Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials said that total sponsorship revenue for Sunday's Indianapolis 500 is "up 9 percent over last year and more than 18 percent over 2011," according to Anthony Schoettle of the INDIANAPOLIS BUSINESS JOURNAL. Officials said that much of the success is "due to the development of new sponsorship categories and filling vacant ones." Sponsors will "get a mix of track signage, tickets, hospitality offerings and the right to use Speedway and Indy 500 logos in their marketing." IMS officials said that for this year's race, the track has "added 23 new sponsors and increased the packages of seven existing sponsors." However, marketers said that most are "relatively small deals in the low-six-figure range." One of the "biggest-name sponsors to join the Indy 500 paddock this year is Philadelphia-based Sunoco." While Sunoco has been an IndyCar sponsor at the league level since '11, Shell "previously had an exclusive sponsorship deal at the IMS." Sunoco is "expected to be active in promoting the race this year." Also notable is Hardee’s, "which is the first fast-food category sponsor at the track since 2008." Other big-name sponsors to "join the race this year are Great Clips, Caterpillar and the National Guard" (IBJ.com, 5/22).
TONY TONY TONY: The AP reported physique and performance products company BSN has "signed on" with driver Tony Kanaan for the Indy 500 and five other IndyCar races. The company will be "represented on Kanaan's car by its energy drink N.O.-XPLODE." It is the "second associate sponsor KV Racing has added to Kanaan's car." The team previously had signed Geico, "which is returning to Kanaan's car for the Indy 500 for a sixth consecutive year." Geico was the "primary sponsor on Kanaan's car last year" (AP, 5/20). SPEEDTV.com's Marshall Pruett reported mobile tech company Hippino.com has "stepped up and signed on" to sponsor Kanaan at the Chevrolet Indy Duel in Detroit in June. The sponsorship marks the company's "first foray into the series." The Detroit-themed partnership between Hippino and KV Racing will "see proportions of each transaction completed through the brand's mobile app donated to the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute" (SPEEDTV.com, 5/22).
FUZZY MATH: Restaurant chain Another Broken Egg Cafe announced that it has signed on to become a supporting sponsor for Indy 500 pole sitter Ed Carpenter. The company's logo has been installed on his No. 20 Fuzzy's Ultra Premium Vodka Chevrolet car (Another Broken Egg Cafe). Meanwhile, Carpenter in an interview with Indianapolis-based WXIN-Fox said of his primary sponsor Fuzzy's Ultra Premium Vodka, "We wouldn't have a race team if it wasn't for Fuzzy." Golfer Fuzzy Zoeller, who owns the vodka company, said, "All I want to do is kiss the brick." Fuzzy's Vodka has "been a sponsor of the car since 2010" (GOLFDIGEST.com, 5/22).
CONSUMER REVIEW: Indianapolis-based Angie's List announced that it is sponsoring Katherine Legge for the Indy 500. Angie's List has sponsored drivers in the event since '08 (Angie's List).
