AMS, Pep Boys Dispute Sponsorship Value For Labor Day Race

AMS Has Sued Pep Boys For Missing A Payment On Its $1.6M Sponsorship Of Event

Pep Boys "argues in a court filing over a dispute in the sponsorship" of the September 6 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Pep Boys 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway (AMS) that sponsorship for a race in NASCAR's Chase For The Sprint Cup is "worth more to a sponsor than a non-Chase race," according to Bob Pockrass of NASCAR SCENE. AMS in April sued Pep Boys for "missing a payment on its $1.6[M] sponsorship for this year's event." Pep Boys sponsored the '07 fall race at AMS and then signed a two-year, $3M deal to "continue sponsoring the event." AMS "moved the race from late October to Labor Day for the 2009 season." However, Pep Boys "balked at sponsoring the race on the new date, and AMS filed suit in Georgia state court to enforce the sponsorship deal." Pep Boys "claims that Chase races 'command a powerful television audience and provide valuable exposure.'" Pep Boys said the move "would deprive Pep Boys of the core benefit for which it had bargained -- a fall race during the popular 'Chase' portion of the NASCAR season." The switch in dates was "talked about for months in the NASCAR community," but Pep Boys claims it was "not told of the switch until around the time of the race last year." The company in its complaint said AMS "destroyed the important fall marketing boost for which Pep Boys had bargained." The filing also states that marketing in the fall is "important to Pep Boys following the typically strong summer season in the automotive aftermarket industry." Pockrass noted the company's complaint "does not specify the amount of damages.' AMS "wants Pep Boys to pay it the $1.6[M] it pledged in the contract" (SCENEDAILY.com, 6/9).