By Marty Smith, NASCAR.COM
September 23, 2006
05:41 PM EDT (21:41 GMT)
DOVER, Del. -- The NASCAR Busch Series is expected to have a new title sponsor in 2008, multiple sources close to ongoing negotiations told NASCAR.COM on Saturday at Dover International Speedway.
Potential replacement candidates were not disclosed.
NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter confirmed that 2007 is the final year of the existing contract between Anheuser-Busch and NASCAR, while stressing that discussions about the future are ongoing.
"All I can tell you is we're working on 2007, and Busch is certainly a part of that," Hunter said. "We're in discussions about the future."
The sources, each of whom spoke on condition of anonymity, all agreed that Anheuser-Busch is re-evaluating the Busch brand's status as title sponsor of NASCAR's second-highest series, and where it fits in the company's overall marketing strategy.
Tony Ponturo, Anheuser-Busch vice president of global media and sports marketing, said nothing of the sort.
"We haven't even begun negotiations," Ponturo said Saturday. "Renewal negotiations begin next spring."
The 2006 season marks the 25th anniversary for Anheuser-Busch brands as title sponsors of the Busch Series. The first two, 1982 and '83, were known as the Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series.
From 1984-2003 the series was known as Busch Grand National. And for the past three, the NASCAR Busch Series.
September 23, 2006
05:41 PM EDT (21:41 GMT)
DOVER, Del. -- The NASCAR Busch Series is expected to have a new title sponsor in 2008, multiple sources close to ongoing negotiations told NASCAR.COM on Saturday at Dover International Speedway.
Potential replacement candidates were not disclosed.
NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter confirmed that 2007 is the final year of the existing contract between Anheuser-Busch and NASCAR, while stressing that discussions about the future are ongoing.
"All I can tell you is we're working on 2007, and Busch is certainly a part of that," Hunter said. "We're in discussions about the future."
The sources, each of whom spoke on condition of anonymity, all agreed that Anheuser-Busch is re-evaluating the Busch brand's status as title sponsor of NASCAR's second-highest series, and where it fits in the company's overall marketing strategy.
Tony Ponturo, Anheuser-Busch vice president of global media and sports marketing, said nothing of the sort.
"We haven't even begun negotiations," Ponturo said Saturday. "Renewal negotiations begin next spring."
The 2006 season marks the 25th anniversary for Anheuser-Busch brands as title sponsors of the Busch Series. The first two, 1982 and '83, were known as the Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series.
From 1984-2003 the series was known as Busch Grand National. And for the past three, the NASCAR Busch Series.