Not to mention that now one of the big team owners is now allowed to advertise Jack Daniels on the car. Does this make sense to you? Oh! Maybe it's for the 'kiddies.'
Posted on 01/28/2005 4:50:19 AM PST by SheLion
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- One year after kicking its decades-long cigarette sponsorship habit, NASCAR apparently needs a little help staying smoke-free.
Nicorette gum became the first smoking cessation product to enter NASCAR when GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare signed a sponsorship deal Thursday with Chip Ganassi Racing.
Three of its quit-smoking products -- the gum, the NicoDerm CQ patch and Commit lozenges -- will be advertised on the rear decklid of Casey Mears' car for the entire season. Nicorette will also be the primary sponsor on the No. 41 Dodge for one race in a deal estimated to cost the company $3 million annually.
The anti-smoking products enter the sport one year after R.J. Reynolds Tobacco's Winston brand ended its 33-year run as title sponsor of NASCAR's top race series. With wireless company Nextel replacing Winston, NASCAR has made an effort to distance itself from its tobacco chewing, cigarette smoking image.
Steve Kapur, marketing manager for Nicorette's parent company, said GSK encountered resistance from NASCAR when it first proposed entering the sport in 1996.
``They were appropriately loyal to their sponsor,'' Kapur said. ``We understood and moved our efforts to other areas. But when the opportunity came for us to get back in, we were thrilled.''
GSK Consumer Healthcare has a long relationship with NASCAR, positioning its Goodys Headache Powder as the ``Official Pain Reliever'' of NASCAR since 1977.
Now NASCAR is allowing the company to bring a traveling exhibit to 23 races this season with counselors on hand to help NASCAR fans quit smoking. GSK has also signed Richard and Kyle Petty to make track-side appearances on behalf of Nicorette.
``It's long proven that many NASCAR fans are smokers and they are heavy smokers,'' Kapur said. ``We've also found that many of them would like to quit smoking. So for us, this was the perfect place for us to be, especially because of how supportive NASCAR fans are of the sponsors.''
According to numbers from Simmons Market Research supplied by GSK, NASCAR fans are 28 percent more likely to smoke than other adults. Racing fans smoke 18 percent more cigarettes than other adult smokers and are more likely to smoke than NBA, NFL, NHL and MLB fans.
Just one tobacco product will be a Nextel Cup sponsor this year: Victory Brands will back driver John Andretti.
The death of NASCAR as I knew it. I think it is being overly sanitized.
Maybe the 40 caution laps for a blown tire will die soon too...
"More hypocrisy of the smokers. Its only all about private property rights, unless of course the private property owner is against smoking."
Please direct me to the post that takes the position you describe.
Well said!
Yep, I'm wrong you are right. Let's see. There is this first post, which the original poster is so concerned about the private rights of Nascar to choose their own sponsors.
if Nextel Cup is going to start stuffing this quit smoking garbage down our throats, I will throw NASCAR week-ends to the wind. I watch it for my favorite drivers and for the excitement of it all. But I refuse to take more punishment and abuse from the anti-smoking agenda.Oh, the support for private rights isn't there ? Well lets move on. Surely this post is supportive of the property rights of the owners.
It's time some of these wusses that feel faint when they smell cigarette smoke learn that there is more to life than fear of dying.No ? Oh, well lets move on, Oh there are no more before my post ?
If this were about a smoking ban on a restaurant imposed by government the smokers would be screaming "property rights", "property rights", "property rights". But no, this is a private company deciding to ban smoking and champion nonsmoking and those loud noises for their private property rights is chirping crickets. While the screams for hoping that their business fails because of it is deafening.
Hypocrites, pure and simple. Its all about the smoker.
How does an advertising agreement between two private for-profit entities equate to 'stuffing it down your throat'?
Well-said.
Heheh! Yea, but now sounds like NASCAR is going to get on that no smoking ban as well.
The old timers started out running moon shine in Kentucky. Then they became race track drivers. I guess Nextel wish the old timers like Rusty Wallace, etc. would retire now, so they can work on getting the younger drivers smoke free.
I know for a fact that Dale Jr smokes Winston's. Rusty smokes, as well as many others involved. What's the big deal?
Wonder how the other drivers are going to love working in the pits now with Casey. LOL!
Thank God. And I KNEW that! hahah!!
Not to mention that now one of the big team owners is now allowed to advertise Jack Daniels on the car. Does this make sense to you? Oh! Maybe it's for the 'kiddies.'
I still love the Friday Night tracks.
Where men are still REAL MEN!
Don't forget that we just saw a research study on the Antis trying to boost city/state smoking bans by throwing their hooplas in those places and that they've also openly used Antismoking money to advertise businesses that ban smoking.
Yep, next target is the beer drinkers. Nevermind, they sell that at the track and would lose $$.
What a great idea! Start smoking, quit, then start up again, quit again. A marketing full circle.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.