NAPA has signed a three-year deal with a two-year
option to title sponsor CA Speedway's NASCAR Winston Cup
event beginning in 2000. The event will be called the "NAPA
Auto Parts 500." For the past three years, NAPA has been
the presenting sponsor of the event, which was formerly
called the California 500 (CA Speedway). NAPA also inked a
three-year deal to title sponsor the NASCAR BGN event at MI
Speedway, to be called the NAPA 200. This year's race will
be on August 21 and carried live by ESPN (MI Speedway).
NASCAR NOTES: NASCAR WINSTON CUP SCENE's Steve Waid
writes on "major sponsors" that have recently dropped "long
relationships with established Winston Cup teams and drivers
in favor of other entities." Waid: "Sponsor shifting, and
even sponsor raiding or departure, has been a part of NASCAR
for decades. ... For each sponsor that leaves, or shifts its
allegiance, there is another that will take its place"
(WINSTON CUP SCENE, 7/15 issue)....Jerry Nadeau will replace
Wally Dallenbach as the driver of one of three Rick
Hendrick-owned Winston Cup Chevrolets for the 2000 season.
Internet company MichaelHoligan.com, which specializes in
home repair and garden supplies, has signed a sponsorship
deal with the team "worth between" $8-10M (USA TODAY, 7/15).
I'M WALKER, YES INDEED: Walker Racing has inked Disson
Furst & Partners to "assist" in the "search for a primary
sponsor" (SPEEDNET, 7/15). CA-based Alpine Electronics of
America will sponsor the two-car Walker Racing team for the
11 races remaining on CART's '99 schedule (Alpine Elect.).