hearing the National Guard has signed to sponsor the #99 Roush Racing Ford in 2004 with Roush hoping to add another partial sponsor to the deal.(11-8-2003) UPDATE: The National Guard sponsorship program, currently with the Sam Belnavis/Travis Carter #54 team, appears likely to be headed for the Roush Racing #99, with driver Jeff Burton, next year. Where that leaves BelCar is not yet known. The National Guard, like other service branches advertising among younger males given the current international situation, would be one of several sponsors on the 99 car. Neither side would confirm the transaction, with Carter saying only that Belnavis had a Nov. 22 deadline for a decision, and Burton noting that the team, currently with CITGO, likely would have several sponsors next year — a growing trend in top-dollar NASCAR team finance. The National Guard sponsorship is reported to be about $6m [I hear 4m] — hardly enough to support a major team in Cup. However, coupled with associates, the offer could be the missing link to the $15m to $20m required to run a top-level operation. “We feel really good about where we are,” Burton said. “We don’t have anything to announce, anything to talk about publicly. We feel like we’ll have a great company — companies — to represent, a lot of fun stuff coming up. We’ll talk about all those companies when we can.” Carter said the his team has a couple of coals burning for next year, including the previously-announced deal with British Torquespeed, but nothing he was ready to speak about.( Speed Channel )(11-9-2003) UPDATE 2 – Denied: Roush Racing President Geoff Smith Sunday morning denied firmly that the National Guard sponsorship would be part of the #99 team’s package next season. “I can say unequivocally that the National Guard will not be sponsoring the Jeff Burton No. 99 car,” Smith said, shooting down reports that the Guard would migrate from BelCar’s No. 54 to Roush’s 99 next season. Burton confirmed Saturday that sponsorship is in place for 2004 but gave no details. Current sponsor CITGO announced early this year that it would not return in 2004.( Speed Channel Site ) AND? another rumor has Kodak going to the #99, but most race shows/reports on Sunday said it was the National Guard, but am alos hearing the National Guard could end up with Roush and the #16 Car and Biffle but not sure what extent OR the National Guard could end up with the #74 BACE team or stay with the #54.(11-10-2003) UPDATE 3 – a bit of clarification: Roush Racing President, Geoff Smith, was surprised to read on the Internet that hed signed a sponsorship deal for Jeff Burtons #99 Ford. Smiths only wishes that he had something to announce for the No. 99, but has nothing in hand at this time. The National Guard is not going to sponsor Jeff Burton in the No. 99, Smith said dismissing the going rumor that surrounds Burtons team. Possibly driving the rumor is last weeks visit by Kodak officials to five team shops. The Kodak fact finding mission stopped at Roush Racing, BAM Racing, Bill Davis Racing, Dale Earnhardt, Inc., and reportedly to Penske Racing South where there is interest in starting a third team . Demand for a sponsor with the prestige of Kodak makes competition fierce and can lead a team to creative ways to optimize their chances of landing the prime contract. One such tactic floats a rumor tying sponsorship from another party to the team competing for the sponsor. The idea is to make the original sponsor, in this case Kodak, believe that a team, Roush Racings #99, is no longer a player for Kodak. Its a ploy I believe may be in play here, said Smith of the National Guard rumor. Smith doesnt deny that hes in negotiations with the National Guard, but that would be for another project given the less than full primary Winston Cup dollars that the National Guard has available to a sponsor a team. Theres some interest in a program with Greg Biffles No.16, said Smith of his ongoing discussions with the National Guard.( Ford Racing )(11-10-2003)
