finish in the Yellawood 500 at Talladega in October alongside five top-10 results. Gilliland, the son of former NCS driver David and grandson of 1997 Winston West Series champion Butch, has two top-five and 15 top-10 finishes in 144 NCS starts.

Pastor Joe Nelms returns for his second “NASCAR Night”, looking to build off his passionate invocation prior to the start of last year’s game. The pastor of the Family Baptist Church in Lebanon, Tennessee, since 2008, he came to national prominence in July of 2011 when he provided a unique invocation prior to the Federated Auto Parts 300 at Nashville Super Speedway in what is now the NOAPS. Just like last season, Pastor Nelms will hold a pregame chapel session from on the Pepsi Terrace at 5:00pm, and will provide the invocation before the National Anthem and puck drop. 

Full festivities for the Busch Light Pit Party begin at 4:00pm on the Furman Plaza, featuring a live DJ from the Busch Light Tailgate Bar, a rally towel giveaway to the first 1,500 fans, a NASCAR e-simulator, NCS show cars, and more. 

###

About the Greenville Swamp Rabbits …
Acquired by Spire Sports + Entertainment (SS+E) in 2020, the Greenville Swamp Rabbits hockey team have been providing family friendly, live entertainment at Bon Secours Wellness Arena since 2010. Formerly the Greenville Road Warriors, the Swamp Rabbits are the highest-level professional minor league franchise in South Carolina. The Swamp Rabbits are the proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's LA Kings and the AHL's Ontario Reign. Greenville is a member of the ECHL, Premier ‘AA’ Hockey League.