NASCAR Sponsorship
Updated: 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Long looking for Bristol sponsorship: Carl Long is still considerably upset at NASCAR for his suspension and $200,000 fine for an oversized engine, but he's talking with various sponsors about paying his penalty and resuming his part-time driving career. "I'm looking for one corporate sponsor to sponsor my car at Bristol," Long said Monday in a telephone interview. "I know I can make the race. I have a ton of experience there." Long said he won an All Pro Series race at the high-banked, .533-mile oval and has qualified for the last six Sprint Cup Series races that he has attempted. "That's a real good track for me," he said. (Daytona Beach News-Journal)
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Several Cup teams looking for sponsors: We've been hearing for months that sponsors, including those at top teams such as Hendrick Motorsports, won't fully commit past this season. Team owner Rick Hendrick made that clearer on Sunday when he indicated that Kellogg's and Carquest may not return in their full capacity in 2010. "Our sponsors are coming back," Hendrick said after Martin won at Michigan. "We don't know to what extent. That's the question. As you go along with this economy companies are taking longer to get their budgets in line. They're not a year out, or not even eight months like they have been in the past. We're in good shape. We have a lot of sponsors inside our company that we're talking about, you know, splitting up the car. So look for the guys that are on it to be back, but there will probably be someone new along there with them." That not only goes for the No. 5, but the No. 24 of Jeff Gordon and No. 88 of Dale Earnhardt Jr. also could have more partners next season. Jimmie Johnson and Lowe's appear solid on the No. 48. The same sort of restructuring is going on at other organizations such as Roush, which is trying to find multiple partners to lessen the load of DeWalt.(ESPN Insider)
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Danica Patrick could bring $50 million in new sponsorship dollars to NASCAR: What would it mean to Nascar to have Danica Patrick line up each week with the likes of Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, current three-time Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson and a host of other well-known drivers and personalities? Well, some sports pundits believe it could bring in $50 million in fresh sponsorship money, not to mention the ripple effect her popularity would have on TV ratings and at-track attendance. "I guarantee this is what will happen if Danica Patrick jumps to Nascar," a sports marketing executive who does business with the racing league told AdAge.com. "One, every TV rating for every race will increase from the year before as new fans and old tune it to see if she wins, crashes or pitches a fit and gets into fights on pit road like she does now. Two, track attendance will go up. Three, even though Nascar has a pretty loyal and wide-open fan base now among women, it will skyrocket if she's driving every week. And four, I guarantee it will bring in $50 million in new sponsors annually of marketers looking to activate around her, whether it's [sponsorship] on the car or off the track." (Ad Age)
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Jeremy Mayfield Motorsports sitll sponsor hunting: The No. 41 Mayfield Motorsports car did not pull out of Dover because of sponsorship issues, Mayfield Motorsports' team manager Bobby Wooten said. But it sounds like things are a bit in flux, as you'd expect. Wooten said that they withdrew from the race to give themselves time to organize and catch their breaths a little bit. He said the team would like to get J.J. Yeley back in the car, but very vaguely said that's in the works. "Everything's on hold," Wooten said. Of course, Mayfield has filed suit against NASCAR to lift his suspension at least until the conclusion of a court case. If he succeeds, he can get back in the car. Asked about sponsorship, Wooten said the team is still trying to figure out options. He wouldn't give any names of companies the team is involved with and said previous sponsors "may or may not be" associated with the team in the future. This season Mayfield Motorsports has been sponsored by All Sport, Big Red Soda and Smallsponsor.com.(Orlando Sentinel)
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
CompUSA to sponsor No. 71: David Gilliland and TRG Motorsports are ready to tackle 600 miles of racing at Lowe's Motor Speedway for the Coca-Cola 600. The team was able to take away a lot data from last weekend to apply to race this Sunday. The key component will be a different No. 71 CompUSA/TRG Motorsports Chevy than the team ran in the Open. Kevin Buckler, TRG Motorsports team principal, is forging ahead with limited resources to keep this team going on the track. "The Coca-Cola 600 is one of the biggest races on the schedule and I wanted to make sure we put our best stuff on the track," Buckler said. "The car we ran in the Open we didn't think was going to do we needed in the 600 so we brought a different one. We have very limited resources with this team so we are picking our battles very carefully and trying to perform at a very level on selected stages. We still need to land that sponsor/partner that can help us take this great little team forward into the future."(TRG Motorsports PR)
Monday, May 11, 2009
Sprint gives fans unprecedented access to NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers meeting: Sprint announced exclusive access to a typically-private race weekend tradition, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver/crew chief meeting. It is the first time in NASCAR's 61-year history race fans have been invited to listen live to the top-secret pre-race meeting between NASCAR officials, drivers and crew chiefs. This one-time opportunity will be available to fans prior to the 25th running of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race May 16. The audio broadcast will be streamed exclusively on Sprint phones via NASCAR Sprint Cup Mobile for customers away from the track and on NASCAR Sprint FanView for race fans at the track. All drivers and crew chiefs attend the meeting each week. NASCAR penalizes any driver or crew chief who misses or is late to the meeting by requiring that team to start at the back of the race, regardless of qualifying position. In addition to this content, Sprint customers also will be treated to SPEED's television broadcast of NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race XXV in its entirety on Sprint wireless phones via NASCAR Sprint Cup Mobile. NASCAR Sprint Cup Mobile, an exclusive wireless phone application from Sprint, also will offer video highlights of the popular NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge May 14. These special All-Star related offerings are available in addition to an already robust set of features including: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series news; driver stats; in-car audio; radio broadcasts; and post-race press conferences. NASCAR Sprint Cup Mobile is available with data plans at no additional charge. To download the application text NASCAR to 7777 on Sprint phones (standard rates apply) or visit www.sprint.com/speed for more information. Tickets for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race on May 16 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N.C., start at $25 and can be obtained by calling 1-800-455-FANS or at www.lowesmotorspeedway.com.(Sprint PR)
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Army official defends NASCAR sponsorship: The U.S. Army will pay Stewart-Haas Racing $11.6 million to sponsor Ryan Newman's No. 39 car for 23 races this season, and the Army official who oversees it says the money is worth it. Army and National Guard were the only branches of the military that served as primary sponsors for cars in Saturday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Richmond International Raceway. Lt. Gen. Benjamim Freakley said the Army looks at different ways to determine if the sponsorship is worthwhile but admits it comes down to one thing. "At the end of the day, for the Army, it's does someone join the Army or not," Freakley said. He said 41 people agreed Saturday at the Army's booth at the track to be interviewed by an Army recruiter. "That's powerful," Freakley said. Army sponsorship is a year-to-year agreement. Because Congress controls the money that goes to the military, the budget can fluctuate from year to year. That, Freakley says, makes it challenging to do multi-year deals. He said he won't know his budget until this summer. He said he and his group have started to assess the sponsorship and what they want to do for 2010 but no decisions have been made. (Hampton Roads)
Monday, April 6, 2009
Comcast to buy Sprint-Nextel? "As telco giants AT&T and Verizon move deeper into the TV business, cable giants like Comcast may have to get into the wireless business to compete. That could eventually involve Comcast buying Sprint Nextel, the No. 3 U.S. wireless carrier," writes Silicon Alley Insider here. Comcast and Sprint are backing the Clearwire 4G wireless network, and its WiMax system. If Clearwire doesn't connect, and cash-rich Comcast decides it's easier to buy than build, "the most logical deal could be for Sprint, which currently has a $12 billion market cap," Insider says. "It's not a new idea. But it could make sense in the next few years." (Philly Daily News)
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Sprint committed to NASCAR: Sprint remains committed to sponsoring NASCAR's premier series through the duration of its contract that runs through 2013 despite tough economic conditions, director of Sprint entertainment and marketing Steve Gaffney said Wednesday. "Committed more than ever," Gaffney said. "This sport and what we get from this sport in terms of real business, subscribers and existing subscribers is demonstratively good for our business. "You mention the economic downturn, we need to focus more on areas where we think we're winning business. And this sponsorship is winning business," Gaffney said. Sprint, at the time Nextel when the deal was signed, reportedly committed $700 million over 10 years to the series. (ESPN.com)
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Budweiser committed to Kasey Kahne and NASCAR: Kasey Kahne says Anheuser-Busch appears committed to him and the Sprint Cup series even though the beer company on Monday ended its sponsorship with the NHRA and Kenny Bernstein Racing. "We have another year with Budweiser," Kahne, driver of the No. 9 Budweiser Dodge, said during a Wednesday tire test at Lowe's Motor Speedway. "They've been great to work with. They've been my favorite sponsor I've ever had. "I hope we do things to keep them happy and keep impressing them and keep working with them for a long time." Dan McHugh, vice president of media, sponsorship and activation for Anheuser-Busch, said in a statement: "Budweiser remains committed to its presence in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, including sponsorship of Kasey Kahne and the No. 9 Budweiser Dodge, as well as the Budweiser Shootout." (ESPN.com)
SPOT LLC announces RGM sponsorship at Bristol: SPOT LLC (www.findmespot.com), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Globalstar Inc.a leader in personal satellite messaging and emergency communications, today announced it is sponsoring Robby Gordon Motorsports (RGM) at this weekend's NASCAR Sprint Cup Race at Bristol Motor Speedway. SPOT is the primary sponsor of Robby Gordon's No. 7 Toyota Camry, which will be branded in SPOT's familiar black and orange colors for the Food City 500's racing action at Bristol Motor Speedway. SPOT is the world's first Satellite GPS Messenger. The personal handheld satellite-based messaging, safety and tracking device sends the user's GPS location coordinates and select messages over a global satellite network to friends, family, co-workers or in case of an emergency, a rescue coordination center. Because SPOT uses satellite technology, it works regardless of cellular service availability from virtually anywhere around the world. Robby Gordon was an early adopter of the SPOT Satellite Messenger(tm), using its satellite and GPS technology to stay connected with his support team and his friends and family while practicing and racing off-road, often times in extreme remote areas. SPOT enables Robby to send his GPS location and selected message to his contacts so they know he is OK. SPOT also allows others to track his GPS position, updated automatically in real-time on Google Maps(tm). For a limited time fans of Robby Gordon and NASCAR can take advantage of a special promotional offer on the SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger. Visit www.findmespot.com/robby for complete details. Offer valid for U.S. residents only.(RGM)
Monday, March 9, 2009
Roush Fenway looking for sponsors: Roush Fenway Racing President Geoff Smith should only be negotiating to renew the one NASCAR Sprint Cup sponsorship he has open – the No. 17 Ford and DeWalt – for 2010. But Smith’s organization is working on helping nearly all of its Cup sponsors (No. 26-Crown Royal, No. 16-3M and No. 99-Aflac) find other companies willing to pony up the money to buy some races for 2010 and beyond even though they have contracts obligating them for the entire season. Smith said the companies have requested help, and it’s imperative in these economic times that the organization find more sponsors willing to share some of the costs. DeWalt, whose contract is up after the 2009 season, has also indicated it wants a partner. The only sponsor that has not requested a partner is UPS. A new sponsor could be on one of those cars by the end of 2009 if there is a commitment for future years, Smith said. Even though Roush Fenway can have only four Cup teams next year, it also is responsible for sponsorship for Yates Racing, so it is continuing to court companies to sponsor Cup teams. On an initial call, Smith said the organization will offer anything open in its portfolio. The one thing his company won’t do is to stagger sponsorships on a car because the organization has to commit to a salary for the driver and needs the sponsorship to back it up. Smith said that car owners must realize that they need to spend money on sales. He said he has “a whole team” making cold calls about sponsorship.(SceneDaily.com)
Friday, March 6, 2009
Sponsorship survey -- Motorsports budget slightly down: A report released last month by sponsorship experts IEG found that North American companies would spend about 6 per cent less in motorsport-related activities than in 2008, NASCAR's teams should keep motoring along at the expense of many other sports. "NASCAR is the major player in the U.S. when it comes to motorsports and they draw by far the most sponsorships than anything else," said William Chipps, senior editor of the IEG Sponsorship Report, which tracks and analyzes corporate sponsorship. "Companies always flock to the biggest and the best sports property. For the most part, NASCAR's competition from a sponsorship sales perspective isn't in the motorsports space, it's almost like other sports properties. The report found that North American companies earmarked an estimated $3.3-billion (U.S.) for racing sponsorships this year. While a significant amount, the 2009 figure represents a $200-million drop from last year, marking the first time the study has predicted a dip in sponsorship in almost two decades. (More at Toronto Globe and Mail)
Sunday, March 1, 2009
No. 64 Gunselman Motorsports signs two sponsors: Gunselman Motorsports has enjoyed the benefits of making their first race of 2009 in several ways. And, the enjoyment keeps coming, even hours before the Shelby 427 green flag at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Already gaining two sponsors before qualifying on Friday in Core Construction and Curtiss Steel, the team has now signed on two more for the race. The No. 64 Toyota with Todd Bodine behind the wheel will now also carry NY Bagel Deli and Communication Electronic Systems. NYC Bagel Deli is out of Chicago, Ill and specializes in kettle-boiled bagels. Principal owner Corey Kaplan, a longtime friend of co-driver Geoff Bodine, was so excited about his involvement he became a licensed team member during the weekend. Communication Electronic Systems is a low-voltage subcontractor in the Las Vegas area. Brian Thomas and Dave Ellis are the principals involved with the sponsorship.(Gunselman Motorsports PR)
Friday, February 27, 2009
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino to serve as R. Gordon associate sponsor: Jim Beam will serve as the primary sponsor for Sunday's 285-lap event. In addition to MAPEI and Menards, Robby Gordon Motorsports is excited to announce that Hard Rock Hotel & Casino will also serve as an associate sponsor this weekend. (PR)
Thursday, February 26, 2009
USG Sheetrock on No. 17 at Vegas: #17-Matt Kenseth will run the USG Sheetrock paint scheme on Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the first of three times this season. The other two USG Sheetrock races will be Chicago in July and Phoenix in Nov.(Roush Fenway Racing PR)
Energizer on No. 42 at Vegas: The #42 Chevy of Juan Pablo Montoya will sport the Energizer paint scheme this weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Crew Chief Brian Pattie and the #42 team will bring chassis #805 to Las Vegas Motor Speedway.(EGR PR)
DuPont slashes motorsports budget: DuPont, long recognized as the leader in hospitality among NASCAR sponsors, is drastically reducing its program this year as part of its companywide cost cutting. Instead of entertaining the 17,000 guests it had at 37 races last year, DuPont will buy hospitality packages at just six races this season and will host fewer than 2,000 guests. “The economy has had a huge impact on us,” said Larry Deas, DuPont’s motorsports manager. “The current environment along with the high cost of hospitality have forced us to make significant cuts.” Whether DuPont’s cuts signal the beginning of the end for its sponsorship of Jeff Gordon’s No. 24 Chevrolet remains to be seen. DuPont, which has been on the car since 1993, has been the only primary sponsor Gordon has known at Hendrick Motorsports and together they own the longest driver-sponsor-owner streak in the sport. DuPont’s current contract with Hendrick Motorsports runs through the end of the 2010 season. Deas would not speculate on how DuPont’s team deal might be affected in the future, but industry experts say it’s a bad sign that an iconic sponsor has made such deep cuts, which could represent a savings well into the seven figures, analysts say. Most high-end team sponsorships cost $20 million or more a year before activation. (SportsBusinessJournal)
Thursday, February 12, 2009
NASCAR sponsorship renewals down: According to Andrew Giangola, head of Nascar business communications, sponsorship renewals are running at about 90%. Granted, a 10% decline over a few months is sharp, but I'm sure Madoff and Dow index fund investors would give their right arm to be down just 10%. Some big-name companies that have dropped out include Texaco, Wrigley's, Bass Pro Shops and Napa. But other sponsors are either holding firm or even expanding their Nascar sponsorships. (Wall Street Journal)
Petty: Slow down in corporate sponsorship bigger threat than lagging attendance: Kyle Petty, whose father won more Nascar races than anyone, said the slowdown of corporate investment is a bigger risk for the motor sport than the recession’s effect on attendance. The 48-year-old from Randleman, North Carolina, who won’t be in the driver’s seat as Nascar kicks off the 2009 season with the Daytona 500 race on Feb. 15, said the racing league has done a good job of keeping venues filled. “As long as we can keep entertaining, I don’t think it’s going to be a major impact,” Petty said in a telephone interview from Nashville, Tennessee. “The major impact will come from sponsorship dollars that are out there and how people choose to advertise in the future.” (Bloomberg.com)
Sunday, February 8, 2009
ScottsMiracle-Gro to sponsor No. 08 Boris Said: ScottsMiracle-Gro and Carter/Simo Racing announced that they will sponsor Boris Said in the #08 Ford Fusion for the Daytona 500. The #08 Ford Fusion will feature the Scotts Bonus S Max Lawn Fertilizer paint scheme during Daytona Speedweeks. “I’m really happy that Scotts is on board for the 500,” commented Said. “Between using Scotts products on my lawn and helping Carl (Edwards) with his road racing efforts, I feel like I already have a strong relationship with Scotts. I’m thrilled to represent them over the next week.” “It is great to have an opportunity to team up with Boris Said for the Daytona 500 where he will be driving the Scotts Bonus S Max Ford Fusion,” said Jim Shertzer, Event Marketing and Sponsorship Manager for ScottsMiracle-Gro. “Living in Southern California, Boris has already started to enjoy his Scotts lawn and his Ford Fusion is featuring Scotts Bonus S Max Lawn Fertilizer – with its unique 3-in-1 formula that kills and prevents fire ants for up to six months, kills dollarweed and feeds your lawn!”. Carter/Simo racing is proud to offer fans with a unique way to interact with them at the 51st Daytona 500. Fans will be able to join a social network where they will get an unrestricted view of how the teams prepare for Daytona. Fans will be provided multiple live daily updates of the teams progress. They can also follow the team through practices, Coors Pole qualifying, Gatorade Duel events, and ultimately the Daytona 500. Photos, videos, and messages will all come direct from the team, to the fans at no cost. More info at www.em-motorsports.com.(Carter/Simo Racing PR)
Subway to sponsor No.99 Carl Edwards three races: Subway Restaurants will serve as the primary sponsor of Carl Edwards and the No. 99 Sprint Cup Series Ford for three races in 2009, which includes the Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway in April. Edwards will also pilot the car in the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway and then a to be announced race.(RacingOne)
Friday, February 6, 2009
Skinner lands Daytona 500 sponsorship: R3 Motorsports announced Friday that Mahindra Tractors will serve as the primary sponsor on the team’s No. 23 Chevrolet that Mike Skinner will attempt to qualify for the 2009 Daytona 500. R3 Motorsports, which fielded a part-time NASCAR Nationwide Series effort last season for driver Robert Richardson Jr., will attempt to qualify for its first Cup race with Skinner behind the wheel. Skinner, who plans to run a full NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season in 2009, has 15 previous Cup starts at the 2.5-mile Daytona trioval. “I first want to thank R3 Motorsports and Mahindra Tractors for this opportunity to race," said Skinner. "The Daytona 500 is one of those things, that as a racer, it is an honor to be able to compete in. The crew has been busy working back at the shop to put a car out there that will be strongly competitive and qualify for the big show. “Even though the team is very young and it is their first Cup race, there is a tremendous amount of knowledge and expertise at R3 Motorsports. I hope with my veteran status that I can lend a hand and produce strong results at Daytona." (SceneDaily.com)
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Guitar Hero to be featured on No. 1 and No. 8 EGR cars: Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates announced a partnership with Activision Publishing, Inc., the publisher of the top-selling Guitar Hero video game franchise, for a multi-race deal that will include primary sponsorship of multiple races with Aric Almirola and his No. 8 Chevy, and multiple races with Martin Truex Jr. and his No. 1 Chevy. In the 2009 Daytona 500, the first race to feature a Guitar Hero branded car, the No. 8 will race around the track with a paint scheme of Activision’s latest #1 music-based video game - Guitar Hero World Tour. The orange and black car will sport the familiar Guitar Hero World Tour logo and the same graphics as the game’s packaging. Subsequent races will feature the No. 8 or the No. 1 cars branded with upcoming Guitar Hero titles. Aric Almirola: Driver,No. 8 Chevy: “I was excited about running my first Daytona 500 to begin with, but now having the Guitar Hero brands on my car will make it even that much more fun. I can’t think of another brand that I would rather have on my car. I play the Guitar Hero games all the time and to now be representing it is very cool.”
Martin Truex Jr.: “I am really looking forward to pairing up with Activision and Guitar Hero. It is one of my favorite video game brands and I can’t wait to see it on my car.”
Steve Lauletta: President, Earnhardt Ganassi Racing: “I really love to see big brands come into the sport and it is even better when they are on one of our cars. I don’t know if there is a bigger or hotter video game brand right now than the Guitar Hero franchise. We had an opportunity to work with them last season and now look forward to a long and mutually beneficial partnership with Activision.”(Aric Almirola site
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Academy Sports to sponsor Labonte five races: Hall of Fame Racing announced that Academy Sports + Outdoors, a leader in the sports and outdoor industry, will sponsor Bobby Labonte and the No. 96 Ford for five races in the Sprint Cup Series in 2009. Academy Sports + Outdoor's will debut with the No. 96 Academy Sports + Outdoor Ford at Bristol Motor Speedway. The retail leader will again race at Darlington Raceway in the Southern 500, Daytona International Speedway in the Coke Zero 400, Atlanta Motor Speedway in the Pep Boys Auto 500 and Talladega Superspeedway in the Amp Energy 500. (Yates Racing PR)
Monday, January 26, 2009
NASCAR's sponsors making large cuts: The grim economic news isn't just affecting NASCAR's teams as they prepare for next month's season openers at Daytona International Speedway. Four of NASCAR's largest corporate sponsors -- including Sprint Nextel Corp. -- announced major layoffs and cutbacks Monday as a result of the worldwide economic slowdown. In an effort to reduce labor costs by more than $1 billion, Sprint Nextel officials announced the company will eliminate 8,000 jobs -- or 14 percent of its workforce -- by the end of the March, placing a freeze on salary increases and suspending its 401(k) match for the year. The nation's third-largest wireless phone carrier posted a net loss of $326 million in the third quarter of 2008 and nearly $1.2 billion for the first three quarters of 2008. (More at NASCAR.com)
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Report: Labonte in No. 96; Ask.com to sponsor: Former Sprint Cup champion Bobby Labonte will drive the No. 96 car for Yates Racing. Hall of Fame Racing announced earlier in the day that it has aligned itself with Yates Racing to run the 96 for the entire Sprint Cup season. Labonte, who had been in discussions with Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing for the No. 8 car, will be the driver as part of a three-car operation. His car will be sponsored by Ask.com for the first 18 races of the season, starting with the Daytona 500, with an option to buy more as the year goes on. Ask also signed on as "the official search engine of NASCAR," in two separate deals that bring new money into NASCAR at a time most of the industry is scouring the crumbling economic market for funding. (ESPN.com)
Official -- Hall of Fame Racing & Ask.com Team/NASCAR Sponsorship
Sponsorship News Page 1 - 2 - 3 - 4
|
