Mars U.S. was finalizing a deal Thursday to use its M&M’s brand to sponsor Kyle Busch when he moves to Joe Gibbs Racing next season. M&M’s would replace Interstate Batteries, which has sponsored Gibbs’ flagship #18 since its 1992 inception. J.D. Gibbs, president of the race team, didn’t respond to a request for comment. But two people familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press that Mars was working on a deal to sponsor Busch that will be officially announced next month at M&M’s World in New York City. They requested anonymity because the deal was not yet complete. Interstate is expected to stay involved with JGR in a smaller role. JGR is also ending its 16-year association with General Motors at the end of this season and will field Toyotas beginning next year. It will make the move with three lucrative sponsors as Mars moves its M&M’s brand away from Robert Yates Racing and rookie David Gilliland. It’s unclear what the company will do with its Snickers sponsorship on Yates’ second car, but the move to JGR is troublesome to the Yates [currently #38 and #88] organization. The struggling team has been trying to restructure all season, and longtime owner Robert Yates said earlier this month that he plans to retire at the end of the season. He’s handing over the company to his son, Doug, who plans to call it Yates Racing and field cars for Gilliland and Travis Kvapil.(in part from the Associated Press)(9-21-2007) UPDATE: David Gilliland knows he’ll likely need a new sponsor following this season since M&M’s has emerged as a candidate to sponsor Kyle Busch’s #18 Joe Gibbs Racing entry in 2008. Gilliland, the Robert Yates Racing driver who has driven with M&M’s sponsorship since he entered the Nextel Cup Series in August of last year, said he’s aware that M&M’s is likely headed elsewhere in 2008. “I read it on the Internet,” he said Friday at Dover International Speedway, site of this weekend’s Dodge Dealers 400. “My understanding was we had a contract that went through next year, so I don’t know what happened with that. Hopefully we’ll find another sponsor who wants to be here and support us next year.” M&M’s has made a decision and will announce its future sponsorship plans on Oct. 3, spokeswoman Rhonda King said Friday.(SceneDaily.com)(9-21-2007) UPDATE 2: on ESPN2’s NASCAR Now, Angelique S. Chengelis said the announcement of M&M’s sponsorship to the #18 Joe Gibbs racing team and Kyle Busch in 2008, will be announced Wednesday morning [Oct 3rd] in New York City.(9-28-2007)
