Smoke On The Water: Bass Pro Shops To Sponsor Stewart For 18 Races In '13

Bass Pro Shops has formally signed on to become a co-primary sponsor of Tony Stewart’s No. 14 Sprint Cup car next year. The company, which Thursday announced the deal to employees in Springfield, Mo., will be on the hood of Stewart’s car for 18 races, including the Daytona 500. Financial terms of the deal, which was first reported last month by FoxSports.com, were not available. Mobil 1 will sponsor 11 races, leaving Stewart-Haas Racing with nine primary races left to sell. Bass Pro has had an endorsement deal with Stewart since '01, but the company has never had an opportunity to be a primary sponsor of Stewart’s car. Bass Pro Founder Johnny Morris in a statement said, “It’s an excellent opportunity for our company to be even more involved with who we consider to be the greatest all-around racecar driver of all time.” The company the last several years has been a primary sponsor of Earnhardt Ganassi Racing’s No. 1 car driven by Jamie McMurray. It plans to continue sponsoring the No. 1 car, but the number of races it sponsors likely will decrease. Bass Pro is also a sponsor of Richard Childress Racing’s Austin and Ty Dillon, who drive in the Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series, respectively. The company plans to continue to sponsor both drivers in '13 (Tripp Mickle, SportsBusiness Journal).

BREATHING ROOM FOR NEWMAN: Stewart-Haas Racing's Ryan Newman said he was “breathing easier” after he knew that Quicken Loans signed on to be the primary sponsor for 18 races next season. Newman said, “They're a unique sponsor because they don't just see it as advertisement. They see it as a way to connect with the fans, have some great sweepstakes. Their skip-a-year mortgage program that they're going to do for a sweepstakes is really amazing, things like that that really reach out and connect to the fans that sit in the grandstands and that are a big part of our sport.” Newman recently signed a one-year extension with SHR for '13, but he said it is not a “make or break” season. Newman: “What it really does is it just lines ourselves up with our primary sponsor of Quicken Loans for 2013. Their deal is one year as well. ... If we have the opportunity to put together a two- or three-year deal or even further with Quicken Loans, then that will match my contract. The economics have to make sense from a personal standpoint. I'd like something on paper that says I'm here for a long time, but financially it has to work for everybody” (“NASCAR Now,” ESPN2, 10/2). Stewart in a special to the DETROIT FREE PRESS writes after signing the Quicken Loans deal, "There wasn't any champagne being sprayed in victory lane, but there were plenty of high fives on the shop floor. ... Unlike stick-and-ball sports whose teams get to rely on ticket sales, a race team's only ticket is sponsorship. So when Quicken Loans ... not only renews with our team but doubles its investment, it's a big deal" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 10/5).