U.S. Army Leaving Stewart-Haas Racing, Citing Reallocation Of Marketing Budget

The U.S. Army has decided not to renew its sponsorship with Stewart-Haas Racing's No. 39 car driven by Ryan Newman in '13. The Army cited reallocation of its marketing budget as the reason it will not have a presence in NASCAR next season (NASCAR). The AP's Jenna Fryer notes the U.S. Army has been a "longtime sponsor in NASCAR, and has been with Ryan Newman at SHR since 2009 when the team was formed." The decision comes as U.S. Reps. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.) and Jackson Kingston (R-Ga.) "are pushing an amendment that would prohibit military sponsorship of sports." The bill "has made it through the House Appropriations Committee" (AP, 7/10). NASCAR.com's Matthew Dillner wrote on his Twitter account, "Sad to see Army leave NASCAR. The program has brought great exposure to what our armed forces do for us. Also, racing builds moral w troops." Speedway Media's Mary Jo Buchanan: "Sad to see the US Army leave Stewart Haas Racing as 2013 sponsor. Seems to me they are losing a great recruiting tool."