Petty Looking for a 2003 sponsor for the #45: Petty Enterprises is seeking primary sponsorship for the #45 Dodge driven by Kyle Petty for the 2003 season and beyond.. Sprint recently notified Petty Enterprises that it will not pick up the option in its contract to continue as primary sponsor.. Discussions are continuing with Sprint about future involvement with Petty Enterprises, but in the meantime Petty Enterprises is seeking other potential partners for the primary sponsorship of the #45 Dodge. “We continue to keep our options open with Sprint and we fully expect that we will continue to be involved with them in some way,” said Kyle Petty. “They’ve been an important part of our team since 1996 and it’s been a very successful relationship for both parties. The bottom line is that Sprint has not exercised its option to continue as the primary sponsor and so we need to look at other opportunities for the #45 Dodge.” The Petty name continues to be the most recognized in all of motorsports. Kyle Petty is consistently ranked among the top five most popular Winston Cup drivers and received back-to-back honors as Winston Cup Illustrated’s Man of the Year in 2000 and 2001. On the track, General Manager Robin Pemberton, Crew Chief Steve Lane and a new relationship with Mike Ege Racing Engines helped Petty run consistently in the top 15 this season. The team is confident their entire organization is poised for the future. “We’ve had great success delivering a complete marketing platform that helps drive results for our sponsors,” said Bill Scott, Executive Vice President, Petty Enterprises. “The combination of Kyle’s enduring popularity and his current success on the track creates an exciting opportunity for a new sponsor. We feel that companies like General Mills, Georgia Pacific, Sprint, Coca-Cola and Dodge provide us one of the strongest stables of sponsors in all of sports.. Now we’re looking to add another strong partner.” Petty Enterprises offers a wide range of marketing and sponsorship opportunities. In addition to three Winston Cup teams and a Craftsman Truck team, the Richard Petty Driving Experience operates at 24 tracks across the country. The Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America is in its 8th year raising money for children and the Victory Junction Gang Camp for Kids is scheduled to open in the summer of 2004.(Williams Company PR)(7-5-2002)
