#66 gets a sponsor for Las Vegas: Haas Carter Motorsports announced that Checker Auto Parts will sponsor pole sitter #66-Todd Bodine for Sunday’s UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. .The Phoenix-based auto parts retailer contacted Haas Carter Motorsports representatives after reading about Bodine’s qualifying effort on the 1.5-mile superspeedway that set a new track and event qualifying record. Checker Auto Parts, which has more than 1,130 stores throughout 19 western states including Alaska and Hawaii, will be the primary sponsor for this event with its logos placed prominently on the blue #66 Ford Tauruss hood, television panel and quarter panels. “I read about Todd being on the pole in the newspaper yesterday and thought it was a shame that a team in that position didn’t have a sponsor,” said Maynard Jenkins, chairman and CEO of Checker Auto Parts. “I called our marketing people and asked them to get in touch with Travis (Carter) to see if there was an opportunity to help. Motorsports is a natural extension of our business, as we currently sponsor motorsports teams and events, and our customers are loyal NASCAR fans. We’re a regional auto parts company with stores in Las Vegas, and I know our employees will be excited to be affiliated with Haas Carter Motorsports and Todd Bodine. I hope this helps the team secure a primary sponsor for the balance of the season,” Jenkins added. “This allows us to not only continue supporting motorsports, but also possibly develop a relationship with Haas Carter Motorsports beyond this event.” Carl Haas and Travis Carter, owners of Haas Carter Motorsports, are actively pursuing sponsorship opportunities for both the Nos. 26 and 66 Fords since the team’s previous sponsor, Kmart, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in January. The team’s contractual commitment with Kmart ended after the Feb. 24 NASCAR Winston Cup Series race at North Carolina Speedway.(Haas Carter Motorsports PR)(3-2-2002)
