Wheels & Deals: Fans Can Win Shopping Spree With Tony Stewart

Office Depot Is Offering $14,000 Shopping Spree With Tony Stewart

In Ft. Lauderdale, Sarah Talalay reported Office Depot is "offering up a chance to win a $14,000 shopping spree" with NASCAR driver Tony Stewart at one of its stores. The prize is "part of a VIP race experience package at the May 23-24 Coca-Cola 600 race weekend at Lowe's Motor Speedway ... that includes a ride-a-long with Stewart." The company is using the sweepstakes to "promote its products and its new sponsorship of Stewart." Fans can enter the "At the Speed of Smart" sweepstakes by visiting OfficeDepotRacing.com and entering the "transaction code that can be found on the receipt from an Office Depot purchase." There also are ways to enter "without making a purchase." The promo runs through the end of the month (SUN-SENTINEL.com, 2/3). 

NASCAR OWNERSHIP NEWS: EM Motorsports and Simo Racing will "combine forces in 2009, at least for the season-opening Daytona 500." The two single-car NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams plan to operate as Carter/Simo Racing, and are "expected to enter two cars under separate manufacturers" for the event. The No. 08 Ford will be driven by Boris Said, while James Hylton will drive the No. 60 Dodge. It is "unclear whether the affiliation will continue in some form for the rest of the season" (NASCAR.com, 2/3)....NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield "has finalized a deal to be the driver/owner" of the No. 41 Sprint Cup Series car sponsored by All Sport, making Mayfield "one of 15 new owners approved" for the series. The team will be co-owned by Gary Smith, Chair & CEO of Big Red Inc. and the All Sport brand (ESPN.com, 2/3).

SLAMMING THE BRAKES: In London, Andrew Baker reports Mitsubishi "will pull out of cross-country rallying as part of cost-cutting measures caused by the global economic downturn." The company's vehicles have "dominated the most prestigious cross-country rally, the Dakar, over recent years" -- it has won the Dakar Rally 12 times in 26 appearances, including a record seven consecutive victories from '01-07. Mitsubishi's involvement in the Spanish Baja and Baja Portugal rallies "will also be terminated" (TELEGRAPH.co.uk, 2/4).

NOTES: The Golden Corral restaurant chain will sponsor Travis Kvapil's No. 28 Yates Racing Ford in the Daytona 500 (THATSRACIN.com, 2/3)....Joe Gibbs Racing announced a partnership with New Balance to supply the team’s crews with specialized shoes designed specifically to improve the performance of pit crew members as they go over the wall (Joe Gibbs Racing)....MetalJeans.com will sponsor Tommy Baldwin Racing for the '09 NASCAR Sprint Cup season (MetalJeans).