Fifth Third Bank is renewing its sponsorship of Roush Fenway Racing’s No. 17 Ford driven by Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. Financial terms were not released, but the deal with the Cincinnati-based bank is for at least three years. Fifth Third, which has been a sponsor of the team since ’12 and has served as the team’s bank for even longer, says it is now exceeding a 4:1 ROI in the sport via banking deals with the likes of auto suppliers and fellow corporate sponsors. It has been the primary sponsor on the No. 17 for around five races a year but will have eight races this year. The bank is expected to go back to around five races a year in the renewal period. RFR is well connected in the automotive sector thanks to team co-Owner Jack Roush’ outside businesses, and Fifth Third VP/Strategy & Business Development for Motorsports David Morton noted that fits well with the bank, which has a large share of its business in Rust Belt states heavy on manufacturing. Morton said that the bank grew revenue from the motorsports division from ’15 to ’16 by 20% and is expecting to see a similar growth rate this year. Fifth Third also has a deal with ISC -- Fifth Third-branded ATMs are featured at Daytona Int’l Speedway -- and is active with industry groups like the North Carolina Motorsports Association and Performance Racing Industry conference. Stenhouse this season has won his first two Cup races, both times in a car featuring a Fifth Third paint scheme -- an added bonus for the bank. Fifth Third South Region President Tom Heiks said the bank would have renewed regardless of the wins. Stenhouse dropped the company’s new tagline, “Banking a fifth third better,” on his team radio after he won at Talladega in May.
SUBWAY OUT AT JGR: Subway has ended its sponsorship of Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 19 Toyota driven by Daniel Suarez in the Cup series, a move that appears to be related to an exclusivity dispute. The QSR is in the final year of its deal that sees it serve as primary sponsor of the No. 19 for four races. Subway’s move appeared to be at least partially in response to Suarez appearing in a NBC Sports segment in July at New Hampshire Motor Speedway where he helped hand out Dunkin’ Donuts to fans. Subway introduced a breakfast menu in recent years and has tried to portray a healthy image. JGR confirmed that its understanding was that the TV segment was why Subway dropped the deal. A team spokesperson said JGR was surprised by the move and is hoping to work the issue out with Subway. Sources have said that Subway in recent months was talking to other teams about possible deals in ’18. The QSR’s motorsports agency is CSM Sport & Entertainment. News of the Subway-JGR dispute drew a robust response from NASCAR fans on social media, where many vented against Subway for what they perceived to be an unfair move to drop the deal. Subway had been with JGR since Carl Edwards switched from Roush Fenway Racing to JGR in ’15. Subway had one race left with Suarez, scheduled to be next month's race at Talladega.
