Sherwin-Williams today begins its designation as NASCAR's official paint partner, and company Chair & CEO Christopher Connor said that with 34 of 42 NASCAR teams using Sherwin-Williams automotive paint and protective coatings, the sponsorship was the "logical next step," according to Janet Cho of the Cleveland PLAIN DEALER. Not only will the Sherwin-Williams name and logo be "splashed across race tracks and on the cars themselves over the 10-month racing season, but the company will also be the title sponsor of the Fastest Lap Award in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series." Elevation Group co-Founder & President Denny Young said that a partnership between pro motorsports and a Fortune 500 architectural and automotive paint company "makes perfect sense." The NASCAR association "gives Sherwin-Williams the chance to forge additional business-to-business relationships with more than 60 other Official NASCAR Partners." NASCAR Chief Sales Officer Jim O'Connell said, "Joining dozens of other blue-chip brands with official status, the company has a rich history in NASCAR and understands how to use our brands to drive its business." In a '12 Fan Engagement study commissioned by NASCAR, nearly half of fans said that "seeing a company identified as an 'Official Sponsor of NASCAR' made them more likely to consider buying its merchandise or services." Young said, "If you're a guy who's having your car repainted, Sherwin-Williams wants you to ask for their paint. They want you to think: 'If Sherwin-Williams paint is good enough for the greatest racers in the world, it's good enough for me'" (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 5/15).
