NASCAR will announce Thursday that the wireless communications company Nextel will replace R.J. Reynolds as title sponsor of its top series. Some information about the company: — Nextel is based in Reston, Va., and trades on the NASDAQ exchange under the symbol NXTL. It is the nation’s leading provider of all-digital wireless service. — The company was founded in April of 1987 under the name Fleet Call. It became Nextel in March of 1993. — According to the company’s most recent annual report (2002), Nextel accumulated $8.7 billion in domestic revenue, and had a net income of $1.66 billion. — The company reported nearly 11 million subscribers in 2002, up 22 percent from the year before. — Nextel is no stranger to auto racing. The company has served as the title sponsor of a sports-car event at Homestead-Miami Speedway, as well as the sponsor of a PacWest entry in the CART series.( Charleston Post and Courier ), more on my NASCAR Sponsor page .(6-18-2003)
