Dale Jarrett will debut his Batman-themed Ford Taurus
while teammate Kenny Irwin will don his Joker-themed Ford
Taurus during the "Showdown In Charlotte," October 4, at the
UAW-GM Quality 500 Winston Cup race at the Charlotte Motor
Speedway. The event, Batman vs. The Joker, is part of a new
partnership between DC Comics/Warner Bros., Action
Performance, Ford, TBS, Texaco, Robert Yates Racing and the
Speedway (THE DAILY). Ford Quality Care Motorsports
Coordinator Roy Gadomski said the Batman theme reaches
"beyond traditional race audiences," and breaks from "our
traditional marketing mold" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 8/22).
Ford will also offer all fans a die-cast model of the Batman
Taurus with a Quality Care Service purchase of $50 (Ford).
TOY STORY: AD AGE's Jeff Jensen reports that Hasbro has
landed marketing rights and the toy license to the Fox Kids
Network series about NASCAR. Hasbro will market a "range of
categories," including action figures, vehicles, play sets,
games puzzles and youth electronics. The series, being
produced by Saban Entertainment, is slated to air during the
'99-00 TV season. Saban is managing the licensing business
and is partnering with NASCAR on "building the promotional
program and marketing strategy of the property." Licensing
revenues will be split between Saban/NASCAR (AD AGE, 8/24).
AUTO ZONE: Philips, which is a NASCAR 50th Anniversary
partner, sponsoring the Philips Racing Team and driver Geoff
Bodine, will use the anniversary logo on packaging and
promos for its various telecom services (BRANDWEEK, 8/24).
...In Richmond, John Markon reviewed the recently-opened
NASCAR Speedpark in Myrtle Beach, SC, the first of 10
planned parks. NASCAR licenses the operation, which
features the NASCAR Cafe and the site of a projected NASCAR
Hotel. Markon: "All the better to minimize risk, rake in
royalties and create new fans." But Markon wrote that the
go-cart park "is frightfully expensive." While parking and
admission are free, one turn around each of the Speedpark's
seven tracks costs "at least" $44 (TIMES-DISPATCH, 8/24).
