The Coleman Company has signed a three-year marketing
partnership with NASCAR starting with the 2000 season.
Coleman will launch a NASCAR-related product line, which
will include coolers, sleeping bags, tents and outdoor
furniture. The company will also sponsor track-side
campgrounds at NASCAR events. NASCAR team Owner Richard
Childress will serve as a Coleman spokesperson for the
effort (Coleman). The SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's Andy
Bernstein reports that the deal calls for the campground
sponsorships to include "at least" ten raceways. While "not
all of the track deals have been completed," Coleman said
that it is "targeting a list that includes" Daytona,
Charlotte, Michigan and Atlanta. Coleman, which will "jump
into" NASCAR-branded cooler products first, "cited research"
that 25% of NASCAR attendees "camp for three days or more"
when they go to a race (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 11/15).
DRIVER DEALS: FL-based construction equipment rental
company NationsRent signed a three-year deal to serve as the
primary sponsor of the Mattei Motorsports-owned No. 7
Winston Cup Chevrolet driven by Michael Waltrip.
NationsRent replaces Philips Electronics as the car's
primary sponsor (SPEEDNET, 11/16)....Sprint signed a three-
year deal as the primary sponsor of the Adam Petty-driven
No. 45 BGN Chevrolet in a deal that also expands the
company's associate sponsorship with the Petty racing team,
as well as with No. 44 and No. 43 Winston Cup Pontiacs
driven by Kyle Petty and John Andretti, respectively.
Sprint says the new deal will involve all of the company's
business units (Sprint)....Joe Nemechek has "secured a
sponsor -- CellularOne -- to run another limited" BGN
schedule next season (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 11/15).
