Wheels & Deals: EA Sports Will Only Produce Wii Game This Year

EA Only Producing One NASCAR-Related Game

The SPORTING BLOG's Chris Littmann reported EA Sports confirmed that the company's traditional NASCAR series "is in fact on hold." EA Sports indicated "NASCAR Kart Racing" for the Nintendo Wii "is the only NASCAR-licensed videogame that will ship this year from EA Sports." The company added it is "continuing discussions with NASCAR regarding the license and future products, but we have no further announcements to make at this time." Littmann asked, "Does this mean another publisher will make a grab at getting a NASCAR license? Consider that in the last year or so, the sports gaming landscape has lost 2K's college hoops franchise and now they'll lose the true sim in NASCAR from EA" (SPORTINGNEWS.com, 2/25).

SPEED RACER: NASCAR driver A.J. Allmendinger, who finished third at the February 15 Daytona 500, said he and Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) have received "a lot of interest" from potential sponsors since the race. Allmendinger: "We've had a couple of different sponsors -- Harrah's this weekend, and we had Charter Communications last weekend. We're just trying to piece together each race, and we've got some companies interested." Allmendinger said he is "fairly confident we can keep getting stuff done," but he currently only has sponsors for the first eight Sprint Cup races this season. ESPN's Marty Smith said if sponsorship "does not materialize after that eighth race of this season, he is on the market. He can drive for someone else per his contract" ("NASCAR Now," ESPN2, 2/24).

DEPENDENT ON THE BIG THREE: ESPN’s Angelique Chengelis reported U.S. automakers are “committed to survival,” but they also are “very much committed to their NASCAR teams.” Chengelis: “They have budgets in place, they have contracts they intend to honor no matter what happens this year. It’s just a lot of belt-tightening and getting very lean.” Chengelis noted if support from U.S. automakers was be reduced or eliminated, it “would be absolutely devastating to this sport. There’s no other sport in this country as tied to an industry like this one is.” ESPN’s Brad Daugherty said, “It would be catastrophic if the domestic automakers pulled out or pulled back from the sport” (“NASCAR Now,” ESPN2, 2/25).

NOTES: One of Aflac's new TV spots featuring NASCAR driver Carl Edwards was named the winner of Yahoo's 4th annual Daytona 500 Ad Showcase, as voted on by NASCAR fans. The commercial garnered 41% of the fan vote (NASCAR)....NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson's foundation for the second consecutive year will title sponsor the Camping World Series West race at Phoenix Int'l Raceway on April 16 (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 2/25)....Rheem will serve as the primary sponsor of Kevin Harvick Inc.'s No. 33 Nationwide Series entry for nine races this season, four more than originally planned (SCENEDAILY.com, 2/24).