It took 22 years for Miller Lite to make it to the top of NASCAR, and Brad Keselowski made it worth the wait when he cheerfully chugged the beer from on oversized glass during a live televised interview while celebrating his first Sprint Cup championship last November. It was an iconic moment in the relationship between Penske Racing and MillerCoors, one that spans more than 30 years and ranks among the longest in sports. Now its guaranteed to continue at least another four years as Penske on Wednesday revealed multiyear extensions with both Keselowski and Miller Lite through the 2017 season. ‘This puts us in great shape because weve got continuity with a sponsor and an elite driver’ team owner Roger Penske told The Associated Press. Its the second contract extension for the defending Sprint Cup champion in less than two years. Keselowski signed an extension after the 2011 season that ran through next year, and the contract was redone to put the driver and sponsor in concurrent deals. Miller Lite has been the primary sponsor of Penskes flagship #2 since 1991. MillerCoors first partnered with Penske as a sponsor at race tracks he owned, and was sponsor of Danny Sullivans 1985 Indianapolis 500 winning car, building a personal relationship with Penske that survived up-and-down seasons in NASCAR. The new MillerCoors contract covers just 24 races on the #2 Ford instead of the full 36-race schedule Miller Lite had always sponsored. But both Penske and England said the 12-race giveback was at Penskes request. The cost of sponsorship fluctuates with the economy, and MillerCoors was one of the few companies still sponsoring a full schedule. Race teams set their own fees for inventory based on supply and demand, and top teams can pull in anywhere from $20 million to almost $30 million in a season. The Penske organization believes it can sell those 12 races elsewhere to generate new revenue.( Associated Press )(10-2-2013) UPDATE: Penske Racing announced multi-year extensions of its partnerships with driver Brad Keselowski and long-time sponsor MillerCoors, two key elements of the organizations 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship. ‘The extensions of our agreements with both Brad Keselowski and MillerCoors put our team in a real position of strength moving forward’ said Roger Penske. ‘This is an important day as these agreements will allow Penske Racing to invest significantly in our people and our technology, two critical areas to a successful race team.” Keselowski, the 2012 NSCS champion, has agreed to an extension that will keep him behind the wheel of the #2 Ford Fusion for many seasons to come. In 2014, Miller Lite will continue to adorn the side of the #2 Ford Fusion for 24 NSCS points-paying races. Miller Lite will maintain a position as a major associate sponsor for the remaining 12 races of the 2014 season. This new agreement extends a partnership between Penske Racing and MillerCoors that spans more than 30 years, one of the longest and strongest sponsor-team relationships in all of sports.( Penske Racing )
