Are there any new categories getting involved in motorsports?
NASCAR is reflective of what’s happening in the marketing community across the county. Companies that previously focused on ballet or yacht racing are increasingly aligning with motorsports, including mortgage companies, banks, auto and life insurance and other types of financial services. Q: Brokerage firms and investment banks haven’t had much involvement in NASCAR. Any interest from those categories? A: Right now there are three companies in the investment bank category probing the sport. I don’t know how they’ll end up, whether they’re trying to gain drivers as clients, or corporate executives. There are over 900 companies that participate in NASCAR. It’s pretty well known that if you get close to the sport you can access top-level people very informally and very easily. Q: Lastly, are there any deals that you’re particularly proud of this year? A: The deal I’m most proud of, from a strategic point of view, is landing Discovery Channel. NASCAR would love to keep the 42 Nextel Cup t
