NASCAR Sponsorship News and Rumors
NASCAR Series and Team Sponsor(s) related
June 26, 2007
Bass Pro Shops resigns with DEI and Truex: Dale Earnhardt Inc. has re-signed Bass Pro Shops to sponsor the No. 1 Chevrolet and driver Martin Truex Jr. in 2008. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Truex, who turned 27 last week, has enjoyed a breakout sophomore season behind the wheel of the No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet. Truex's contract with DEI runs through next year. DEI is remains in discussions with Anheuser-Busch and has a short list of potential drivers to replace Dale Earnhardt Jr., who announced earlier this month he was moving to Hendrick Motorsports in 2008. "We are having conversations with Budweiser daily," said DEI VP John Story. (FOXSports.com)
June 23, 2007
Bill Davis Racing hopes to re-sign CAT: Mike Brown, general manager for Bill Davis Racing, says that Caterpillar's sponsorship ends after the season and the team is in talks with the company to continue that partnership. (Roanoke Times)
June 20, 2007
Report: NASCAR to rename Cup series to Sprint Cup in 2008; Not so fast? Beginning with the 2008 season, Sprint will replace Nextel as title sponsor of NASCAR's premiere racing series, multiple high-ranking industry sources told ESPN.com on condition of anonymity. The series will be known as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, sources said. NASCAR declined comment. Dean Kessel, Sprint's NASCAR marketing director, denied the claims, and said Sprint/Nextel is still sorting the proposition out with NASCAR. (ESPN.com) However a report refutes imminent change -- USA Today reports: Sprint had no discussion of sponsorship in corporate meeting: NASCAR will neither confirm nor deny that its Nextel Cup Series will carry the name Sprint beginning in 2008. "To my knowledge, no final decision has been made," said Ramsey Poston, NASCAR's managing director of corporate communications, refuting an ESPN.com report that the name change was imminent. But Poston added, "if that's the direction they want to go, we (NASCAR) would be supportive of that." Nextel officials were flying to California Wednesday afternoon, in preparation for Sunday's Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway, and not available for comment. However, USA TODAY learned that the topic of changing the NASCAR series name did not come up at Wednesday's corporate communications meeting. Changing the name would require substantial lead time and expense on the part of Sprint/Nextel, given the amount of signage and participating sponsorships involved. (USA Today.com)
Beverage companies trying to sponsor Earnhardt? Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick has been in talks with two beverage sponsors for Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s racecar for 2008. One is Pepsi and the other is Monster Energy. (Captain Thunder)
June 19, 2007
Dale Jr. and Adidas sponsorship in the works? While Dale Earnhardt Jr. was choreographing his move to Hendrick Motorsports, his marketing team at JR Motorsports has been working on an apparel deal with Adidas that could put his own line of ClimaCool wear in major sporting goods retailers, a place where NASCAR has had no presence. But Earnhardt’s own endorsement muscle is again evident in the deal with Adidas, which is believed to be a separate agreement from Earnhardt’s new relationship at Hendrick. It’s uncertain if the Adidas relationship might blossom into a team sponsorship deal. NASCAR-related apparel and merchandise has essentially been nonexistent in the top sporting goods chains and Adidas’ relationships in that space could provide a significant distribution push for Earnhardt’s apparel. “This is a very interesting strategy,” said Neil Schwartz, an analyst for SportSCAN Info, a West Palm Beach, Fla., firm that tracks the sporting goods industry. “There is a lot of NASCAR merchandise sold, but a lot of it is online, and the at-track business is monumental. What you haven’t seen is a lot of lifestyle apparel, jerseys [and] golf shirts.” (Sports Business Journal)
June 18, 2007
AT&T extends RCR sponsorship three years; Burton resigns with RCR: AT&T has exercised the option in its current contract with Richard Childress Racing (RCR) by signing a contract extension that will ensure that the popular No. 31 AT&T Chevrolet remains a competitor in the NASCAR Cup Series for years to come. At the same time, Jeff Burton, driver of the No. 31 AT&T Chevrolet, has reached agreement with RCR on a contract extension with the 10-time NASCAR championship-winning organization. “As long-time supporters of racing and its fans, we are very pleased to continue our involvement with the sport as a team sponsor in the wireless category,” said Dave Garver, executive director of high growth segments and sponsorships for the wireless division at AT&T. “We’ve enjoyed our relationship with Jeff and RCR, and look forward to continuing to work with them through many more winning seasons. “In the past decade, we’ve developed innovative ways to bring fans closer to racing, with interactive content that can be accessed via their wireless handsets, alerts sent directly to their phones and on-the-ground activities promoting wireless services at and around racing events. We’re looking ahead, planning even more engaging ways to bring the latest in wireless technology to fans.” AT&T, as Cingular, has been the primary sponsor of RCR’s No. 31 team since 2002. In that time, with Burton and Robby Gordon behind the wheel, the team has earned four wins, four pole positions, 22 top-five and 54 top-10 finishes. (RCR PR)
June 16, 2007
Roush Fenway Racing announces Aflac as team sponsor: With a successful acting career in television commercials and even movies, the Aflac Duck has added yet another role to its already impressive repertoire - race-car driving. Aflac Incorporated today announced that it is partnering with Roush Fenway Racing to sponsor eight NASCAR NEXTEL Cup and Busch Series races in the 2007 season. Greg Biffle will drive the No. 16 Aflac Ford for its debut at the NEXTEL Cup race on July 1 at New Hampshire International Speedway for a total of four races. Aflac is also sponsoring four Busch Series races with drivers Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth and Jamie McMurray. "We look forward to working with a world-class team like Roush Fenway Racing to bring the Aflac brand closer to NASCAR fans," said Paul S. Amos II, president, Aflac; COO, U.S. Operations. "In addition to uniting with another great brand and working with these exciting drivers, this sponsorship will be a useful platform to build additional awareness of how our products can help consumers in their quest to balance everyday living expenses with out-of-pocket health care costs not covered by their existing major medical insurance." Aflac's Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Jeff Herbert added: "We believe the marketing opportunities that will result as a part of our sponsorship with this great motorsports leader will help grow our business and reach our broad consumer base." "I am extremely excited to work with Aflac, with its reputation as a solid, strong business leader and innovative company," said Jack Roush, Roush Fenway Racing team owner. "Aflac is a welcome addition to our team, and to racing." "Aflac is certainly a household name, whether people are familiar with their service or just their commercials," added NASCAR Driver Biffle. "I've been fortunate to have several high profile national sponsors - and now Aflac - that the average race fan is familiar with and has likely had a good experience with their service or product. I know Aflac has been involved with the NASCAR broadcasts but I am excited to debut their paint scheme at New Hampshire next month." (Roush Fenway Racing PR)
June 13, 2007
Budweiser Statement regarding Dale Earnhardt, Jr. announcement: "Anheuser-Busch has enjoyed a remarkable relationship with Dale Earnhardt Jr. since our sponsorship commenced back in 1999. Dale Jr. is an excellent ambassador for the sport and our company, and we look forward to exploring options with Hendrick Motorsports and JR Motorsports to continue Budweiser’s relationship with him as he enters this new stage of his racing career." Tony Ponturo, Vice President, Global Media and Sports Marketing Anheuser-Busch, Inc. (Anheuser-Busch PR)
July 8, 2006
Future Yates Sponsorship: Citi Financial, which sponsors Yates's Busch efforts, may be ready for a major role, Doug Yates said. He also noted that Tide, which has backed Cal Wells's team since 2000, will be contractually free after this season and may be available. (Speedtv.com)
July 7, 2006
UPS follows Jarrett to Michael Waltrip's Racing Toyota: NASCAR driver Dale Jarrett will bring United Parcel Service Inc. along for the ride when he moves to Michael Waltrip Racing in 2007. Atlanta-based UPS has reported a two-year deal with Michael Waltrip Racing to sponsor Jarrett in a Toyota Camry for the 2007 and 2008 seasons of the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. Earlier this year, Jarrett agreed to move to the Waltrip organization and race a Toyota Camry starting with the 2007 Daytona 500. The decision to join Michael Waltrip Racing also places UPS among the first sponsors to adorn a Toyota Camry in 2007, which is the manufacturer's inaugural season in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. UPS has supported Jarrett since 2001, when it first became a NASCAR team sponsor and began its popular "Race the Truck" advertising campaign. That campaign has made Jarrett's name synonymous with UPS and its "big brown truck" and UPS said maintaining that brand connection was a factor in its decision. (Yahoo!/Biz Journal)
June 30, 2006
France says Sprint-NEXTEL is here to stay: Q) Along with the potential name change with the merger, the rumors continue to pop up about the possible change of the sponsor. Has there been any discussions at all about Nextel/Sprint getting another company to buy out the contract? BRIAN FRANCE: None whatsoever. They have got one of the great positions, the greatest position perhaps, in sports. They are obviously going through a change post their merger trying to get their company in a place that takes the most advantage with NASCAR. But they are focused on how to build around the sponsorship that Nextel brought into the merger. So none whatsoever. (NASCAR PR)
June 29, 2006
AFSOC paint scheme on #21: The United States Air Force is outfitting its #21 race car with a different look when it rolls onto the track at the Pepsi 400 this weekend. The car's paint scheme synchronizes with the Air Force's Special Operations Command shield imprinted on the hood of the car. "We honor all of our Airmen when we run the Air Force paint scheme, but since this race falls so close to the 4th of July holiday; we decided to honor our special operations units. They are a group of folks who fly under the radar and rarely get the spotlight," said Capt. Jonathan Ness, Chief of Event Marketing Branch, Air Force Recruiting Service Strategic Communication Division. "AFSOC has more than 12,000 extremely well-trained and deployable Airmen who are matched and equipped with some highly specialized aircraft. And to top it off, they are always prepared for worldwide deployment," Captain. Ness said. In addition to honoring the special operations forces with a new paint scheme, Maj. Gen. Donald C. Wurster, AFSOC Vice Commander, plans to conduct a formal induction ceremony for 40 young men and women enlisting into the Air Force on race day. Air Force Special Operations Command which was established May 22, 1990 is a major command and the Air Force component of U.S. Special Operations Command, a unified command located at MacDill Air Force Base, FL. (Wood Brothers)
June 26, 2006:
Bank of America looking at replacing NEXTEL? When word of the shake-up first broke in April, Sprint executives insisted they were committed to continuing the NASCAR sponsorship, despite reports otherwise that the new powers were less than interested in NASCAR. Now, according to sources familiar with the situation, there are reports that Bank of America executives are interested in acquiring the title sponsorship to the Cup series. (Salem-Journal)
June 25, 2006
NEXTEL sports executives out: Sprint Nextel’s NASCAR Marketing Manager Mike Mooney has had his job eliminated by the telecommunications company in a round of job cuts. Mooney, along with Jill Gregory and Michael Robichaud, were the three most visible executives in Nextel’s NASCAR program when it began prior to the 2004 season. But with Gregory and Robichaud already gone and Mooney leaving as of next Friday, the key strategists behind Nextel’s initial foray into NASCAR are all gone. (SPEEDtv)
June 24, 2006
Roush denies UPS sponsorship: Car owner Jack Roush said he isn't signing any sponsorship deal with UPS, despite reports that the FedEx rival may have turned down a Kasey Kahne deal with Ray Evernham. "We haven't had any talks with UPS," Roush said. UPS has sponsored Robert Yates, at Roush's fellow-Ford operation, for six years. But UPS has been debating a move, possibly to a Toyota operation such as Michael Waltrip's. One key - the sudden success of rival FedEx with rookie Denny Hamlin. (Salem-Journal)
Sprint/NEXTEL says no timetable on series name change: A spokesman for Sprint Nextel said no timetable has been set on any name change. Sprint Nextel officials said this year they planned to decide by this summer on the series name. (Virginian Pilot)
ScanDisk on #66 at Sonoma: Jeff Green's #66 Chevy is carrying a special red, yellow and white paint design this weekend at Infineon Raceway, featuring the logo of SanDisk Corporation on the hood of the Haas CNC Racing entry. Headquartered about 80 miles from Sonoma in Milpitas, CA SanDisk, the world's largest supplier of flash memory data storage products, is an associate sponsor of the #66 Chevy this season. At the beginning of the 2006 season, SanDisk joined Best Buy, the consumer electronics, home-office products, entertainment software, appliances and related services retail chain, as a sponsor of the Haas CNC Racing entry. Best Buy, which offers many SanDisk products, is the primary sponsor of the #66 Haas CNC Racing team in a select number of races this season. The Best Buy logo will be featured on the car's rear quarter panel in Sunday's event. More information on SanDisk and its product line can be found by visiting sandisk.com. (GMR PR)
June 23, 2006:
Sprint//NEXTEL Announcement expected at Daytona?
LENOX Tools to sponsor July NHIS race
June 22, 2006:
UPS heading to Roush? Car owner Ray Evernham had until last Friday to convince Dodge officials to allow UPS to sponsor Kasey Kahne's Dodge next year, and apparently he couldn't do it. That means UPS will sponsor Greg Biffle's Ford next year. (Augusta Chronicle)
Barrett lands Sonoma sponsor: Stanton Barrett Motorsports will have Interush as the primary sponsor on the #95 Chevy for this weekend for the Dodge/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway. Interush is an affiliate driven Internet Advertising and Marketing company which takes U.S. based technology to the Asian markets. Interush, already featured as an associate sponsor in previous NASCAR Nextel Cup races this season, will be on the #95 throughout the second half of the season, running as primary and associate sponsors for Barrett. (Stanton Barrett Motorsports PR)
June 18, 2006:
MWR Sponsorship announcement: Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) announced Sunday it has formed a unique partnership with two marquee brands – Domino's Pizza and Burger King Corporation to be co-primary sponsors of its second 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series team. "When we first approached Burger King and Domino's Pizza, we knew we were thinking outside of the box and didn't know if two food brands would be willing to work together to sponsor the same team," said Michael Waltrip. "We took the risk and are very excited to have two of the world's most recognized brands sponsoring the #00 NASCAR Nextel Cup team." "It's not unusual for two or more sponsors to split a sponsorship season," said Ty Norris, General Manager for Michael Waltrip Racing. "However, this is the first time that two companies within the same industry agreed to be sponsors of the same car during the same season. This is another example of the unprecedented approach Michael Waltrip Racing is taking to becoming a multi-car NASCAR Nextel Cup team organization." Domino's will kick off the season at the Daytona 500 and continue as the primary sponsor through the May race in Darlington, SC. A Domino's paint scheme will also adorn the #00 Toyota Camry at the August Nextel Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway. Domino's will deliver its final five races during the Chase for the Nextel Cup Series championship. The #00-Burger King Toyota Camry will hit the track Memorial Day weekend at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, NC, and cap off the regular season under the lights at Richmond International Raceway. Five Chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup races, including the final race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, will feature the Burger King paint scheme. The split-season sponsorship allows Domino's and Burger King to continue their respective relationships with Michael Waltrip Racing, while positioning both companies at the forefront of the changing motorsports industry. The team along with input from both sponsors is in negotiations to secure a driver and will make a separate announcement once a driver has been determined.(Michael Waltrip Racing PR)
June 17, 2006:
Sprint/Nextel Announcement expected: Sprint will, within a week or so, acknowledge a change in the name of NASCAR's top series for 2007, mandating Sprint Cup or Sprint/Nextel Cup. Sprint acquired the assets of its walkie-talkie rival last year and promised an eventual name change in order to make use of Nextel's top sports marketing property. (Speedtv.com)
June 16, 2006:
Budweiser/Earnhardt Legacy ads: Budweiser honors the Earnhardt family’s three generations of NASCAR success this Father’s Day with a “NASCAR History” ad showcasing imagery representing more than 50 years of the family’s racing legacy and Budweiser’s long-time support for auto racing. The 60-second ad will debut Friday on Budweiser.com, and will premiere on national television during Sunday’s broadcast of the 3M Performance 400 from Michigan International Speedway at 1pm/et on FOX. The spot melds black and white images of six-time NASCAR Sportsman Series champion Ralph Earnhardt racing a cream-colored 1955 Chevrolet, followed by the contrasting black #3 Goodwrench car of “The Intimidator,” Dale Earnhardt, a seven-time NASCAR series champion. Finally, the ad brings into the fold the #8 Budweiser car driven by NASCAR’s only third generation champion, Dale Earnhardt Jr., seamlessly relating how the Earnhardts, NASCAR and Budweiser have come a long way together over the past 50 years. (Bud Racing/Fingerprint PR)
June 12, 2006:
UPS to Evernham? It appears UPS is still in play as a major sponsor. In the past two years the winner in the sponsor hunt has been Evernham Motorsports. UPS may add itself to the list of Evernham conquests signing as the primary sponsor of the No. 9 Dodge driven by Kasey Kahne. Then again, it is said the Dodge Dealers aren't willing to vacate their position on Kahne's ride. The dealers might be willing to let loose of the No. 19 driven by Jeremy Mayfield. However, it’s not clear Mayfield would be the driver of choice for UPS. (CircleTrackPlus.com)
June 10, 2006:
UPS to Roush or Evernham: On the sponsor front, sources in the garage indicate that UPS will be moving from Robert Yates Racing to one of two teams in 2007, either the No. 9 Evernham Motorsports Dodge Charger driven by Kasey Kahne or the No. 16 Roush Racing Ford Fusion driven by Greg Biffle. RYR will replace UPS with CitiFinancial, its current Busch Series sponsor, sources said. (Speedtv)
June 9, 2006:
Fendler on Cope Ride at Pocono: McGlynn Racing and Derrike Cope are pleased to welcome Fendler and Associates, a personal injury law firm, as an associate sponsor of the team at Pocono. Fendler and Associates has sponsored the McGlynn team in past Pocono efforts and will be on the #74 for both Pocono races this year. "I have known Steve for years and consider him a good friend. Like any team, we are always looking for new sponsors and we are thrilled when we are able to help a Pennsylvania-based company receive some great exposure," said Ray McGlynn, owner of McGlynn Racing. (McGlynn Racing PR)
May 29, 2006:
Microsoft sponsors first NASCAR team, #66 Green: Officials from Microsoft and Best Buy announced the new Windows Live OneCare, a security service for personal computers, will be the primary sponsor on the No. 66 Best Buy Chevy driven by Jeff Green at this weekend's Nextel Cup Series race in Dover, Del. "I think it is a very exciting day for me as a driver for Haas Racing and what they have going on with Best Buy," Green said. "To have a partner come on like Microsoft is pretty awesome. For a guy from Kentucky (once) racing popsicle sticks down the gutters to get to hav ethe Microsoft car is pretty awesome." (Kannapolis Independent Tribune)
May 26, 2006;
Microsoft to sponsor Green #66: Microsoft Corp. will be a sponsor of NASCAR race-car driver Jeff Green's No. 66 Chevrolet Monte Carlo in NASCAR's Nextel Cup race series. The Redmond software company will make the announcement May 28 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N.C., site of Sunday's Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR event, according to a statement. Microsoft will tout its "Windows Live OneCare" computer protection subscription product in the sponsorship, the statement said. No other details about the racing sponsorship were included in the statement from Microsoft and Best Buy. (Seattle Biz-Journal)
May 22, 2006:
JumpFly.com joins McGlynn Racing: McGlynn Racing and Derrike Cope are pleased to welcome JumpFly.com as the newest sponsor to the #74 NEXTEL Cup Series team. JumpFly.com professionally develops, implements and manages Google, Yahoo and MSN pay-per-click accounts, enabling clients to maximize Internet advertising results while saving time and money. Proper setup and management of these complex, confusing and time-consuming programs will likely make the difference between an advertiser's success or failure. JumpFly.com's full-service solution enables clients to focus on their core business while attaining the best possible results from their pay per click advertising campaigns. "We are incredibly excited to associate JumpFly with McGlynn Racing and NASCAR driver Derrike Cope. We are grateful for this unique opportunity and proud to display our logo on the car of a Daytona 500 winner," said Brad Garlin, Managing Director of JumpFly.com. JumpFly.com will make their debut appearance at Lowe's Motor Speedway on May 28 for the Coco-Cola 600 and will remain an associate sponsor for the remainder of the 2006 season. In addition, JumpFly.com will create and manage the team's online advertising campaign to aide in the search for additional sponsors to help further the growth and development of the McGlynn Racing team. (McGlynn Racing PR)
May 16, 2006:
Petty Enterprise still looking for sponsors for select races: The #45 Dodge driven by Kyle Petty has announced sponsorship opportunities for selected races remaining in 2006. The up-coming months offer one-of-a-kind opportunities to be a part of the resurging Petty Enterprises organization. "We have some races that are open throughout the rest of the season", said Petty. "We were left to fill a void a few weeks ago when a sponsorship deal for us didn't pan out. It was supposed to be about a nine-race deal. That left us to fill some holes, but fortunately those holes are great opportunities for companies to capitalize on." Races include the Brickyard 400 at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Pepsi 400 at Daytona, the Sharpie 500 at Bristol and the season-ending Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami. Other races include events in major markets such as Chicago, Atlanta, Phoenix, and Richmond. "We are now looking for another new partner to join the Petty family. We are working hard to do that for this season. We feel that we offer something different at Petty Enterprises. We are looking for a partner that wants to be a part of the excitement that we're building," said Petty. The team will next participate in this weekend's All-Star activities at the Lowe's Motor Speedway. In fact, Petty's sponsors have put up $250,000 to be donated to Victory Junction Gang Camp if Petty is voted into the All-Star race by the fans. Go to votekylepetty.com for details. (Moore Consulting Group/Petty Racing)
McDowell Resort Destination to sponsor Leffler at Phoenix: Jason Leffler and Braun Racing are going NEXTEL Cup racing later this year at Phoenix International Raceway. Fort McDowell Resort Destination will step-up their motorsport’s program by becoming a primary sponsor in the NEXTEL Cup division for one race later this year. “It’s undisputed the coverage Fort McDowell will receive by stepping up to the next level at Phoenix later this year. Fort McDowell was very impressed by Jason’s performance in the Busch series race last month (at Phoenix) and this is a perfect opportunity to test the waters at a higher level,” explained Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation President Raphael Bear. “The combination of a great team and a great driver creates an exciting potential for the race and exposure of the Fort McDowell Resort Destination. Fort McDowell is definitely looking forward to the added and growing relationship within the NASCAR arena,” President Bear continued. In addition to their new commitment to Braun Racing at the Cup level, the Fort McDowell Resort Destination logo will be displayed as a major associate sponsor on Leffler’s No. 38 Great Clips Chevy at the California and Phoenix Busch races later this year. (Braun Racing PR)
May 5, 2006:
NASCAR race to named after Fan, and hey, Dale Jr. what do you think? Next year’s NEXTEL spring race at Richmond International Raceway will be named after one lucky NASCAR fan. Crown Royal, the sponsor for tomorrow’s NEXTEL Cup Race, announced the landmark promotional event Friday afternoon in the infield of RIR. The event will mark the first time in history a major-sporting event will be named after a fan, Crown Royal said. Jamie McMurray, driver of the No. 26 Crown Royal Ford Fusion, made the announcement along with super-vixen Jaime Pressley, who currently stars on NBC’s "My Name is Earl." Pressley, a native of Kinston, N.C., said she grew up watching NASCAR with her dad. The former Playboy model said she’s proud to be involved with the promotion because a large portion of the proceeds go toward the RADD (Recording Artists, Actors & Athletes Against Drunk Driving) charity. "Celebrity's only good for two things: charity work and getting a good table at a restaurant," she said. I pegged Pressley for a whiskey drinker, so I asked her what distinguished Crown Royal from other poisons of its kind. "It's smoothe, it's just smoothe,” she said convincingly. "My dad has been drinking Crown Royal since I was 8, so of course I had my first taste with him." Earlier in the day, a reporter asked Dale Earnhardt Jr., who drives the Budweiser car, his thoughts on a hard liquor brand sponsoring a NASCAR race for the first time. “I don’t pay too much attention to sponsors of any race, unless I’m looking at them on a trophy,” he said. (Richmond.com)
April 25, 2006:
Wallace to driver National Day of Prayer car: NEXTEL CUP Driver Kenny Wallace is scheduled to drive the National Day of Prayer car #78 sponsored by Furniture Row for the NASCAR NEXTEL CUP race at Talladega Superspeedway. The National Day of Prayer tradition predates the founding of the United States of America when the Continental Congress issued a proclamation setting aside a day of prayer in 1775. In 1952, Congress established an annual day of prayer and, in 1988, that law was amended, designating the National Day of Prayer as the first Thursday in May. For more information visit www.nationaldayofprayer.org. In commemoration of the day, which falls on Thursday, May 4th, the #78 Furniture Row Chevy Monte Carlo CUP car will feature a new Sam Bass designed, red, white and blue paint scheme showcasing the National Day of Prayer logo for Talladega on April 30. (The National Day of Prayer PR)
April 20, 2006:
Best Western Reups with NASCAR as Official Hotel: Best Western International announced today that it has renewed its sponsorship agreement with NASCAR for another three years, extending its role as the sport's Official Hotel through the 2009 season. The company will continue to leverage the partnership through a combination of new and existing customized consumer programs and promotions, targeting NASCAR's 75 million loyal fans. Best Western will also build upon its recent business-to-business successes by developing additional opportunities with other major sponsors. On January 1, 2004, Best Western entered into a three-year agreement with NASCAR, becoming the sport's first-ever Official Hotel. Since then, the partnership has generated more attention for the lodging company than any other brand-wide initiative. In 2005, Best Western was honored by the Association of Travel Marketing Executives (ATME) with an Atlas Award, which recognizes innovation in travel marketing. The hotel chain was selected in the "Best Strategic Partnership" category for its sponsorship of NASCAR. "Two years ago, Best Western assumed a high-profile position within the fastest growing sport in North America," said Dorothy Dowling, Best Western senior vice president of marketing. "As part of an elite group of NASCAR sponsor companies, we were given access to a large, loyal -- and most importantly, mobile -- audience. Today, with 2,400 properties and more than 200,000 hotel rooms throughout the U.S. and Canada, we remain committed to making Best Western the home-away-from-home for NASCAR fans, as well as for its partners and racing teams." (Best Western PR)
April 6, 2006:
Bank of America hires NEXTEL's NASCAR marketing executive: Bank of America, one of the world's largest financial institutions, today announced that Jill Gregory has joined the company as Senior Vice President and Strategic Marketing Executive for the bank's NASCAR sponsorship programs. In this new role, Gregory will oversee strategy and activation development for the company's expansive motorsports sponsorship platform, which includes title sponsorship of the Bank of America 500 and the Neighborhood Excellence 400 presented by Bank of America, as well as sponsorships at 10 tracks throughout the country. As part of the company's Global Marketing and Corporate Affairs organization, Gregory will be based in Charlotte, and will report to Ray Bednar, Senior Vice President and Sports Sponsorship Executive who leads strategy and activation development for the company's sports sponsorship portfolio. Gregory joins Bank of America after serving most recently as Director of Sponsorships and Sports Marketing at Sprint Nextel. In that capacity, she was responsible for developing and managing marketing and sales programs to support the company's title sponsorship of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, NASCAR's premier racing series. .(Bank of America PR)
FOX Collision sponsors Front Row Motorsports: Front Row Motorsports announced today that FOX Collision Center will sponsor the Front Row Motorsports #92 Chevrolet driven by Chad Blount at Texas Motor Speedway, for the Samsung/RadioShack 500. “I look forward to driving the FOX Collision Center Chevrolet at Texas,” commented driver Chad Blount. “Our team is ready to build on our effort from Martinsville and we’re excited about our chances this weekend.” FOX Collision Center, Inc., with 11 full service body shops is owned and operated by Kansas native Todd Fox, an industry veteran with over 20 years experience in collision repair. He began his collision repair business in Wichita and operated four facilities before moving onto Tulsa, Oklahoma in spring of 2001. After just a few short months, FOX quickly became Tulsa’s premier Collision Center. There are currently four FOX Collision Centers in Wichita, one in Kansas City, Kansas; four in Tulsa and one in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. FOX Collision launched in Arkansas last week with the opening of their newest shop in Springdale. “Our partnership with Front Row Motorsports in 2005 provided a tremendous amount of exposure for our Collision Centers and was a wonderful experience for everyone involved,” said Todd Fox owner of FOX Collision. “This gives us the chance to connect with the core of our customer base. We look to strengthen our relationship with our existing customers while exposing our business and the services we offer to new people and potential customers.” “We appreciate the support of FOX Collision Center for the Texas race,” said team owner Bob Jenkins. For more information about Fox Collision please visit www.foxcollision.com (Front Row Motorsports PR)
April 4, 2006:
Sprint/NEXTEL undecided on timeline of name change: Sprint Nextel executives said on Tuesday it would be mid-season before a decision would be made on a possible name change for NASCAR's top series. Nextel merged with Sprint in August 2004, but the Nextel Cup Series name has remained unchanged. Sprint executives were initially scheduled to meet with NASCAR in February to discuss a possible name change, but that meeting won't happen until later in the year. "It was not the right time to consider a change and we have agreed to a new timetable which is the middle of this year," said Mark Schweitzer, Chief Marketing Officer of Sprint Nextel. "We want to make sure that if we were to make a change, it would not be detrimental to the equity we have built up. "That is not the same as saying the name needs to change. We have an agreement with NASCAR to revisit it." Sprint Nextel said that NASCAR itself would have a "lot of input" in the name. Only one name change can occur over the 10-year contract period. Jill Gregory, the director of Nextel's NASCAR marketing since 2004, left the company to head motorsports marketing for Bank of America. Gregory's boss, Michael Robichaud, has announced he also will be leaving the company, sparking speculation about the future of Sprint-Nextel in NASCAR's top series. But Sprint Nextel executives pointed out that selling the deal with NASCAR, which began in 2004 and runs through 2013, is not an option. (NASCAR.com)
March 23, 2006:
Morgan-McClure signs Food City for Bristol race: Morgan-McClure Motorsports announced that Food City will again partner with the Abingdon, VA-based team for this weekend's Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. The associate sponsorship marks the fifth consecutive event at Bristol in which the supermarket chain has adorned the sides of #4 Aero Exhaust Chevy driven by Scott Wimmer. Steve Smith, President and CEO of Food City, Quotes: "Food City is excited to again partner with our friends and neighbors at Morgan-McClure Motorsports. We look forward to seeing the Food City colors flying around Bristol Motor Speedway and nothing would make us happier than to have Scott Wimmer join us in Victory Lane." Larry McClure, President of Morgan-McClure Motorsports, Quotes: "We're very excited to have Food City partner with our race team for the Food City 500. Food City has contributed a great deal to the racing community over the years and with Morgan-McClure and Food City both being local companies; it is a privilege for us to include them in our racing program."(Morgan-McClure Motorsports PR)
March 22, 2006:
H. Sadler lands TNA sponsorship: TNA Wrestling, the new face in professional wrestling, will partner with Aarons Sales and Lease Ownership for Less in sponsoring MBA Motorsports and driver Hermie Sadler in the Virginia 500 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series race on April 2 at Martinsville Speedway. The car will feature a special paint scheme that will promote the kick off of Autism Awareness month. Sadler has a daughter with Autism. TNA joins Aarons on the “Dream Machine” for Martinsville as they move their weekly show, “IMPACT” to Thursday nights on Spike TV beginning April 13. (MBA Motorsports PR)
March 15, 2006:
Who's Your Daddy and Sacks makes debut at Atlanta Motor Speedway: Who's Your Daddy, Inc. is pleased to announce it has entered into a sponsorship agreement to be the exclusive primary sponsor of Sacks Motorsports for the 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL CUP SERIES. Greg Sacks will drive the Who's Your Daddy Car # 13 during the 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL CUP season, debuting at the Atlanta Motor Speedway in the Golden Coral 500, this Sunday, March 19, 2006. Starting time for the race will be 1:00 EST. The race will be televised by Fox Sports and the TNT channel. Check your local listings. Greg Sacks began his racing career in 1980 and has been a consistent winner. In 1994 Sacks set the track record at the Atlanta Motor Speedway when he won the pole position. Edon Moyal, CEO of Who's Your Daddy, Inc. says, "We are extremely proud to be associated with Greg Sacks, who is one of the finest drivers on the circuit. We are looking forward to the debut of the Who's Your Daddy Car at Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend." Mr. Moyal continued, "We are looking forward to a long term relationship in which Who's Your Daddy will become a formidable presence at NASCAR. Moving from the BUSCH SERIES to the NEXTEL CUP SERIES this year is a major step in the Company's overall progress and places Who's Your Daddy amongst some of the greatest racing teams, NASCAR fans and global brands across the country." Sacks responded to the Who's Your Daddy sponsorship by saying, "I cannot remember a time when I have been as enthused about a sponsor as I am about Who's Your Daddy. The company is young, vibrant and exciting, and has a tremendous product in the Who's Your Daddy 'King of Energy' Drink, which is a product destined for stardom." Who's Your Daddy is also pleased to announce the launch of the new "King of Energy" website (www.kingofenergy.com) in conjunction with the Atlanta race. (Who's Your Daddy, Inc. PR)
March 8, 2006:
DirecTV to sponsor Martinsville race: NASCAR partner DIRECTV, the nation's leading digital TV service, announced today that it will be the title sponsor of the upcoming NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race in Martinsville, VA on April 2, 2006 (FOX, 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time). In addition to sponsoring the DIRECTV 500, DIRECTV will also be the primary sponsor of Richard Childress Racing's (RCR) No. 07 Chevrolet in the race with rookie Clint Bowyer in the driver's seat. "We are thrilled to be the title sponsor of the DIRECTV 500 and watch the DIRECTV Chevrolet make its Nextel Cup Series debut," said Jon Gieselman, senior vice president of Advertising and Public Relations, DIRECTV, Inc. "We hope the race fans in Martinsville and the millions of NASCAR fans watching FOX on Sunday enjoy this special event." (Martinsville Speedway PR)
Feb. 23, 2006:
Sopranos to sponsor#07 Bowyer at Las Vegas: NASCAR history includes a tradition of great racing families; names like Earnhardt, Petty, Waltrip and Labonte have dominated the sport for decades. On March 12th, a new family will be added to that list: Soprano. That’s right—America’s favorite mob family will join the NASCAR ranks by sponsoring Richard Childress Racing’s (RCR) No. 07 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS and driver Clint Bowyer in the UAW-Daimler Chrysler 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The one-race sponsorship is part of HBO’s marketing campaign to promote the hit drama’s season premiere, which will air Sunday, March 12 at 9 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The Sopranos logo will be showcased on the hood and on the quarter panels of Bowyer’s No. 07. Some of the show’s other businesses are also getting into the act, as the Bada Bing logo will be on the car’s rear quarter panel. The 07 team’s crew uniforms will also include a patch advertising Satriale’s Pork Store. Bowyer, who will be making just his fourth career Nextel Cup start, is excited about the opportunity but understandably nervous at the same time. “My job has a lot of pressure even without having Tony Soprano as my boss,” joked Bowyer. “Now I’ve got to worry about if I don’t win I might end up sleeping with the fishes.” Team owner Richard Childress is excited to have the Sopranos on one of his cars, saying, “HBO and Tony Soprano made us an offer we couldn’t refuse. We’ve built them a great car and hopefully we can get them into victory lane their first time out.” Grand Central Marketing, an event marketing and promotions agency with offices in New York and Los Angeles, brokered the sponsorship and handles the promotion on behalf of HBO. (RCR PR)
#61 Peak Performance signs muti-race sponsor: Peak Performance Motorsports today announced that its #61 entry will be sponsored by RoadLoans in a multi-race Primary and Associate Sponsorship deal for 2006. The Internet-based auto finance company teams with Peak Performance as it puts NASCAR veteran Kevin Lepage behind the wheel of the #61 RoadLoans.com Ford when it rolls into California for the Auto Club 500. The RoadLoans.com #61 Ford will first hit the track at the California Speedway on Feb. 24, 2006 as it gears up for the NASCAR season. (Peak Racing)
Feb. 21, 2006:
Bank of America revs up NASCAR sponsorship: Bank of America today will announce a deal to become the official bank of four NASCAR tracks, its latest step in a broadening campaign to woo stock car fans. The Charlotte company said it signed a five-year deal with International Speedway Corp. to sponsor tracks at Los Angeles, Kansas City, Phoenix and Watkins Glen, N.Y. Terms were not disclosed. After ignoring the sport for decades, banks have lately started showing love for NASCAR. Bank of America now lists the sport as one of its primary sponsorship commitments, alongside the Olympic Games and Major League Baseball. The company is now the official bank of nine NASCAR tracks, include Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, where it also sponsors the fall race. At each track, the bank gets prominent locations for ads and ATMs, room to entertain clients, and the right to run promotions. "Joining the ISC family enables us to expand the ways in which we can reach a significant base of racing fans among our customers," Rick Parsons, the bank's executive vice president for brand marketing, said in a statement. (Charlotte Observer)
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