Wheels & Deals: NASCAR Partnering With National Corn Growers Association

NASCAR announced today that the National Corn Growers Association has partnered with the sanctioning body to promote the role farmers play in the development of ethanol. The corn growers will work with the ethanol lobby group, Growth Energy, to promote American Ethanol during the '11 season. Stock cars will run on Sunoco Green E15, a 15% ethanol blend, this season (Tripp Mickle, SportsBusiness Journal).

GUIDING LIGHT: Penske Racing yesterday announced a sponsorship deal with Guidepoint Systems for the ‘11 Izod IndyCar Series season. Guidepoint will be the primary sponsor on Helio Castroneves’ No. 3 car for five races and Ryan Briscoe’s No. 6 for two races. It will be an “associate sponsor on both cars all season.” Penske Racing also announced PPG Industries “is returning as a sponsor for the 32nd year” (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 2/3).

BANK ON IT: F1 team McLaren has “signed an extension to its corporate partnership with banking giant Santander.” Santander branding “will continue to appear on the helmets of McLaren's British drivers Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button.” Financial details were not disclosed, but a source said that the deal is “for two years, with an option to run for a third.” MARKETING magazine’s John Reynolds notes Santander is currently a “leading sponsor of McLaren's rival F1 brand, Ferrari” (MARKETINGMAGAZINE.co.uk, 2/3).

NEWS TRAVELS FAST: The Daytona Beach News-Journal this week signed a marketing partnership to become “the official newspaper" of Daytona Int'l Speedway. The one-year partnership is “expected to result in opportunities for co-branding and joint marketing” between the two entities. Terms of the partnership were not disclosed (Daytona Beach NEWS-JOURNAL, 2/3).