Silly Season 2023

Menards spoke to Penske. Cindric declined. No sense talking to McLaren.

At least that’s the way I read it. I could be wrong.

Why would Cindric/Penske decline a ride with Menards sponsorship?

What does McLaren have to do with it? Why is there no sense talking to them? I think papaya is a fruit?
 
Wait...who declined?

Papaya???
Penske declined, not wanting to run a fourth car for the 500.

McLaren is another team that would be interested in talks to field Kyle Busch for the 500, but they're own branding requires that the cars have their signature McLaren orange color scheme (the color is called "papaya orange"). Menards wants to sponsor Kyle Busch for whatever team will provide a 500 ride, but he's demanding that the car is Menards yellow. The car can't be Menards yellow and McLaren orange at the same time, so Kyle Busch/Menards will not be able to run the 500 with McLaren.

So now they'll be searching for other team options.
 
So they refuse to change the color of their cars to conform with their sponsor's identity? That's odd.
In 2019 they missed out on a couple of days of 500 practice because the car they bought or leased from their technical partner team was the wrong shade of orange, and when Alonso wrecked the primary in practice the backup was still being repainted. Papaya is serious business.
 
Penske declined, not wanting to run a fourth car for the 500.

McLaren is another team that would be interested in talks to field Kyle Busch for the 500, but they're own branding requires that the cars have their signature McLaren orange color scheme (the color is called "papaya orange"). Menards wants to sponsor Kyle Busch for whatever team will provide a 500 ride, but he's demanding that the car is Menards yellow. The car can't be Menards yellow and McLaren orange at the same time, so Kyle Busch/Menards will not be able to run the 500 with McLaren.

So now they'll be searching for other team options.

:cheers:
 
In 2019 they missed out on a couple of days of 500 practice because the car they bought or leased from their technical partner team was the wrong shade of orange, and when Alonso wrecked the primary in practice the backup was still being repainted. Papaya is serious business.

That's....odd.

I get sticking with your brand, especially if that brand identity/image really means something, but even Richard Petty went away from the "Petty Blue" in the name of sponsorship
 

McLaren have also said the same thing. They want a veteran who will be additive to the team as a whole. TK is a good possibility.

There’s a squeeze on all of engine lease availability, chassis availability, staffing, and sheer willingness to run an extra entry these days. Penske in particular have struggled at the Speedway the last few years and need to get their own program right before adding additional cars.
 
So they refuse to change the color of their cars to conform with their sponsor's identity? That's odd.

That's....odd.

I get sticking with your brand, especially if that brand identity/image really means something, but even Richard Petty went away from the "Petty Blue" in the name of sponsorship
McLaren is a retail brand though selling supercars. Petty Enterprises doesn't sell anything to consumers, they were just a team but not a brand. It's like asking Ferrari to paint their F1 cars Menards yellow, they're not going to do that either. Same principle.
 
McLaren is a retail brand though selling supercars. Petty Enterprises doesn't sell anything to consumers, they were just a team but not a brand. It's like asking Ferrari to paint their F1 cars Menards yellow, they're not going to do that either. Same principle.

Yeah, I'll admit I don't know jack squat about McLaren. But I'm assuming McLaren offers their production cars in multiple colors, correct? Would running a yellow Menards car in the Indy 500 damage their brand? Would it really turn off potential consumers? Although I guess if they are trying to be like Ferrari, I get it.
 
Ferrari will paint their street models any color you want, too. Doesn't mean they don't have a brand to protect.

Yeah, but Ferrari has been around a hell of a lot longer than McLaren.

I guess maybe that's the point, though. If you're trying to create something and they want this papaya color to be their thing, you gotta stick with it.
 
Yeah, but Ferrari has been around a hell of a lot longer than McLaren.

I guess maybe that's the point, though. If you're trying to create something and they want this papaya color to be their thing, you gotta stick with it.
They would get more TV time and comments if they DID paint it, bit corporations do dumb things all the time.
 
Yeah, but Ferrari has been around a hell of a lot longer than McLaren.

I guess maybe that's the point, though. If you're trying to create something and they want this papaya color to be their thing, you gotta stick with it.
Bruce McLaren first used papaya orange in 1967. They weren't selling streetcars until years later, but their heritage runs deeper than you may realize.
 
They would get more TV time and comments if they DID paint it, bit corporations do dumb things all the time.
Criticizing a marketing genius like Zak Brown on a forum is absolutely hilarious.

The person that is maintaining that they stick with papaya orange has also pulled the strings for perhaps more NASCAR sponsorship contracts than any other one person on Earth.
 
Rutherford McLaren M24 at Indianapolis 1979

1665342193464.jpeg
 
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