YAHOO SPORTS' Nick Bromberg noted HScott Motorsports "won't be competing in NASCAR for the upcoming season" following the departures of drivers Michael Annett and Clint Bowyer. The team had "no drivers or sponsors lined up for a season that begins in less than 100 days." HSM leased a charter from Premium Motorsports before the season "to ensure Annett had entry into every race" in '16. The team said in its statement that the charter was "given back to Premium and subsequently sold to Furniture Row Racing." The charter for Bowyer’s No. 15 car in '16 has been "sold to Premium, ostensibly after it sold its charter to Furniture Row" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 12/5). SportsBusiness Journal first reported HSM's future was in question in August.
WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT: In Daytona Beach, Ken Willis wrote the introduction of Monster Energy as NASCAR's top series title sponsor was "choreographed," but there is the "small yet important issue of timing, and frankly, the early-December banquet week isn’t exactly the time and place to be introducing a series-title sponsor who will be taking over … well, immediately." It also "helped that this news came immediately on the heels of Daytona’s announcement that it doesn’t have a sponsor name to attach to its season-opening exhibition, formerly known as the Busch Clash, Bud Shootout, Budweiser Shootout and Sprint Unlimited." “The Clash at Daytona” is the new name (Daytona Beach NEWS-JOURNAL, 12/3).
CHANGING FACES: Rainguard Water Sealers announced a three-year deal with Texas Motor Speedway to title sponsor the annual Verizon IndyCar Series race held at the track in June (IndyCar). In Dallas, Gerry Fraley noted Firestone "had sponsored the June night race" since '10. This will be the "first foray into IndyCar racing" for California-based Rainguard. TMS is "ahead of the field in terms of setting up sponsorship." Of the 16 stops on next season's tour, six "have not officially agreed with an entitlement sponsor," a group that includes the "final four events of the season" (DALLASNEWS.com, 12/5).
