NASCAR Senior VP/Marketing Brian France, speaking at an
American Marketing Association meeting: "We're at an
incredible time in the evolution of NASCAR. We have
initiatives under way to take this sport to new heights."
One of the initiatives under way to "develop younger fans"
is a "virtual racing series" through NASCAR Online (Bill
Fleischman, PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 4/29).
MICHIGAN SEEMS LIKE A DREAM TO ME NOW: MI-based Kmart
will title sponsor the NASCAR Winston Cup race at MI
Speedway on June 13. The race will be called the "Kmart 400
presented by Castrol Super Clean" (Kmart)....Ford Motor Co.
has renewed its exclusive sponsorship of the NASCAR
Championship Challenge, a fantasy racing game on ESPN.com
and NASCAR Online (ESPN)....Motorcycle manufacturer American
Eagle has become an associate sponsor of the Joe Nemechek-
owned and driven NASCAR Busch Grand National car for the
remaining eight events scheduled in '99 and the team's full
slate in 2000 (NEMCO Motorsports).
RACING NOTES: CART President & CEO Andrew Craig said
that the series "has turned its attentions to marketing and
advertising" this year, as it has spent "plenty more money"
on promos and expanded its marketing and communications
staff from two to eight people, including a lifestyle PR
manager. Craig: "We're trying hard to show who we are"
(PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 4/29)....Nortel Networks will
sponsor pole night tomorrow for the IRL VisionAire 500 at
Lowe's Motor Speedway (LMS).
