NASCAR Lifts Ban on Spirits Sponsors; Diageo Steps In

NASCAR has lifted its longstanding ban on hard-liquor sponsors, clearing the way for spirits brands to come aboard beginning in the 2005 season.

Diageo was the first to announce a deal with a race team to feature its Crown Royal brand. But that does not mean NASCAR races will turn into The Whiskey A Go-Go, according to NASCAR president Mike Helton.

“Attitudes have changed, and spirits companies have a long record of responsible advertising,” Helton said in a statement. “Any spirits company involved in NASCAR will have marketing campaigns strongly grounded in responsibility and will follow advertising and marketing guidelines set by NASCAR that are consistent with the Distilled Spirits Council’s advertising code.”

According to that code, each company’s marketing activities will be based in a responsible behavior message. A dedicated portion of advertising by spirits companies in NASCAR will be solely focused on encouraging responsible drinking decisions, with all remaining advertising including a responsible behavior tag.

Matt Kenseth and his Roush Racing teammates may benefit further from NASCAR’s decision

Diageo said that the Crown Royal brand sponsorship will be built around the company’s existing relationship with Roush Racing. It will continue as title sponsor of Crown Royal IROC series, which is not a NASCAR property. Diageo’s Smirnoff Ice malt liquor brand has been an associate sponsor of Rousch Racing’s No. 17 car, driven by Matt Kenseth, since the 2003 season, and took over as title sponsor of the IROC Series in 2004.

Diageo got the keg rolling for the end of the prohibition in June, when it tried to sign a deal with Roush Racing’s No. 99 Ford, which races in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series. That car had been driven by Jeff Burton, who left Roush Racing in August and signed in October with Richard Childress Racing.

Jack Daniel’s, a subsidiary of Brown-Forman, is rumored to be close to signing a sponsorship package with Richard Childress Racing.

The decision to allow distilled spirits products as a sponsorship category after 32 years also opens the door for liquor-makers to sponsor individual NASCAR races, said NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston.

“Tracks have to decide on own what makes sense and what is possible,” Poston said.

NASCAR said the decision to end its hard-liquor sponsorship ban was agreed upon after an internal review, which included outreach to advocacy groups such as the National Commission Against Drunk Driving and other experts in the field of alcohol-related issues. Additionally, NASCAR reached out to industry groups such as the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States and The Century Council. NASCAR based its guidelines on the input received from these groups.