Jack Daniel's has signed a deal to renew ties to NASCAR's Richard Childress Racing, starting with a primary sponsorship of the No. 3 Chevy driven by Austin Dillon for the Roval race at Charlotte Motor Speedway next weekend. Jack Daniel's first aligned with RCR in '05, when NASCAR began allowing liquor sponsors, though the deal eventually ended after the '09 Cup season. The Tennessee whiskey brand has decided to dip its toe back into the sport with the primary sponsorship next weekend before it will evaluate possibly growing the partnership next season. While the pact is starting with just one primary sponsorship, the news is still a welcome development for the sport of NASCAR, as it looks to bring some of the blue-chip companies that used to be in the sport back in.
TOOLS FOR SUCCESS: Hendrick Motorsports has signed machine-tool company Cincinnati Inc. to a new 10-year sponsorship deal, the longest such pact in team history. The deal will last from '19-28, and a source said it is worth low eight figures over the life of the pact. HMS will start using Cincinnati equipment to build its race cars, and the company will be the primary sponsor of HMS' No. 88 Chevy for one Cup race this season in Dover and two races next season. The company also will become an associate sponsor of all four HMS cars for the entire season for the next decade. Team Owner Rick Hendrick said, "Ten years is quite a statement. It demonstrates how the Cincinnati team feels about NASCAR and the opportunities the sport presents for their business."
