Chicagoland Speedway announced a three-year contract with the region’s Papa John’s franchisees that makes the brand the official pizza partner and the only pizza served at the Joliet (IL) venue. The agreement marks a new sponsorship category for the speedway, one of 13 racetracks owned by International Speedway Corp. The track has previously served Chicago-based chains Giordano’s Pizza at its concession stands and Connie’s Pizza in its suites. But Papa John’s has signed the track’s first official marketing deal with a pizza chain, according to Chicagoland Speedway President Scott Paddock, who touts the value of a major brand helping to promote the track to its customers. ‘It’s a national brand that sees the value of our platform,’ Paddock said. ‘Any time you can partner with consumer packaged goods companies or retail outlets that are going to extend our reach to consumers, that’s huge.’ Chicagoland Speedway’s week of NASCAR Sprint Cup events this year is Sept. 15-18, culminating with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400, which kicks off Nascar’s Chase for the Sprint Cup.(Crain’s Chicago Business)(6-22-2016)
