In Daytona Beach, Godwin Kelly noted in the "murky world of NASCAR race team sponsorship negotiations, one of the big names reportedly in play is UPS, which sponsors David Ragan's car." Roush Fenway Racing is "trying to hang on to that deal, which involves millions of dollars, and Ragan probably helped his own cause with the victory" at Saturday's Sprint Cup Series Coke Zero 400. RFR Owner Jack Roush on Saturday said, "Certainly we were hopeful that UPS will carry on in a meaningful regard with the sponsorship of the No. 6 car, but right now we are in negotiation." Kelly noted UPS "sent a statement to the media" about Ragan's victory on Saturday, "which is highly unusual" (Daytona Beach NEWS-JOURNAL, 7/4).
OFF THE MARK: Driver Mark Martin on Sunday "debunked rumors he is interested in becoming a NASCAR team owner upon his departure from Hendrick Motorsports at the end of the season." He said, "There‘s a lot of things I want to do in the sport still, including driving race cars, and outside of driving race cars. But as an equity owner, I can’t see it happening anywhere. I’m not interested in doing that" (SPEEDTV.com, 7/5).
HATS FOR BATS: In Orlando, George Diaz noted one of the "most unique promotional deals of the season will be featured this week" at Kentucky Speedway, when "drivers, official team members and executives receive a special-edition NASCAR Louisville Slugger bat." About 300 bats "were rolled out of the Slugger factory," and they "feature the logo for the inaugural Sprint Cup race at the Kentucky Speedway this weekend." Each driver "will have their name engraved on the side of each individual bat" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 7/6).
NOTES: Entergy and HVM racing announced that Holtec Int'l has signed on as an associate sponsor for the No. 78 Izod IndyCar Series entry driven by Simona de Silvestro (THE DAILY)....IT outsourcing company Mahindra Satyam is "likely to sign a large global deal" with F1 at the Indian Grand Prix on October 30. Mahindra Satyam was the "first Indian company to sign" a deal with FIFA (BUSINESS-STANDARD.com, 7/6).
