Joe Gibbs Racing yesterday announced sponsorship deals with tool brands Stanley and DeWalt. Starting in '15, Stanley will be the primary sponsor of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series No. 19 Toyota driven by Carl Edwards for 12 races, while DeWalt will be the primary sponsor of Matt Kenseth's No. 20 for six races. Stanley also will have associate branding on Kyle Busch's No. 18 throughout the '15 season, as well as on both the No. 19 and No. 20 cars when not serving as primary sponsor. Other Stanley Black & Decker brands, including Mac Tools and Black & Decker, will continue to be a part of JGR's NASCAR program (JGR). FOXSPORTS.com's Jared Turner noted Kenseth has a "long history with DeWalt, having carried the sponsor to his first Sprint Cup victory" in '00. DeWalt also was Kenseth's primary sponsor in '03, when he "won his first and only championship" with Roush Fenway Racing (FOXSPORTS.com, 9/17).
THE KING AND I: The AP's Jenna Fryer reported Richard Petty Motorsports yesterday insisted it is "committed to running two cars" in the '15 Sprint Cup Series "despite losing driver Marcos Ambrose and primary sponsor Stanley in the span of five days." Ambrose is leaving the No. 9 car to run V8 Supercars in his native Australia, and the team is "looking for a driver and sponsor to take over." RPM said that it will "continue its relationship with current manufacturer partner Ford Racing." Meanwhile, RPM said that Twisted Tea Brewing will "continue its primary sponsorship of the No. 9 team in 2015 as the RPM marketing and new business team continues various discussions with several companies" (AP, 9/17).
THE MAINE MAN: In New Hampshire, Patty Wight noted in what is being billed as the "first-ever public-private sponsorship of a race car," Maine Gov. Paul LePage yesterday announced that the state will use NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Austin Theriault's car as a "billboard for the slogan, 'Maine is open for business.'" The sponsorship "cost the state $50,000." Some are "celebrating the move, while others question whether it will drive business to the state." The car is "entirely Maine-sponsored, from private companies to the state itself." In addition to Saturday's 300-mile race at Kentucky Speedway, the car will "make appearances in three more events outside of the state" (NHPR.org, 9/17).
