In L.A., Houston Mitchell reports NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon "stars in a new commercial" for Pepsi Max. Gordon, driver of the No. 24 Sprint Cup Series car sponsored in parted by the soft drink brand, "is put on special assignment in the new ad, helping to deliver an emergency supply of Pepsi Max to Daytona just in time” for the Coke Zero 400 on Saturday. Gordon appears alongside Max, the “irreverent Pepsi Max truck driver.” The two are “at odds from the start: Jeff’s excited to hit the open road for a big road trip, but Max is less than thrilled to have a co-pilot” (
LATIMES.com, 6/30).
STILL ON CRUISE CONTROL: Following reports last week that GoDaddy “was on the verge of being sold, Danica Patrick said she has been told of no changes with her primary sponsor in IndyCar and NASCAR.” Patrick: “Unless I hear from (GoDaddy CEO) Bob (Parsons) it’s been sold, it’s all speculation.” Meanwhile, NASCAR driver Matt Kenseth is “optimistic Roush Fenway Racing will be able to replace Crown Royal as the primary sponsor" of his No. 17 Sprint Cup Series Ford. Kenseth: “We’ve been doing everything we can to make the program really competitive. I think we have a lot there to sell” (Nate Ryan, USA TODAY, 7/1).
HOLDING OUT HOPE: In Orlando, George Diaz reports two cars in Friday’s Nationwide Series Subway Jalapeno 250 “will bear the images” of Diane Hollins and her daughter Tammy, both of whom “disappeared 32 years ago.” Kevin Conway's No. 87 Toyota will feature Diane, and teammate/owner Joe Nemechek's No. 97 Toyota will feature Tammy. Conway reached out to Daytona Beach Deputy Chief of Police Steve Beres last month, "asking about the possibility of featuring a missing persons case on their cars.” The images “will be on the back of the car, along with contact information for the Daytona Beach Police Department” (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 7/1).
SIBLING SALUTE: In Charlotte, Jim Utter noted Michael Waltrip “will honor the election of his older brother, Darrell Waltrip, to the NASCAR Hall of Fame by driving a car in next weekend’s inaugural Cup race at Kentucky Speedway adorned with a special paint scheme.” The orange-and-white paint scheme “will be similar to the one Darrell Watrip had in his first Cup victory at Nashville Speedway in 1975” (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 6/30).
