Bergbau » innovations in the history of oval racing -- the SAFE

LAS VEGAS -- NASCAR got a boost Thursday when it announced it had signed a deal with Monster Energy to replace Sprint as the sponsor of its top series.How much of a boost? NASCAR wouldnt say. But something likely is better than nothing as NASCAR faced the prospect of having its top series not sponsored, with Sprint departing after this season.NASCAR Chairman Brian France said Thursday it was a multiyear deal with options but would not comment on how much the deal was worth nor say what the name of what is currently the Sprint Cup Series would be starting in 2017. Monster also will sponsor the annual all-star race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.Theyre fun, France said. They know how to make a lot of plans, and when you see this unfold, theyre going to interact with our fan base differently, at the speedways in particular but all over the place. In market, theyve got some robust plans, depending on that.ESPNs Darren Rovell tweeted that the Monster deal is 40 percent ($20 million) of the current Sprint deal, which was estimated at $50 million. A powerful force in the energy drink category and 16.8 percent owned by Coca-Cola, Monster Energy turned a $546 million profit in 2015 and has been heavily involved in various forms of motorsports.Its a different kind of agreement for sure in that its got activation in different ways and media in different ways, France said at a news conference at the Wynn Las Vegas. But were quite pleased with the agreement, and no, there will be no changes at all [with how we operate].As a matter of fact, I think youre going to see some additional activation, additional things that will occur, so this is a more, not less, in that regard.Sprint announced in December 2014 it would not return after the 2016 season, and NASCAR has spent nearly the past two years searching for a replacement.Coming down to the wire to get a sponsor for 2017, NASCAR needed a sponsor if it didnt want to foot the bill for what the sponsor contributes to NASCAR as well as marketing the sport.Past sponsors R.J. Reynolds, Nextel and Sprint spent tens of millions of dollars promoting the sport. When Nextel signed its deal in 2003, it was reported its total spending was approximately $70-75 million a year.Sprint (which assumed the sponsorship through its Nextel merger) renegotiated its deal when it signed an extension for 2014 to 2016 that reports have pegged at closer to a $50 million minimum annual commitment. It also sponsored two exhibition races -- the preseason race at Daytona and the all-star race at Charlotte.[The priority is] just to see them promote the sport and maybe [bring] some fresh ideas, maybe just how we can come in with new ways of introducing it to the fans, NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick said.Monster has been involved in NASCAR for several years, currently sponsoring Kurt Busch and previously his brother Kyle. Kyle is sponsored by Nos, which is owned by Monster Beverage Company, in the Xfinity Series. Monster also has been involved in motorsports by sponsoring the Supercross motocross series. It plans to continue all those efforts. The energy, the vibe -- to work with them since 2012, its fun, its a lifestyle, its a brand that can translate to the youth, Kurt Busch said. There is so much that they connect with the youth and yet its a brand that is respected in all of motorsports.Their DNA ... is to give 200 bucks to a snowboarder at the X Games just to put their logo on a kids helmet that they thought had a chance at medaling. And now look at the potential and whats in front.However, Monster, which is the subject of class-action lawsuits and other legal challenges over the health impact of energy drinks, doesnt market directly to youth -- a key component of NASCARs marketing efforts.Our company has standard guidelines about the bottom age at which we market, and thats not inconsistent with what were hoping to do with our involvement here, Monster Chief Marketing Officer Mark Hall said. Its just really about being responsible.Monster will carry official energy drink status and any energy drink not currently sponsoring a driver in Sprint Cup will not be able to sponsor a Cup car, NASCAR spokesman David Higdon said.Higdon would not talk about the details of the grandfather clause and whether 5-Hour Energy, sponsor of Erik Jones at Furniture Row Racing, would be included -- as an energy shot, it is slightly different from an energy drink. 5-Hour Energy, according to the agency that handles its NASCAR marketing, has not gotten details yet from NASCAR on whether it will be affected.While Monster competitor Red Bull once owned a team in the sport and then got out as it struggled on the competition and marketing sides, Monster believes it can help NASCAR trend to a younger demographic.We do have some ideas about how we can make NASCAR more attractive to what I would call a different audience than is currently there without detracting from what is already a great audience and a great fan base, Hall said. 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INDIANAPOLIS -- Just how tedious was the 23rd annual Brickyard 400?The most intriguing story coming out of Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday for people who follow racing was the public confirmation that Tony George was quietly named chairman of the board of the speedway, in addition to its parent company, Hulman & Co., some four months ago.?Sure, there was Indys 160-lap NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race -- actually, make that 170, thanks to a series of overtime crashes -- which to the surprise of no one was dominated by Kyle Busch and the Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas.?Busch swept the Indianapolis weekend for the second year in a row, winning the Xfinity Series Lilly Diabetes 250 on Saturday as a warm-up to his triumph in the main show. ?His mastery of IMS was even more convincing this year, as he won from pole position in both races and led 149 laps on Sunday.With the race itself an unwatchable dud, hopes that Jeff Gordons temporary comeback or local hero Tony Stewarts final Brickyard start would provide compelling storylines fell flat.?Gordons return to replace the injured Dale Earnhardt Jr. fizzled out, with the No. 88 car never showing strongly all afternoon and taking a quiet 13th place. And Stewarts recent return to his old form was blunted Sunday by a pit lane speeding violation that relegated the hometown hero to 11th at the flag.That made Georges ascension to the chairmans seat of his familys companies the biggest story of the day, marking a comeback that rivals any weve ever seen on the executive side of the sport. ?The news broke in unorthodox fashion. George was voted into the chairman roles during Hulman & Co.s annual meeting in March, but there was no public confirmation of the change until he was introduced as the IMS chairman over the Speedways public address system when he stepped out to give the command to start engines for Sundays race.Talk about a private company that really keeps things private. ?Now 56, George was named president of Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1989 when he was just 29 years old, kicking off a turbulent 20-year run.?During his tenure, George brought NASCAR to Indianapolis with the first Brickyard 400 in 1994, and he also built a road course in the IMS infield that hosted the Formula One United States Grand Prix from 2000-07.?But George is more famous (or infamous) for creating the Indy Racing League and using the Indianapolis 500 as a bargaining chip in the quest to take control of Indy car racing from CART. The 13-year civil war between the two Indy car series from 1996-2008 caused huge damage to the sport, which it still continues to recoover from.dddddddddddd?After Indy car racing was unified as the IndyCar Series under Hulman &. Co leadership, George resigned as the leagues CEO in 2009, and he relinquished his board roles in 2011. He was reinstated to the IMS and Hulman & Co. boards in 2013; with his 82-year-old mother Mari Hulman-George in failing health, his recent ascension to the chairman role doesnt come as a surprise. Just family business.?Still, the fact that Hulman & Co. chose not to publicize the move indicates they understand the perception of putting George back in charge still carries some public relations baggage with longtime Indy car fans -- even though as the board chairman, he will have little or no influence on the companys day-to-day operations.Critics should not lose sight of the fact that while TG takes most of the blame for what has happened to Indy car racing over the past 20-plus years, many of the things that he did were positive for the speedway. ?The Brickyard 400 was a huge success for the first half of its 23-year existence, and it still remains a moneymaker for IMS. The F1 race and a subsequent Moto GP event on the road course delivered a new audience to the famous old oval.?George was also the driving force behind the creation of one of the most important safety innovations in the history of oval racing -- the SAFER Barrier, with IMS commissioning and financing its development.?With the Brickyard 400 a total snoozefest, perhaps it was a stroke of genius for IMS to release news of Georges promotion on a day when the track was otherwise generating negative headlines due to the poor quality of racing.?If it isnt clearly obvious by now, NASCAR stock cars are simply not compatible with the Brickyard oval. The unique single-groove track, with long straights and four low-banked 90-degree corners, just sets up for boring, single-file running.?Add in a 110-degree heat index like we had on Sunday, and its no wonder the Brickyard struggles to attract 50,000 fans these days when it was a 250,000-plus sellout in the early years.?Its still a profitable event for IMS, but with all those empty seats, its also a bit of an embarrassment to the grand old track.?As the chairman of the board, its not Tony Georges responsibility to fix the Brickyard 400 -- that job falls to Hulman Motorsports CEO Mark Miles and IMS president Doug Boles, among others.?But you can bet your bottom dollar that hes going to be paying close attention to whatever solutions they come up with.? ' ' '