Nicorette will be both a three-year sponsor of NASCAR and an associate sponsor of the Target Chip Ganassi Racing #41 Team led by driver Casey Mears. Terms of the deal were not disclosed but are believed to exceed $3 million annually. NASCAR now has no tobacco sponsors at the national level. While there is no ban on them, given the advertising limits set by the terms of the tobacco settlement with the government, a new one would be “highly unlikely,” NASCAR spokesman Andrew Giangola says. One cigarette maker, Victory Brands, is sponsoring a NASCAR team this season: #14 ppc Racing, led by driver John Andretti. GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare, makes Nicorette gum, NicoDerm patches and Commit lozenges, which will jointly sponsor NASCAR.(USA Today)
UPDATE: During the 2005 NASCAR season, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare’s Nicorette gum, NicoDerm CQ patches and Commit lozenges will be an associate sponsor with the Target Chip Ganassi Racing team. Casey Mears will drive Chip Ganassi Racing Team’s #41 Dodge with a special paint scheme at the Golden Corral 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 20. More information about the sponsorship and quitting smoking is available online at www.quit.com.prnewswire.com and see a watermarked image of the car on my #41 Team Schemes page.(1-27-2005)
