NASCAR's N.Y. sales office "is directing sponsors
toward the 18 tracks that form the Winston Cup circuit --
and in some cases actually negotiating on the tracks'
behalf," according to Andy Bernstein of SPORTSBUSINESS
JOURNAL. Last week, NASCAR signed two deals: Procter &
Gamble's Old Spice brand was named a promotional partner of
NASCAR in a two-year deal, and First-Plus Financial Group
was named NASCAR's preferred lender. Old Spice's deal is
valued in the "mid- to high-six figures" per year range.
Both deals will include "some sort of track-side marketing
and race sponsorships, facilitated by the New York sales
office." NASCAR's N.Y. office has hired a liaison between
tracks, drivers and sponsors, "keeping tabs on inventory and
letting sponsors know what sort of race-day presence can be
had at what price." NASCAR Managing Dir of Corporate
Marketing Brett Yormark: "We're trying to offer a one-stop-
shopping environment, where you can come to our office and
deal with the whole industry." FirstPlus Sports Marketing
Dir of Motorsports Katherine Fowler-Brown: "It's easier to
do one large deal than 33 individual deals." Bernstein adds
that Old Spice "does not have its racetrack marketing in
place yet," but Yormark said that it "will probably cherry-
pick event sponsorships based on markets where it has a high
sales index" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 9/21 issue). For more
on NASCAR and yesterday's deal with NBC Sports, see (#7).
