Nationwide to replace Busch as series sponsor

Road races are on tap in 2008 in Mexico and Montreal.

SPORTING NEWS NASCAR WIRE SERVICE

NASCAR announced Wednesday a seven-year deal that installs Nationwide Insurance as the title sponsor of the NASCAR Nationwide Series, which has run under the Busch Series banner since 1982, thanks to the sponsorship of beer brewer Anheuser-Busch.

“Nationwide will be joining us as title sponsor for the No. 2 motorsports series in the country,” NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France said Wednesday during a teleconference with the media. “We know this will help propel the series forward.”

The announcement coincided with the release of the 2008 Nationwide Series schedule, which includes returns to the road courses of Mexico City and Montreal, as well as a doubleheader with the Craftsman Truck Series Feb. 23 at California Speedway.

$12 million pricetag

Nationwide reportedly has agreed to spend approximately $12 million annually for the sponsorship of the series, though neither France nor Nationwide’s chief marketing officer, James Lyski, would confirm the level of financial commitment.

“We have never commented on the values of sponsorships,” France said. “We never have. We won’t today. But, listen, the most important thing is we’ve got the right partner.

“They’re going to make the right investment in all the things that are important to our teams, our tracks, network partners. They’re going to activate this sponsorship in some very interesting and terrific ways. We’re very comfortable with the entire package as it stands today.”

Second sponsorship

The agreement with NASCAR represents the second major title sponsorship for Nationwide, which last November renewed its sponsorship of the PGA Tour’s Nationwide Tour through 2012. Lyski said the company hadn’t yet explored the possibilities of cross-promotion between the two sports.

“We haven’t really got that deep into it yet,” Lyski said. “But both of the fan bases truly are fanatics of their chosen sport. We think there could be something there. But this is very early in the relationship, and we haven’t really looked at all opportunities yet.”

In 2008, the NASCAR Nationwide Series will include 26 companion races with the Sprint Cup Series — including the first race under the lights at Chicagoland — as well as nine stand-alone events.

Because the first open week in the Cup Series doesn’t come until the week of April 14-20 next year, the Mexico City race moves from the first week of March to Apr. 20.