AAMCO brands IndyCar pole

AAMCO Transmissions has struck an official status deal with the IndyCar Series that includes a branded pole award, which will pay $10,000 to the top qualifier for each race and $100,000 to the Indianapolis 500 pole winner.

The AAMCO Transmissions Pole Award is expected to debut at the April 29 IndyCar race at Kansas Speedway. AAMCO’s status deal will make it the official automotive transmission repair company of the IndyCar Series and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Terms of the deal were not available.

AAMCO took a long look at NASCAR before deciding on IndyCar, including a sponsorship deal with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing that makes driver Sarah Fisher the first AAMCO spokeswoman since Zsa Zsa Gabor.

Todd Leff, AAMCO’s CEO, said the IndyCar footprint, especially the number of races in the Midwest, was a better fit.

“Right now, we feel that Indy was a better opportunity and a better value for us,” Leff said. “We had a high-visibility woman spokesperson in mind because part of the goal with this campaign is to reach women and a younger audience.”

Leff said AAMCO will use its IndyCar status in its ads with Fisher. Those ads are expected to debut the second week of May. Its pole award will allow AAMCO dealers and other officials to be on the track for the presentation of a branded check to the pole winner.

Leff said future promotions will give consumers a chance to be part of the presentation.