FROM THE NASCAR TRACK TO THE PICKLEBALL COURT
| July 11, 2023
Guaranteed Rate to Host Celebrity Pickleball Pro-Am Featuring Brand Ambassadors Tyler Reddick, Matt Wright, and Lucy Kovalova
Charlotte, N.C. (May 2, 2022)–Guaranteed Rate, a leader in mortgage lending and digital financial services, is uniting with the PPA Tour to bring NASCAR to the pickleball courts with an exciting Pro-Am Pickleball match! Guaranteed Rate Ambassador and NASCAR driver Tyler Reddick is set to play alongside fellow Guaranteed Rate Ambassadors and PPA stars Matt Wright and Lucy Kovalova at Life Time Charlotte.
The event is set for Thursday, May 5 in Charlotte, N.C. with the match taking place from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. EST. Tyler Reddick’s Next Gen No. 8 Guaranteed Rate Chevrolet will be parked on-site for fan and player photo-ops. The event will be live streamed on PPA Tour YouTube and Facebook platforms. Tickets are required to watch in person and can be purchased here.
“I am beyond thrilled for this unique collaboration between two of our awesome sports partnerships,” said Guaranteed Rate Vice President of Sports Marketing and Partnerships, Steve McNelley. “Tyler, Matt and Lucy represent the best of the best in their respective sports, and we can’t wait to see how Tyler performs with two of the greatest pickleball players!”
Tyler Reddick, the driver of the No. 8 Guaranteed Rate Chevrolet for RCR, is currently running his third full season in the NASCAR Cup Series. The back-to-back NASCAR Xfinity Series champion in 2018 and 2019, he has already accumulated three top fives and four top-10 finishes this season, leading a career-high 196 laps and completing 89% of laps attempted.
“It has been great having Guaranteed Rate as a partner this year,” said Reddick. “They support so many different sports, and I’m really looking forward to getting involved in as many as possible. I haven’t played pickleball yet, but I know I’ll get some good pointers from the Guaranteed Rate ambassadors, Lucy Kovalova and Matt Wright. Hopefully, I don’t embarrass myself, or them, on the court.”
Joining Reddick in the tournament will be fellow Guaranteed Rate Ambassadors and PPA Tour top-ranked players, Matt Wright and Lucy Kovalova.
“Lucy and I could not be more excited to participate in this event,” said Matt Wright, who is currently ranked in the top 3 for men’s doubles and mixed doubles. “It’s an awesome way to get even more exposure for our sport as it continues to expand in popularity around the world.”
The Guaranteed Rate Celebrity Pro-Am is the kick-off for four days of pickleball action at the Invisalign Open, which runs May 5-8. The tournament will feature more than $120,000 in prize money, and professional play will air live on FOX Sports, Tennis Channel Plus and PPA streaming channels.
Media personnel may enter the Guaranteed Rate Celebrity Pro-Am and all four days of the tournament for free. Interviews can be arranged upon request.
To buy tickets to watch the pros compete all week, click here. More information about Guaranteed Rate can be found at Rate.com.
About Guaranteed Rate Companies:
Guaranteed Rate Companies is a leader in mortgage lending and digital financial services. Headquartered in Chicago, the Guaranteed Rate Companies has more than 10,000 employees in over 850 branches across the U.S., serving all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Since its launch in 2000, Guaranteed Rate Companies has helped more than 1 million homeowners with home purchase loans and refinances, with a total loan volume of more than $116 billion in 2021 alone. The company has cemented itself as an industry leader by introducing innovative technology, offering low rates and delivering unparalleled customer service. Honors and awards include: Top Lender for Online Service for 2018 by U.S. News & World Report; Best Mortgage Lender for Online Loans and Best Mortgage Lender for Refinancing by NerdWallet for 2021; HousingWire’s 2020 Tech100 award for the company’s industry-leading FlashClose℠ technology; No. 3 ranking in Scotsman Guide’s 2021 list of Top Retail Mortgage Lenders; Chicago Agent Magazine’s Lender of the Year for six consecutive years; and Chicago Tribune’s Top Workplaces list for seven consecutive years. Visit rate.com for more information.
About the PPA Tour:
The Professional Pickleball Association is the professional tour for the sport of pickleball, organizing events and rankings for the top male and female pickleball players in the world and awarding over $2.5 million in annual prize money. With more than 20 events in 2022 at world-class facilities like the Linder Family Tennis Center in Cincinnati and the Darling Tennis Center in Las Vegas, the PPA Tour is the premier provider of professional and amateur events. The PPA Tour’s broadcast partners include FOX Sports, Tennis Channel, CBS Sports, and ESPN. Founded in 2018 and based in Salt Lake City, Utah, the PPA Tour provides an unparalleled experience for all, inviting players to compete and “play where the pros play,” as well as offering unrivaled venues, food/beverages, live DJ entertainment, VIP experiences, giveaways and games, pro player meet-and-greets, shopping, vendors, and more. For more information, go to www.ppatour.com.
Media Contacts:
Hannah Johns
PPA Tour
PR/Broadcasting
hannah@ppatour.com
Miranda Morin
Guaranteed Rate
PR Coordinator
Miranda.Morin@rate.com
