NA$CAR Chairman Bill France (left) with Nextel President and CEO Tim Donahue following Thursday's announcement. Credit: NASCAR/ISC Publications
Posted on 06/19/2003 9:10:12 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
By Lee Montgomery, Turner Sports Interactive
June 19, 2003
3:18 PM EDT (1918 GMT)
NEW YORK -- Say goodbye to the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. And say hello to the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series.
The world of stock-car racing changed quickly and dramatically Thursday morning with the announcement that Nextel Communications Inc. of Reston, Va. will back NASCAR's top series for 10 years, starting in 2004.
The deal was announced amid smoke and laser lights in the NASDAQ building in Times Square. And it took less than an hour for NASCAR to proclaim that 33 years of Winston sponsorship was over, and that a new era of the sport had begun.
"Today, NASCAR takes another giant step for the future of the sport," said chairman Bill France Jr., son of NASCAR founder Bill France Sr.
Officials from NASCAR and Nextel sung each other's praises Friday, saying the deal will be good for both sides.
"I think our companies, Nextel and NASCAR, share certain similarities," Nextel president and CEO Tim Donahue said. "Both of our organizations began as up-starts. And, to be candid, not a lot of people took us seriously. But look at us now: America's No. 1 spectator sport and America's most successful wireless company joining forces.
"It's no surprise why we at Nextel would be so interested in becoming part of the NASCAR team. Simply put, it is the most popular and exciting sport in America, and it has the most dedicated fans."
Nextel replaces R.J. Reynolds, whose Winston brand has become synonymous with NASCAR since it joined the sanctioning body in 1971. But in early February, RJR told NASCAR it wanted out of a five-year contract extension it signed last year. NASCAR started looking around, and four months later has a deal some estimate as high as $90 million a season.
Nextel and NASCAR envision expanding its already broad fan base, and there was a lot of discussion about the youth market Friday. RJR, because of advertising restrictions, couldn't go after anyone under age 18, but Nextel has no such restrictions.
"Unfortunately, R.J. Reynolds has been limited in a lot of areas, and they've done a fantastic job, but I see there are very few limitations as to where Nextel can take it," four-time Winston Cup champion Jeff Gordon said. "Who knows where they can take it now going forward in the future?"
Some of the first marketing steps, which can't begin until January, appear to be headed toward teen-agers. NASCAR senior vice president Brian France said "the youth market is going to be a market that we're going to go after more aggressively."
"The youth market is one of the most aggressive adapters of new technology," Nextel executive vice president and COO Tom Kelly said. "Sixteen-to-20 year-olds, they don't remember a time when there was not wireless phones. That's a change in the fabric of this country that shows that wireless is becoming a pervasive technology. You couldn't kill it if you tried."
Nextel will also try to reach out to existing fans and try to deepen their experience using wireless communication. There were no details, but Kelly used the example of fans being able to use cell phones to check qualifying.
The details of Nextel's deal began to emerge last week. The negotiating began in late March when NASCAR put in a call to Nextel. The initial meeting took place at Nextel's headquarters, but it didn't take long to get things going.
"From the first day that the two companies got together and started the discussions, we knew that there was a chemistry between us that would make this work," Donahue said.
NASCAR chief operating officer George Pyne said the sanctioning body talked to "four or five companies," but when offered the chance to partner with a technology company, NASCAR jumped.
"There was a great deal of speed, a great deal of teamwork," Pyne said. "They were terrific people to work with. I think start to finish, we probably were 60 to 75 days. It was a terrific process for us."
For Nextel, it was an easy choice, said senior vice president of marketing Mark Schweitzer.
"For Nextel, I would add opportunities like this come along once every 32 years and are not to be a protracted process," Schweitzer said. "We're a very competitive company in a competitive industry. We determined early on that this is something to go after, and enjoyed the process with NASCAR.
"But the opportunity is so easy to comprehend here, that going after it made perfect sense for Nextel."
Terms of the deal weren't disclosed, and neither party was very willing to discuss many specifics. But there were some details that emerged Friday:
The announcement began with the prophetic phrase "A New Era Has Begun," while "Baba O'Riley" by The Who blared on the speakers. And NASCAR didn't take long to honor its current sponsor, Winston, playing a short video in tribute to RJR.
France and Donahue then made formal remarks before Donahue brought Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. to the stage to present them with cell phones to match their car numbers and colors.
The two drivers are clearly a big part of NASCAR's future, and Junior even joked that he's been a Nextel customer for two years.
Now, though, the thoughts turn to the future.
"My father would definitely be proud," France said. "We've come a long way toward fulfilling his vision, and we've come a long way toward making NASCAR racing a national sport with fans spread across America.
"We still have miles to go to achieve our goals, but we are confident we are well on our way, with Nextel as our new partner."
NA$CAR Chairman Bill France (left) with Nextel President and CEO Tim Donahue following Thursday's announcement. Credit: NASCAR/ISC Publications
Let me know if you want ON or Off my NASCAR Ping List.
They may as well start calling it the Betty Crocker Cup.
Jeff Gordon was on hand to welcome Nextel to the NASCAR family. Credit: NASCAR/ISC Publications
Nextel President and CEO Tim Donahue presents Dale Earnhardt Jr. with a No. 8 Nextel phone during Thursday's announcement. Credit: NASCAR/ISC Publications
Couldn't be. The drug legalization / Libertarian crowd on FR says bootlegging ended in '29 with the end of prohibition ...
B. Bodine out of hospital, begins rehabilitation
Nadeau says 'thank you' to friends, family, fans
(dis)believe the dialogue: Sonoma
It was easy to question FOX's decision to run an hour-long prerace show Sunday. That is, until you saw what they used the extra time for.
The network spent the better part of that extra half hour Sunday showing fans the vast amount of safety advancements made in NASCAR over the past few years. We saw the first Ford race car, a 1901 Sweepstakes car, along with full explanations of the "driver's cocoon" that we hear so much about and the vast changes that have gotten driver safety to where it is now.
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| Jeff Burton was interviewed by FOX about safety during last weekend's broadcast. Credit: Autostock | ||
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Jeff Hammond and Darrell Waltrip did a great job walking the viewer through the before and afters of the safety battle. After looking at old-school driver uniforms and helmets, to be perfectly honest, you wonder how there weren't more serious injuries and deaths in racing during "the good old days."
Of particular interest was a discussion -- almost an argument between Waltrip and NASCAR president Mike Helton about when more tracks would be installing soft-wall technology. Waltrip had the guts to ask the question may fans were wondering: What's taking so long?
Helton responded with an adequate explanation, saying that while it may look like tracks are similar, each track has a different set of demands in order to make the soft walls work. He added that it's not in anyone's best interest to rush into this.
Jeff Burton, the drivers' voice of safety, was also interviewed, saying that while a lot has been done, more needs to be done.
In all, FOX gave viewers a timely, solid segment on a topic that should always be in the forefront. Safety is an issue that hits home with everybody, be it fans or front-office folk.
It's a subject that can never be overdone.
On to this week's awards...
Thanks, Dad: A nice segment was aired on Jimmie Johnson's relationship with his father Gus.
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Why Johnson gave his dad an air compressor for Father's Day -- and why Gus was so thrilled about it -- remain a mystery.
Setting a pick: Whoever made the rule that FOX's color analysts can't pick the same driver to win more than once a year needs to revisit that call. The picks of Ricky Craven (Larry McReynolds), Terry Labonte (Waltrip) and Mark Martin (Hammond) averaged a 11th-place finish.
How about letting the experts tell us who they really think will win?
He'll be here all week: While replaying Ryan Newman's fiery exit Sunday, Chris Myers said that "Flyin' Ryan became Fryin' Ryan."
Do you think Myers knows how amazingly offensive those "jokes" are?
Hammond=genius: Hammond came through big again Sunday, using the cut-a-way car to show fans exactly what caused Newman's No. 12 Dodge to literally burst into flames.
Hammond again answers the question that so many of us were wondering. Isn't that what an analyst is supposed to do?
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| Jimmie, why an air compressor? Credit: Autostock | ||
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Hulking up: How funny was the segment where Michael "Fatback" McSwain turned into The Hulk during the pre-race show? The look on McSwain's face was priceless. If you didn't see it, you really missed out.
Invented Word of the Week: Win*da (w n da) n. An interval of time during which something must happen: the pit winda is 60 laps.
Old-school joke: While cars were bunching up, jockeying for position late in the race, Darrell Waltrip said, "Don't look now, Ethel."
Who's Ethel, anyway?
Quote of the week: We go back to Newman's fireball for this week's gem. John Erickson, Newman's spotter, after doing such a great job guiding his driver to safety, said simply to Newman, "Get your ass out."
About sums it up, doesn't it?
On to this weekend's action ...
Site: Sonoma, Calif.
Track: Infineon Raceway (2-mile road course, 10 turns (40 feet wide))
Race distance: 110 laps, 219 miles
TV: Bud Pole Qualifying: SPEED 6 p.m. ET Friday. Happy Hour: FX 2 p.m. ET Saturday. Race: FOX 3:30 p.m. ET Sunday.
Last year's race: Jerry Nadeau's No. 44 Dodge suffered rear-end failure, allowing Ricky Rudd to sang his 23rd career Winston Cup victory.
Last week's race: Sterling Marlin's heartbreak turned into the third win of the year for Kurt Busch. Busch took advantage on a late race restart and held off a hard-charging Bobby Labonte for the win. Marlin, who led 102 laps, was sixth.
Potential Storyline: Jeff Gordon has a series-leading three victories at Infineon Raceway. He also has seven top-10 finishes, including three victories, in 10 races.
Point to ponder: Mark Martin has posted a track-leading 12 top-10 finishes, including a victory in 1997, in his 14 races at Infineon.
Next race: Pepsi 400, Daytona International Speedway, July 5
Site: Memphis, Tenn.
Track: Memphis Motorsports Park (.75-mile oval, 11-degree banking in corners, 4-degree banking on straights. Length of backstretch: 1,100 feet. Length of frontstretch: 1,100 feet)
Race distance: 200 laps, 150 miles
TV: Race: SPEED, 3 p.m. ET Saturday.
Last year's race: Travis Kvapil took the lead for the final time on lap 131, led 117 of 200 laps and held off Terry Cook's No. 29 Power Stroke Ford on two restarts in the last 40 laps to win by .187 seconds.
Last week's race: Brendan Gaughan took the lead from Carl Edwards with five laps to go and won the O'Reilly 400 on June 6 at Texas Motor Speedway, his third straight Texas win.
Potential Storyline: The O'Reilly 200 at Memphis marks the 200th event in NASCAR Craftsman Truck history. Among those expected to participate in the event are three teams -- K Automotive, Spears Motorsports and Ultra Motorsports -- that have competed full time on the series since the inaugural race on Feb. 5, 1995
Point to Ponder: Gaughan's Texas victory was the 40th in series competition by Dodge and the third in a row for the truck maker in 2003. Dodge last won three consecutive in 2001 when Ram trucks captured the first eight races to match the NASCAR Craftsman Truck manufacturer record.
Next race: GNC Live Well 200, Milwaukee Mile, June 28
Mark Spoor is associate producer of NASCAR.com. His viewer's guide appears each Thursday. The opinions expressed are solely of the writer.
and
Sunday Pre-Race Ping
Dodge/SaveMart 350 at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma , Ca.
Sunday, June 22. FoX TV at 1 pm PT / 4pm ET
Jeff Gordon 4/1 Tony Stewart 9/2 Ron Fellows 5/1 Robby Gordon 5/1 Mark Martin 6/1 Kurt Busch 8/1 Scott Pruett 8/1 Bobby Labonte 10/1 Rusty Wallace 12/1 Matt Kenseth 12/1 Ryan Newman 15/1 Boris Said 15/1 Dale Earnhardt Jr 20/1 Jimmie Johnson 20/1 Jeff Burton 22/1 Ricky Rudd 25/1 Terry LaBonte 25/1 Dale Jarrett 25/1 Kevin Harvick 30/1 Sterling Marlin 30/1 Bill Elliott 35/1 Ricky Craven 40/1 Elliott Sadler 40/1 P.J. Jones 45/1 Michael Waltrip 50/1 Ward Burton 50/1 Johnny Benson 50/1 Joe Nemechek 60/1 Steve Park 60/1 Jeremy Mayfield 60/1 Jimmy Spencer 75/1 Dave Blaney 75/1 FIELD (All Others) 20/1
That 2nd link is a good one. The Battle of the Bills .. 50 years in the making. A lot of insight into the beginnings of NASCAR and its dominance.
You would think that wouldn't you, you pasty face punk. To say Nextel would do even a quarter of the job RJR has done for NASCAR is a joke. I may rescind my boycott and have to watch NASCAR next year because of my love for the roar of the engines but Jeff Gordon and Bill France epitomize what has become of NASCAR and what is wrong with it. The Almighty Dollar now rules and tradition is right out the door
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