CURRENT SPONSORSHIP CARRIES THROUGH 2007
Wal-Mart Series? It could happen in '08
NASCAR shops for sponsor after learning Busch won't renew deal
JIM UTTER
jutter@charlotteobserver

The NASCAR Busch Series will be looking for a new title sponsor after next season.

NASCAR officials confirmed Monday that Anheuser-Busch, parent company for the Busch beer brand, has decided not to renew its sponsorship of NASCAR's No. 2 series after it expires at the end of 2007.

The Busch Series just completed its 25th season, with driver Kevin Harvick earning his second series championship.

“We are starting the process of finding a new title sponsor and executives at Anheuser-Busch have decided to pursue another direction in their marketing of the Busch brand,” said Andrew Giangola, NASCAR’s director of business communications.

Several companies have already made inquiries about taking Busch’s place, including Wal-Mart, Samsung and Subway, the Observer has learned. Subway is considered the least likely of the three, sources said, although it does already sponsor a Nextel Cup Series team and two races, at Martinsville, Va., and Phoenix.

Other companies could enter the picture as NASCAR’s search expands, officials said.

Giangola said Anheuser-Busch’s Budweiser brand will continue its sponsorship as “the official beer of NASCAR,” it’s sponsorship of driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. and NASCAR’s pole awards. It will also continue to sponsor the annual Budweiser Shootout at Daytona, a non-points all-star race held each February featuring pole winners from the previous season and past winners of the event.

“On most weekends, we get a very focused message to the consumer, but we’re starting to dilute ourselves with Bud and Busch,” Tony Ponturo, A-B’s vice president of global media and sports marketing told The Sports Business Journal.

“In this day and age of competition, the last thing you want is to dilute your own effort.”

In NASCAR’s new TV deal which takes effect next season, ESPN will take over broadcast of the entire Busch schedule. In recent years, the races have been aired on as many as four different networks during the season.

As it will become the sole broadcaster of the series, Giangola said ESPN will play an important role in finding and selecting the new series sponsor.

“Clearly, we believe the series is a powerful and growing sports property and ESPN is going to take the lead in elevating the series to a new level,” he said.

Added George McNeilly, ESPN’s senior director of communications, “This has been a collaborative effort with NASCAR from the beginning. Our sales and marketing teams working so closely together in this effort demonstrate the overall commitment to the series.”

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Ryan Newman, Daytona 500 Champion!!
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