Obama Camp May Sponsor Sprint Cup Car At Upcoming Pocono Race

Presumptive Democratic U.S. Presidential candidate Barack Obama’s campaign “is in talks to become the primary sponsor of BAM Racing’s No. 49 car” for the Sprint Cup Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway on August 3, according to sources cited by Tom Bowles of SI.com. A BAM spokesperson said that the team will hold a July 23 press conference to reveal the partnership. Sources said that one of the options under consideration “would allow individual campaign donors to get their name on the race car for as little at $100." While President Bush in ’04 was “prominently featured” on driver Kirk Shelmerdine’s No. 72 Sprint Cup entry for four races, this is the “first time a national presidential campaign has actually given its own money to make itself a primary sponsor of a race car.” Interestingly enough, BAM co-Owners Beth Ann and Tony Morgenthau are “staunch Republicans” (SI.com, 7/11).