NASCAR announced a licensing agreement giving Hasbro
the rights to produce NASCAR-themed collectible diecast
cars, radio-controlled cars, games and puzzles. As part of
the deal, all Hasbro stock car racing toys will carry the
official NASCAR or NASCAR 50th Anniversary logos (NASCAR).
FROM THE BRICKYARD: At the Indy 500, Buddy Lazier has
signed a sponsorship deal with Coors Light for the remainder
of the season. Lyn St. James has secured associate
sponsorships from The Spirit of San Antonio, a civic promo
group, and Biomet, a manufacturer of implants and orthopedic
supplies (AUTOWEEK, 5/18 issue). In other news, Indy 500
driver Greg Ray has signed a $20,000-plus sponsorship deal
with Gloves, a new skin moisturizer (SPEEDNET, 5/15).
TRACK NEWS & NOTES: R.J. Reynolds made "a slick name
change" for its $1M NASCAR promo, scrapping last year's
Winston Million in favor of the Winston No Bull 5. The name
could partly be attributed to the on-going efforts to ban
cigarette advertising at sporting events (Cleveland PLAIN-
DEALER, 5/12)....IMG Motorsports re-signed Miller Brewing as
the official beverage sponsor for this year's ITT Automotive
Detroit Grand Prix, and inked deals with local Detroit-area
sponsors Big Buck Brewery and Atwater Block Brewery (IMG)
....MI-based Penske Motorsports lost $1.65M, or $0.12 per
share, on revenues of $10.13M for the first quarter of '98.
Penske lost $1.5M, or $0.11 per share, on revenues of $5.37M
in the same quarter in '97 (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 5/15)
