FedEx "begins negotiations this week" with CART to
"become the title sponsor of its racing series, a spot now
held by PPG Industries," according to Shannon Stevens of
BRANDWEEK. While FedEx "is expected" to land title
sponsorship, PPG, with CART since '79, "will likely stay on
board as presenting sponsor" (BRANDWEEK, 9/15 issue).
OBSESSION: In Baltimore, Peter Jensen on NASCAR: "Call
it a religion, a fad, a social phenomenon, but NASCAR racing
is hot right now, and not just in the South." Stock car
racing "has become a national obsession -- and a marketing
executive's dream," the "perfect marriage of professional
sports and marketing." Jensen wrote that more than 10.5
million attended NASCAR events during the February-November
season, making it a $2B-a-year industry and that the 32
Winston Cup races "are the most popular races in the world."
Gatorade's Dir of NASCAR Marketing Edward Shull: "If we had
a free dollar in our sports marketing department right now,
it would go to NASCAR" (Baltimore SUN, 9/14).
ATTENDANCE: NASCAR's Country Music Television 300 at
the New Hampshire International Speedway drew an "estimated"
crowd of 88,000 Sunday (Lessels & Vega, BOSTON GLOBE, 9/15).
