Sponsor's Silly Season© Thomas M. Sampson
Oct 9, 2000
Sponsors make Silly Season interesting, NASCAR's popularity peaks, and the UAW-GM Quality 500 from Charlotte, North Carolina.
Silly Season......... Sponsors?
The sponsors are taking the Silly Season limelight away from the drivers this season in an unprecedented series of moves that seem to be in direct rebellion to the high cost of Cup racing. One sponsor, Valvoline, who has been with Roush Racing's No. 6 car for years, has decided that if they're going to spend that much money, they might as well own part of the team. So, Valvoline bought into MB2 Motorsports (50%), which will be named MBV Motorsports for the 2001 season. Viagra is taking over the No. 6 car at a reported cost of $12 million.
Roush racing has also lost FamilyClick.com who sponsored their No. 16 car and John Deere, who sponsored their N0. 97 car. They have also lost Excide, who sponsored their No 99 car driven by Jeff Burton. I don't recall a sponsor leaving a car that was battling for the championship, but this is a strange season, all around. CITGO, who is leaving the No. 21 Wood Brothers car driven by Elliott Sadler, is taking over the No. 99 car this weekend at Charlotte, while also staying with the No. 21 until the end of the season.
Richard Childress Racing was recently shocked when Lowes announced that they were leaving the No. 31 car at the end of this season after 4 years of no wins. Childress contends that they have two years left on their contract. It remains to be seen who Childress will find to replace them.
Robert Yates Racing has lost Quality Care/Ford Credit who sponsored their No. 88 car. They're leaving a defending champion for someone who hasn't won a cup race (Sadler, No. 21 car) but they didn't want to come up with the $15 million offered by UPS, who is taking over on the No. 88 with Robert Yates Racing. So, for a lesser advertising investment, Ford is moving to the Wood Brothers, with their Motorcraft brand.
Petty Enterprises has lost their longtime sponsor STP this season for their No. 43 car, and replaced them with Cherrios/General Mills. STP has had one of the longest and most successful sponsorships in Cup racing, but the cost of racing was getting too high for them. Petty has also lost Hot Wheels who sponsored their No. 44 car, and will replace them with Georgia Pacific.
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