Wheels & Deals: Sponsorship “Silly Season” In Full Swing

Sprint will not return as primary sponsor of Petty Enterprises' No. 45 Dodge of Kyle Petty next season, but the company "could remain with the [team] in a smaller role," according to the AP's Jenna Fryer. Petty: "We continue to keep our options open with Sprint and we fully expect that we will continue to be involved with them in some way. The bottom line is Sprint has not exercised its option to continue as primary sponsor, so we need to look at other opportunities" (AP, 7/6)....In Atlanta, Rick Minter reported Dale Earnhardt Inc.'s primary sponsorship deal with NAPA for the team's No. 15 Chevy of Michael Waltrip is up for renewal. NAPA Dir of Events & Sponsorships Mike Reardon said that the company "plans to re-sign with DEI" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 7/6)....Caterpillar has signed a five-year extension as primary sponsor of Bill Davis Racing's (BDR) No. 22 Dodge of Ward Burton (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 7/5) ....Siemens will expand its relationship with BDR by moving its primary sponsorship of the team's Busch Series entry of driver Scott Wimmer to the Winston Cup for seven races this season, beginning with next weekend's Tropicana 400 at Chicagoland Speedway (BDR)....Aaron Rents will be the primary sponsor of Michael Waltrip Inc.'s No. 00 Chevy of Jerry Nadeau during the Tropicana 400 (THE DAILY).

TEAM NEWS: NASCAR team Owner Andy Petree said that he and Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones "are 'a week or so away' from formally announcing" their new Winston Cup team partnership. Petree added that the announcement "could be made as late as" the August 4 Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway "to maximize national exposure" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 7/7). Petree said, "I think it will be sooner, rather than later. I really don't want to say anything other than that. I think any information that is released should come from Jerry and [Cowboys Marketing Dir] John Hickman" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 7/7). But in NC, Mike Mulhern reported, "There are signs that a merger, which once seemed so promising, might not happen at all. There have been reports that the negotiations aren't going well" (WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL, 7/7)....In a separate piece, Mulhern wrote "it's still not clear how fired up Teresa Earnhardt ... really is to continue as the new boss" of DEI after the passing of her husband, Dale. DEI GM Ty Norris said the company "would be good to have a president, someone who could handle the day to day business decisions." Meanwhile, Mulhern reported, "There are rumors that [A-B, which sponsors the team's No. 8 Chevy of Dale Earnhardt Jr.] has made a major offer to buy into DEI" (W-S JOURNAL, 7/6).

THE WINSTON: KNIGHTRIDDER.com's Jim Utter reported that R.J. Reynolds (RJR) execs "indicated they would prefer to see The Winston all-star race remain at Lowe's Motor Speedway." RJR's Sports Marketing Enterprises President Ned Leary said, "It's a tremendous employee benefit we provide. We're not the only consideration out there. NASCAR has to work through a lot of things" (KNIGHTRIDDER.com, 7/7).