Shell has signed a multi-year agreement to continue its
primary sponsorship of Team Rahal's No. 8 Ford and driver
Kenny Brack in the CART FedEx racing series. Shell is now
in its fifth year as primary sponsor of the car, which is
co-owned by CART interim CEO Bobby Rahal and CBS talk show
host David Letterman (Shell). The AP's Mike Harris reported
that Shell's extension is through 2002 (AP, 7/30). In IL,
Tim Cronin wrote the Shell/Rahal deal "may be more
significant than it appears as first blush," as it "may help
other sponsors to sign contract extensions." Rahal: "We'll
have some announcements coming out in the not too distant
future about sponsorships. Everybody understands they're
getting value. We want to give more value. Yes, we've had
some defections, but so has NASCAR" (DAILY SOUTHTOWN, 7/29).
Meanwhile, PSINet has become an associate team sponsor of
Team Rahal, part of its business-to-business relationship
with the Shell and Texaco brands to provide Internet service
for their "allianceonline" business solution system, used to
conduct paperless business transactions between Shell and
Texaco retail locations throughout the U.S. PSINet will
host the Shell Racing Web site. Disson Furst & Partners'
Cindy Sisson handled the deal for PSINet (PSINet).
CART PATH: IL-based XOLIA.com has signed a sponsorship
deal with CART's Newman/Haas Racing for both U.S. and int'l
races in 2001 (NWR)....In Chicago, Neil Steinberg profiled
the "weekend-long party that surrounds a big business
sporting event" like yesterday's Target Grand Prix at the
Chicago Motor Speedway. The parties are "vital to the goals
of the race's dozens of sponsors." Ha-Lo Sports & Ent.
President David Brenner: "Companies use them for employee
rewards, client entertainment, promotions and sweepstakes.
Whenever we analyze a sponsorship for one of our clients,
hospitality is usually right up there with one of their
major goals and objectives" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 7/30).
