Texaco/Havoline extended its primary sponsorship of the
Robert Yates-owned No. 28 Winston Cup Ford through the 2004
NASCAR season. The company has sponsored the car since '87
(Texaco). In Winston-Salem, Mike Mulhern reports that Yates
"finally made it official" yesterday that Ricky Rudd will
drive the car. Rudd and Yates inked a three-year deal,
which includes Rudd selling his Mooresville, NC, shop to
Yates, where the Yates-Rudd "operation will be based."
Rudd had been looking for a sponsor of his own car, but he
said that a "possible commitment" from a potential partner
"came too late" (WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL, 9/14). ESPN2's
Benny Parsons, on Rudd having a hard time finding a sponsor
with "adequate dollars" for his own race team: "I think he's
been with Tide just a little bit too long" (ESPN2, 9/13).
$$ SIGNS: In Chicago, Steve Daniels examines NASCAR
sponsorships, including those of IL-based drywall producer
USG Corp. and IL-based industrial distributor W.W. Grainger.
Beyond DDB, Chicago, Dir of Sponsorship Marketing Karen
Baker, on NASCAR: "Everyone wants to get into it. It's a
phenomenon." But Daniels writes, "With sponsorship costs
increasing about 10% annually, some companies say they soon
may have to assess whether to continue." John Deere Manager
of Trademark & Event Marketing Bill Becker: "Like everything
else, it's a business tool. It could very well (get too
expensive) in the near future" (CRAIN'S CHICAGO, 9/13).
