A-B TO MOVE ONE-TIME EVENT FUNDS TO INCREASE NASCAR PACT

          Anheuser-Busch officials are "expected to announce
     today a plan to roughly double the company's sponsorship
     role" in NASCAR's Busch Grand National Series, according to
     Sam Walker of the WALL STREET JOURNAL.  The "relatively
     small" deal, worth $30M over the next four years, will push
     A-B's total NASCAR commitment to about $120M over the same
     period.  The $30M will be spent on advertisements,
     promotions and Busch Series prize purses.  Walker calls the
     deal "a coup" for NASCAR at a time when companies are
     "holding the line ... or even scaling back" their sports
     marketing.  A-B VP/Corporate Media & Sports Marketing Tony
     Ponturo, on NASCAR's value: "Our brands are more visible
     within a NASCAR race than they are in other sports."  But
     Walker reports the Busch spending will not come "at the
     expense" of other A-B-backed sports.  Ponturo noted that
     "funds will come primarily from monies that were budgeted
     ... for one-time events like the World Cup and the Winter
     [Olympics]" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 11/13).