Bella Twins’ Bonita Bonita welcomes NASCAR opportunity at Sonoma
Professional wrestling, wine and racing come together
SONOMA, Calif. – Nikki and Brie Bella – known to the world as WWE’s Bella Twins – brought star power to Sonoma Raceway on Saturday morning, drawing a crowd in the Fan Zone as they celebrated Bonita Bonita’s partnership with Alex Labbe and SS-GreenLight Racing for the afternoon’s NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race.
The partnership between SS-GreenLight Racing and The Bellas’ signature Bonita Bonita wine brand came together quickly. Less than a month before the Sonoma race weekend, the team sent an email to the Bonita website, looking for a primary sponsor in Saturday’s Pit Boss/FoodMaxx 250. Nikki was on board right away, while Brie wanted to make sure everything went through the proper channels before giving the final approval.
“I’m sure they never thought we would respond back, but those are the chances you take,” Brie told NASCAR.com on Saturday. “That was a big opportunity for Nikki and I. It all happened fast. Once we knew we were going to do it, we reached out to our French artist in Paris and she made our Bonita girls into NASCAR girls.”
The sisters call Napa Valley home, making it a natural partnership with NASCAR in their backyard, as they’ve visited the famed 1.99-mile course multiple times. Track officials announced The Bella Twins as honorary race officials for the O’Reilly race, as they also hosted a live episode of The Nikki & Brie Show in the Fan Zone. Later in the day, they were the focal point of a meet-and-greet, allowing fans to sample their wine.
During the live taping, Labbe was the featured guest before turning 79 laps in the O’Reilly race. Speaking with the Canadian was the moment that the partnership got real for the twins.
“Brie and I are still in the pinch-me moment right now,” Nikki added. “This is full circle for us, and to meet the person and the team that gave us the opportunity. To be an entrepreneur and see where we’ve grown and see your brand, a brand Brie and I started on our own, no investors, we’ve grown this company for over a decade and now see it on a race car at a place we call home with family. Alex is incredible.”
“For me, when I saw [Labbe] walking on stage, because we had never met him, I love NASCAR so you’re always seeing all the [drivers] with their sponsors. I went, ‘Oh my gosh, he’s wearing a Bonita shirt,’” Brie added. “I was like holy [expletive].”
While experiencing the thrill of performing for WWE, this is a new experience for The Bellas. The Bonita brand continues to grow domestically, prominently featured in cities such as Las Vegas and Nashville, along with its home base in California.
“We’ve never done anything like this,” Nikki stated. “The one thing I love about Bonita Bonita is it’s not just a wine company, it’s its own brand. It’s become a community. This just proves, because we’re breaking into Sam’s Club, as a company, how mainstream Bonita Bonita has become and as a company how much we bring to the table that we can be a part of NASCAR.
“Not only can we sponsor a fantastic driver like Alex Labbe, but we can be in the concession stands, Brie and I show up. What Brie and I have done, even with The Nikki & Brie Show, is we constantly prove how you can bring social media and influence into your companies all together and your brand can be so much more than a product.”
Nikki also received a positive update away from the race track this week. After breaking her left ankle ahead of WrestleMania 42, she had her brace removed, fueling optimism that a potential WWE comeback could be closer.
“I’m feeling strong and I’m in a great place,” Nikki revealed. “The X-rays show the bones look great.”