NASCAR is planning to put its name on merchandise stores and
"speed parks," according to the current issue of BRANDWEEK.
NASCAR is reportedly close to announcing plans for "both concept
stores and speed parks -- go cart and stock car racing amusement
centers -- which will open late next summer." They are also
"looking for other sports leagues and associations to co-brand
the speed parks," for example, PGA Tour chipping ranges or MLB
batting cages. The speed parks will be built on existing mall
and retail outlets, offering NASCAR a "retail base" for its
national sponsors. Official sponsors include McDonald's, Pepsi,
Gatorade, Die Hard and Craftsman. The concept stores/speed parks
plan was conceived through NASCAR's "aggressive new licensing
group," which was formed in-house after being handled for the
last five years by Battle Enterprises (Hillary Rosner, BRANDWEEK,
10/9 issue).
GM AND UAW FIND UNITY IN NASCAR: General Motors and the
United Auto Workers union, "seeking to shed their past image of
adversaries," joined as title sponsors for NASCAR's UAW-GM
Quality 500 race held this past weekend in Charlotte. Financial
details were not available (AD WEEK, 10/2 issue). NASCAR also
looked to take advantage of the Winston Cup race in the "heart of
tobacco country to issue a visible protest to anti-tobacco
legislation proposed" by President Clinton and the FDA. Full-
page print ads in several publications, including the event's
program, featured the RJR-backed message to Clinton from Richard
Petty. Tobacco lobbyists staged a petition drive and also
distributed brochures. Petty: "I never thought I'd see the day
when the government told me I couldn't paint somebody's name on
the side of my car. Hasn't he [Clinton] got more important
things to use his executive authority for?" (Holly Cain, TAMPA
TRIBUNE, 10/7). Sen. Majority Leader Robert Dole made a
"political pit stop" at the Charlotte Motor speedway, and
criticized the proposed regulations. Dole: "Let's keep
government out of NASCAR racing. If you look at this crowd,
about 97 percent are older than 18" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR-NEWS,
10/9). GOODYEAR FOR PENSKE: Goodyear will be the exclusive
tire supplier of the 860 Penske Auto Centers, which Roger Penske
will acquired from Kmart for $120M. Goodyear says the Penske
outlets "will become part of the company's independent dealer
organizations effective" when the transaction is complete
November 1 (AD AGE ONLINE, 10/10).
