As part of a pass-through deal with Quaker State and its parent company Shell, Walmart will be the presenting sponsor of this month's Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway. Quaker State is Shell’s value brand for motor oil used at Walmart’s auto care centers when customers get their oil changed. It also is sold on Walmart shelves. Quaker State receives the presented-by asset as part of its entitlement deal, and Quaker State is giving the asset to Walmart as part of a deal between the two sides. The tie-in has already been promoted in stores, though the pact had not been formally announced until today. In-store activation has included a sweepstakes to win a trip to the race, plus an offer where anyone who bought a Quaker State five-quart bottle or an oil change at Walmart’s auto care center got a $5 Walmart digital gift card. The sides also have promoted the offer with local radio and TV ad buys in several markets ahead of the race July 14th. Quaker State has been the title sponsor of Kentucky Speedway’s Monster Energy Series race since it was first held in ’11, and the sides last year extended the partnership through ’22. Walmart is still involved in NASCAR in certain ways like hosting driver appearances, doing in-store retail marketing and selling NASCAR merchandise, but the company does not have almost any consumer-facing sponsorships in the sport, making this deal a rarity.
