AT&T plans to have its logos on the #31 Nextel Cup car for Richard Childress Racing this weekend at Michigan International Speedway. Although the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals overturned an injunction permitting the logos, AT&T still has time to request a reconsideration of the ruling, and until that process is over, it can keep the logos on the car. AT&T is expected to ask for the reconsideration Friday. “This weekend, we will be running the car with the AT&T brand,” AT&T spokesman Mark Siegel said late Thursday afternoon while declining to discuss the company’s legal strategy. “The legal process is moving along. I can’t predict what will happen after [this weekend].”(SceneDaily.com)(8-17-2007) UPDATE: With the AT&T paint scheme still on the #31 Chevy, Jeff Burton went out for the first practice session Friday and blew an engine. AT&T officials followed their legal option Friday of asking the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals to reconsider the ruling from earlier this week. The court sided with NASCAR and threw out a lower court ruling that allowed the AT&T logo on the car. Cingular, which was the primary sponsor for Burton, merged with AT&T and eliminated the Cingular brand. NASCAR officials said Richard Childress Racing could not change the logos on the #31 because of exclusivity rights for Cup series title sponsor Nextel. The latest ruling puts the sponsorship situation on Burton’s car uncertain for the future. If the appeals court refuses to reconsider it’s ruling, as expected, AT&T probably won’t be on Burton’s car next weekend at Bristol.(ESPN.com)(8-17-2007) UPDATE 2: AT&T has asked the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals to clarify its ruling from last week in overturning an injunction that had allowed the AT&T logos on the #31 Richard Childress Racing car. Part of the Aug. 13 ruling indicates that the entire case should be dismissed, and AT&T is asking for clarification on whether the entire case should be dismissed or whether only the portion of the case that deals with breach of contract be dismissed. The AT&T logos likely will remain on the #31 car driven by Jeff Burton at least until the Court of Appeals rules on the clarification.(SceneDaily.com)(8-21-2007)
