Costa Oil to host NASCAR driver meet-and-greet to kick off race weekend

One of the cars that will be circling the Iowa Speedway track during the NASCAR races this coming weekend features the name of a business in Newton.

Costa Oil has a primary sponsorship with the car piloted by Xfinity Series driver Carson Ware. Andy Sullivan, owner of Costa Oil in Newton, said in preparation for the upcoming races at the local racetrack, Carson Ware will be accompanied by his brother and Cup Series driver Cody Ware at the shop for a meet-and-greet.

“We’ll be the only location that has a driver in Newton. We just think it’s great for Newton. They’re very happy to be there and they’re going to sign autographs, meet-and-greet and take pictures with people,” Sullivan said. “We’re going to have a food truck there. We’re going to have the Cuisine Queens there.”

It’s not the first time Costa Oil has hosted a NASCAR driver.

When the Iowa Speedway held its first NASCAR Cup Series last year, Costa Oil welcomed Xfinity Series driver Ryan Ellis. Sullivan said a business like Costa Oil is very lucky to be a family-owned franchise, and it is important to him and the people who found the company to give back to the community.

“As we get more time and presence, we clearly want to do more in the community,” Sullivan said.

WHAT IS COSTA OIL?

Costa Oil opened in Newton less than two years ago as the 17th franchise in the entire country. The business has numerous locations across the United States and specializes in a 10-minute, stay-in-your-car oil change. With its focus on speediness and efficiency, Sullivan said there is no time for upselling customers.

“Unlike a lot of the other competitors where you sit in a lounge and you’re not involved and they try to upsell you on everything down to a new gas cap — we don’t do that,” he said. “We want you in the car. We want you to hear the top man and the bottom man doing their callouts so they’re part of the process.”

Sullivan said involving the customer in the process is pivotal to getting them to come back over and over again. The owner of the Newton site is proud of the business’s Google reviews, of which it has hundreds. Many online reviewers compliment the shop’s quality customer service.

“That’s really what makes us feel good,” Sullivan said.

To him, Costa Oil has found its place in the community by “filling a gap.” Sullivan said people wanted an affordable and efficient place to get an oil change where they didn’t have to make an appointment. He said customers he’s spoken with had previously traveled to the Des Moines metro to get an oil change.

“It consumed their whole day,” he said. “We quickly realized we were filling a need in the community. And we feel we’ve really helped people with not only being able to do it in their own community and save that time and have that convenience, but now those dollars are staying in Newton.”

Carson Ware and Cody Ware will be at Costa Oil from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Aug. 1 at Costa Oil, 1217 First Ave. E., in Newton.