iRacing Motorsport Simulations, NASCAR Sign Partnership

NASCAR Will Adopt iRacing's Simulation As Virtual Branch Of Auto Racing

CHANGE IN GAMING CATEGORY APPROACH: The unique five-year licensing arrangement between NASCAR and iRacing.com represents an evolving shift in NASCAR's approach to the gaming category. EA Sports has produced NASCAR-licensed videogames as the sport's exclusive gaming partner since '97, but that deal ends this year and future deals will not provide exclusivity in the space. NASCAR and EA Sports, which produced the first edition of "NASCAR Kart Racing" for Wii this year, are in negotiations for a new contract. Future projects will likely target the Wii console, said Blake Davidson, NASCAR Managing Dir of Licensed Products. "It's important to look at all the categories to find ways to expand NASCAR's presence," Davidson said. "There are so many layers to the gaming space and we need to make sure we're in a position to take advantage of those opportunities." That could mean a continued slicing and dicing of the gaming category, including the prospect of a new Internet-based game with Turner Sports for NASCAR.com. When iRacing.com kicks off the first season in '10, the series will have a name and it is not out of the question that it could have a sponsor. The company, which has kept its marketing lean since it was founded in '04, has not formulated any kind of sponsorship plan yet, said spokesperson Steve Potter. But track sponsors will have their signage displayed on the game to recreate the feeling of the speedway as accurately as possible. NASCAR and iRacing.com are working on a joint logo for the series (Michael Smith, SportsBusiness Journal)

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