Auto Racing Capsules: Crown Royal ending NASCAR team sponsorship
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Crown Royal will end its sponsorship with Roush Fenway Racing at the end of the year, and parent company Diageo will not renew its deal as an official NASCAR partner.
Crown Royal has sponsored Matt Kenseth for the last two seasons, and the company sponsored Kurt Busch and Jamie McMurray before that. Going forward, Crown Royal will only sponsor the Sprint Cup race at Richmond.
"In shifting our strategy, we will end our sponsorships with Roush Fenway Racing and NASCAR upon the conclusion of the 2011 season," Yvonne Briese, Diageo North American Whisky vice president of marketing, said Tuesday in a statement.
"We have developed strong relationships with the people at both organizations — they have not only been fantastic business partners, but have also become our friends. We thank them for working with us throughout the years to showcase the importance of our social responsibility initiatives."
Crown Royal has no competition in NASCAR right now because Jim Beam and Jack Daniel's have left the series. NASCAR only allowed distilled liquors in as sponsors beginning with the 2005 season.
"We are obviously disappointed with the news, but first we would like to thank Diageo and Crown Royal for a terrific partnership that has spanned almost a decade," Roush Fenway President Steve Newmark said in a statement.
"It's unfortunate that they will not be able to continue to be a part of our organization. Fortunately, our race programs are operating at a higher level than ever. The No. 17 is an attractive, championship-winning program with a storied history and Matt Kenseth an elite driver. We have already opened the door for discussions and are currently in the process of speaking with companies interested in taking over the program for next season and beyond."
RFR announced Tuesday that Affliction Clothing has added two more races of primary sponsorship to Kenseth's car, beginning with Saturday night's event at Daytona. Affliction has already sponsored two races for Kenseth this season.
RFR began the season with all four of its primary sponsors up for renewal, and the team has so far only renewed sponsor 3M and driver Greg Biffle. Both the sponsor and Biffle signed extensions in April.
Still unsigned is Aflac and driver Carl Edwards, who is considered the top possible free agent in NASCAR right now. David Ragan is still under contract, but sponsor UPS has not been renewed yet and recent rumors have that company potentially linked to a deal with Clint Bowyer.
Bowyer was believed to have been heavily courted by Red Bull, which last week announced it was leaving NASCAR as both team owner and sponsor of a two-car organization. It's not clear if the recent link to UPS would be with RFR, which would only have a driver opening if Edwards leaves, or with Richard Childress Racing, where Bowyer currently drives.
Bowyer said last week he wants to sign a three-year contract extension with RCR.
IndyCar
Iowa could host two-for-one weekend in 2012
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — One of the smallest markets in the IndyCar series could be in line to host one of its biggest weekends starting next year.
IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard said the series is looking into the possibility of holding a doubleheader at Iowa Speedway next season that would award full championship points for each race.
Bernard told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he spoke with Iowa Speedway president Jerry Jauron over the weekend about hosting races on Saturday night and the following Sunday in 2012.
Iowa drew over 35,000 for Saturday night's race won by Marco Andretti despite the threat of storms that could have postponed it. TV ratings were up 35 percent from its 2010 event held on a Sunday.
Bernard says a potential Iowa double-dip would cut down costs for fans, possibly expand TV opportunities and balance the schedule between road and oval courses. The series will run nine races on road/street courses this season and eight on ovals such as Iowa in 2011.
"It's such a passionate fan base in that market. The fact that we are selling out, I approached (Jauron) about the possibility of doing a true doubleheader," Bernard said. "If we'd have had a follow up race after that great race on Saturday, that would have the best advertising for us. "
The racing didn't disappoint, either. Andretti moved ahead of Dario Franchitti, then held off a spirited late charge from Tony Kanaan to win his first race since 2006.
"It's a great track, and there's a lot of race fans in mid-America. They showed up and they supported it. It was loud in there Saturday night when Marco won that race," Bernard said. "They're passionate. They know who the drivers are."
IndyCar brought back doubleheaders this year at Texas for the first time in major open-wheel racing in 30 years. Each of those races were only worth roughly half the points, though, and qualifying for the second event was set by a blind draw that forced Franchitti, the winner of the opener, to start 28th out of 30 cars.
Franchitti fought his way to a seventh-place finish. His main competition for the points title, Will Power, took advantage of a favorable draw to win his first oval race.
IndyCar and the Iowa Speedway are currently in talks to renew their deal through 2014 after it expired after Saturday night's race. But there's little doubt that open-wheel racing will be back at Iowa next season and beyond, even if the specific format is still being worked on by the series and the track.
"It's exciting that we're talking a never been done before commitment by the IndyCar series at Iowa Speedway," Jauron said Monday.
-- Luke Meredith
