Diageo, set to pay millions to sponsor a top car racing team, was rebuffed by NASCAR, which said no to allowing a hard liquor company to sponsor Jeff Burton’s No. 99 Ford.
NASCAR does allow beer and malt liquor sponsors but has had a long-standing policy of not permitting spirits advertising at any of its events or as team sponsors, according to news reports.
Burton, who finished fourth in the NASCAR Nextel Cup race several weeks ago in Dover, Delaware, drives for Roush Racing, one of the top teams.
Calls to Diageo were not returned.
Nextel Communications took over as title sponsor of NASCAR’s highest profile racing series last year after R.J. Reynolds dropped its sponsorship after 30 years as the title sponsor of The Winston Cup.
Diageo is the maker of Captain Morgan, Johnnie Walker, Jose Cuervo, Smirnoff, Tanqueray and Seagram’s among other brands.
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