Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials yesterday signed a deal making Crown Royal the title sponsor of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Brickyard 400 beginning next year, and the pact is "financially bigger than any other current NASCAR title sponsorship agreement," according to Anthony Schoettle of the INDIANAPOLIS BUSINESS JOURNAL. Sources said that the deal is "worth about $15 million over five years." Sources added that Crown Royal "will pay $1.5 million annually for the deal and spend another $1.5 million annually to promote the race." The name of the Brickyard 400 next year will be changed to Crown Royal Presents "Your Hero Here" 400 at the Brickyard. The new moniker is "part of the whiskey maker's promotion honoring the U.S. military and public servants such as police officers and firefighters." IMS President & CEO Jeff Belskus is "working on a plan to reverse the attendance slide" for the race, and sources said that Crown Royal "will play a big part in that effort starting later this summer when it jumps in to help promote ticket renewals for 2012." Crown Royal next spring and summer is "expected to help market the race in Indiana, in as many as seven key regional markets, and with a national ad campaign" (IBJ.com, 7/28).
