Nike Looks To Enter NASCAR, "Revolutionize" Pit Road

Nike Working With Joe Gibbs Racing To Develop NASCAR Apparel Lines

Nike officials hope that "a marquee [NASCAR] driver will surface that they build an apparel line around as they’ve done in other sports,” according to ESPN's Marty Smith.  The company, which is "already working with Joe Gibbs Racing,” believes that NASCAR is "the last true untapped market for major sports, and they feel like it’s a great platform for their business.” Nike acknowledged that it tried to sign Dale Earnhardt Jr., who signed a multi-year deal with adidas.  Earnhardt “had affinity for adidas, so they lost out there.”  Nike has no plans to sponsor a car and instead is “focused on the teams and drivers.”  Smith: “They want to make sure that they 'revolutionize' pit road from an apparel standpoint.  That was their words.”  Nike plans "in a couple of years" to make firesuits, gloves and shirts, and they “want to market crew shirts to the fans” (“NASCAR Now,” ESPN2, 7/23).