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SBJ/November 17 - 23, 2003/SBJ In Depth
Driving Racing’s Growth Timeline
Published November 17, 2003
1969
R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. executive Ralph Seagraves
takes charge of the company's
new special events division — Sports Marketing Enterprises (SME). The
division was created to search for ways to market cigarettes following the government's
decision to ban the industry from using broadcast advertising.
1970
Legendary driver Junior Johnson travels about 45 minutes
from his race shop to RJR's headquarters to seek a sponsor for his race car. When
RJR officials tell him how much money they have to spend, he suggests that they
sponsor not just a car, but the whole circuit.
1971
RJR's Winston brand becomes sponsor of NASCAR's top division,
the NASCAR Winston Cup Grand National Division. RJR creates a $100,000 Winston Cup
point fund, with the champion receiving $40,000.
T. Wayne Robertson joins
RJR as an administrative trainee and show-car driver.
1972
After almost a quarter-century in the position, Bill
France Sr. retires as president of NASCAR. He's succeeded by his son, Bill France
Jr.
The Winston Cup schedule
is trimmed from 48 races to 31, marking the beginning of the "modern era."
The inaugural Western Winston
500 is run at Riverside (Calif.) International Raceway.
1974
Winston brand becomes sponsor of the NASCAR Winston Racing
Series, a weekly racing program held at local short tracks nationwide.
The Winston Cup point fund
increases to $140,000.
1975
Winston brand becomes sponsor of the National Hot Rod
Association's top division, the NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series, and establishes
a $100,000 point fund.
The Winston Cup point fund
increases to $150,000.
1976
Winston Cup racing expands to three TV networks —
ABC, CBS and NBC.
For the first time, the
Winston Cup Series takes the lead in worldwide attendance with 1,431,292 spectators.
1980
The Winston Cup point fund is $210,000.
1983
The Winston Cup point fund is $500,000.
1985
Reynolds Industries acquires Nabisco Brands for $4.9
billion to become RJR Nabisco Inc.
Ralph Seagraves, president
of SME, retires. T. Wayne Robertson takes the reins.
RJR awards the inaugural
"Winston Million," a $1
million bonus, to Bill Elliott for winning three of NASCAR's
four crown jewel races.
"The Winston" is introduced
as NASCAR's all-star event, featuring a $500,000 purse, with the winner earning
$200,000.
The Winston Cup point fund
increases to $750,000.
1986
NASCAR drops the "Grand National" name from the NASCAR
Winston Cup Series. NASCAR had used the Grand National name since the sanctioning
body was founded in 1948.
The Winston Cup point fund
is $2 million.
1989
For the first time, every NASCAR Winston Cup Series race
is televised.
The Winston Cup point fund
increases to $2.5 million, with the Winston Cup champion guaranteed $1 million.
1991
The Sporting News names Robertson one of the most powerful people in sports.
1993
The Winston Cup point fund is $3 million.
1994
The Winston Cup schedule expands to include the 2.5-mile
Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The Winston becomes known
as "The Winston Select." "Select" would be dropped in 1996.
1996
RJR introduces the "NASCAR Winston Cup Leader Bonus"
program, a $10,000-per-race bonus.
The Winston Cup point fund
is $4 million.
1997
Jeff Gordon becomes only the second driver to win the
Winston Million.
Two new tracks are added
to the Winston Cup schedule — California Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway.
1998
The Multistate Master Settlement Agreement is signed,
severely restricting advertising and brand sponsorships of, among other things,
sports properties, venues and events. NASCAR and CART are the only two sports properties
cited as examples in the agreement. The tobacco industry is instructed to spend
$360 billion over 25 years on anti-smoking campaigns.
Robertson, 48, dies Jan.
14 in a boating accident in southern Louisiana. Cliff Pennell assumes the role of
SME president.
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
is added to the Winston Cup schedule.
The Winston "No Bull 5"
program is created as a tribute to NASCAR's 50th anniversary season. RJR goes on
to pay out $26 million to drivers and fans before the program ends at the conclusion
of the 2002 season.
Ralph Seagraves, who guided
RJR into its sponsorship in motorsports, dies at the age of 68.
The Winston Cup point fund
reaches $5 million.
1999
RJR Nabisco is renamed R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Holdings
Inc.
Cliff Pennell turns over
the president title to Rick Sanders and leaves RJR six months later to start his
own consulting business.
RJR announces that its sponsorship
of the NASCAR Winston Racing Series will end immediately due to the terms of the
Master Settlement Agreement.
NASCAR President Bill France Jr. hands over the day-to-day operations of NASCAR
to Mike Helton, marking the first time someone outside the France family has
controlled the operations of the sport.
NASCAR announces a six-year,
$2.4 billion deal with Fox, NBC and TNT to broadcast the Winston Cup Series. The
new deal begins in 2001.
2000
The final Talladega Winston 500 is run. The race becomes
the EA Sports 500.
The purse for The Winston
increases to $2 million, with the winner earning $500,000.
The Winston Cup point fund
reaches $10 million, with a champion's share of $3 million.
2001
RJR announces its intention to drop its sponsorship of
the NHRA after the season. The company had sponsored the annual all-star event,
the NHRA Winston "No Bull Challenge," paid bonuses to each NHRA circuit and provided
support to each facility on the drag racing series.
Two new tracks — Chicago
and Kansas City — are added to the Winston Cup schedule.
The Winston Cup point fund
is $13.02 million.
2002
Ned Leary is named president of SME.
RJR signs a five-year sponsorship
extension with NASCAR through the 2007 season.
The Winston Cup point fund
is $14 million.
2003
The Winston Cup point fund is $17 million, including
a champion's share of $4.25 million.
RJR ends the No Bull 5 program,
which awarded a $1 million bonus to a driver and fan at one of five selected races.
RJR, faced with growing
financial challenges because of tobacco litigation, gives NASCAR permission to seek
a new title sponsor. Nextel announces in June that it will replace Winston in the
sponsorship role.
 |
|
Nextel deal marks the beginning of the end for Winston. |
Brian France is named chairman
of NASCAR, replacing his father, Bill France Jr.
RJR announces a $3.5 million
purse for this year's running of The Winston, with the winner earning a record $1
million. The race is to be called the "NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge" beginning
next season.
As part of a $1 billion cost restructuring, RJR announces it will no longer
market its Winston and Doral cigarette brands, although the brands will still
be available in stores.
Although the 1998 Master
Settlement Agreement permits SME to have one sports sponsorship, it is unlikely
that SME will even exist at the end of the year.
Source: Sports Marketing Enterprises
