Sponsors, Sponsors and More Sponsors!

Sponsor drama has been buzzing around NASCAR news with the 2011 season ending and teams thinking towards next season. Many drivers are out of rides and even one team, Red Bull Racing, will not be returning to NASCAR next year. Different sponsors announced that they will be leaving the sport and some sponsors are just joining. Some people don’t realize the impact our sponsors make each and every week.         
         Sponsors have a huge role in NASCAR. Sponsors will help pay for many different aspects of the sport, of course in exchange for the company’s name to be displayed on their racecar’s hood. This is what makes NASCAR go round. Without sponsors we wouldn’t be able to enjoy intense racing every week. Have you ever heard of the Coca-Cola 600? One race could push the company back $2 million just to have their name in the race title. It’s all one big ad. Some fans might go out and buy a six-pack of Mountain Dew because it was on Jr’s car at Talladega. How many Dupont #24 T-Shirts do you see around the track? Sponsors will pay tremendous amounts of money to have their logo on all the cars and all of the merchandise. Sponsors are just part of the way NASCAR runs.
         2012 is looking to be a year full of changes. Matt Kenseth’s sponsor Crown Royal announced that they will not be returning in 2012. UPS will move from David Ragan’s #6 car to the #99 car of Carl Edwards for one race at Kentucky. David Ragan is signed with Roush until 2014, but if the team cannot find sponsorship by 2012 Jack Roush may switch to a 3-car team. Nothing is confirmed yet. Edwards also gained Fastenal for 17 races. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is going to be sponsored by Diet Mountain Dew with Hendrick Motorsports. Stewart-Haas driver Ryan Newman had two new sponsors climb aboard for 2012, Quicken Loans and Outback Steakhouse. Jeff Burton along with a new crew chief grabbed 2 new sponsors as well, Wheaties (General Mills) and Cheerios (Clint Bowyer’s former sponsor who will be in the #15 5-Hour Energy car.) Dollar General moved over to JGR sponsoring Kyle Busch, Joey Logano, and Brian Scott’s Nationwide cars as well as 10-12 Sprint Cup races with Joey Logano’s #20 car. Danica Patrick will run part-time in Cup for Stewart-Haas in the GoDaddy.com car as well as Nationwide. Finally Kasey Kahne’s new Hendrick ride will sport Farmer’s Insurance, Quaker State Oil and Carquest. Replacing Mark Martin who will be part-time in the #55 Aaron’s car.
          Sponsors will continue to blossom in NASCAR for many years. New companies will come and old ones will retire. It’s all part of the sport and I can’t picture it any other way.