U.S. Army to Pull Out of NASCAR at the End of the Season — But Why?
- Posted on July 10, 2012 at 11:11am by
Billy Hallowell
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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The U.S. Army will not return to Stewart-Haas Racing next season, citing a reallocation of its marketing budget that does not include a presence in NASCAR.
SHR said Tuesday it is pursuing a new sponsor.
“The U.S. Army has been a great partner of Stewart-Haas Racing since the team’s inception,” said Brett Frood, executive vice president of SHR. “It has been a mutually beneficial relationship, with the U.S. Army introducing training regimens that improved our pit crews while instilling the mental, physical and emotional strength of the U.S. Army Soldier in all of us.”
The Army has been in NASCAR for 10 seasons, and at one point was a primary sponsor. It moved to SHR to sponsor Ryan Newman in 2009 when the team was formed.
Ryan Newman (Image Credit: Stewart-Haas Racing)
“The sport, our drivers and the passionate NASCAR fans embraced the Army’s participation and created a tremendous opportunity for Americans to learn more about the profession of the Army Strong Soldier,” Army marketer John Myers said in a statement.
The decision to leave NASCAR comes as Rep. Betty McCollum of Minnesota and Rep. Jackson Kingston of Georgia are pushing an amendment that would prohibit military sponsorship of sports.
McCollum lost a House vote a year ago to end military sponsorships of NASCAR, professional wrestling and fishing, but is trying again to have the approximately $80 million in sponsorship cut from the defense budget.
SHR currently fields two full-time teams — one for three-time NASCAR champion and team co-owner Tony Stewart, and one for Newman. The plan was to expand to three teams next season with Danica Patrick, who is running 10 Sprint Cup Series races this year for SHR.
Although Stewart has said he wants to bring Newman back next year, the driver is in the final year of his contract and the sponsorship loss will likely slow contract extension talks.
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Comments (74)
AnimalsAsLeaders
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 3:59pmThey wanted to turn right
Report Post »hagar
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 2:45pmThe wrong fan NASCAR people are patriots the new army want sheeple
Report Post »downhillmike
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 3:04pmYou’re right about the wrong fan base. There aren’t too many gays watching NASCAR, so why bother with recruiting there? I think you may see the new sponsorship going to more gay friendly environments!
Report Post »Leopold
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 3:04pmThis is not about Nascar.
There is a process for a long time already to destroy the military.
Bringing women and gays into it is just one part of it.
Withdrawing from high testosterone sport like racing is another.
The denial of what happened at Fort Hood is to cover up the Muslim infiltration of the military as a whole.
There is a lot more to come.
Report Post »JRook
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 3:48pmGood. It is clearly a misuse of federal funds to sponsor a NASCAR. Your telling me there aren’t enough military contractors that are ripping off the DOD enough to sponsor all the cars.
Report Post »4xeverything
Posted on July 11, 2012 at 9:36amThe simple answer to this is that the fans ‘booed’ Moochelle.
Report Post »mdbd
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 2:18pmWhy does it take so long for my comment to appear?
Report Post »Paul
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 8:20pmBush’s fault !
Report Post »Owt_Raged
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 2:11pmTheir budget is being slashed so that more entitlements can be handed out to people who will vote for more of them. The military has to cut somewhere, and advertising was the first to go.
Report Post »Besides, they have to focus on how to keep us citizens in line and confiscate our weapons after Hilary signs the UN treaty.
ltcwilly
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 5:30pmYou get the prize. That’s exactly why…$$$$. The military is anticipating massive cutbacks in budgets and advertising is a huge portion of their spending. When you are slashing the standing Army numbers, why would you spend tens of millions on advertising?
Report Post »Marsh626
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 2:05pmYes, good idea. Let’s reduce our exposure to the most conservative and pro-military sport in the world. I wouldn’t be surprised if 75% of our soldiers came from the South – the headquarters of NASCAR. Especially the front line soldiers. Heck, 50% probably come from Texas alone. Recruiting new soldiers through NASCAR is a no-brainer. NASCAR and the U.S. military go together like peanut butter and jelly.
Report Post »I SPY
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 2:02pmCorrection:
Obama has declared that his military is no longer “Army Strong” but will be addressed as “Army Gay”
Report Post »Bill Rowland
Posted on July 11, 2012 at 4:37pmDrill Sgts wil no longer be allowed to call recruits Maggot – they will be addressed as “Sweetie”
OMG Nov 6, 2012
Report Post »1snake1
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 1:41pmOur defense budget is the most bloated in the world. ANY discussion of our debt that doesn’t include a HUGE cut to our DOD is just a joke.
Report Post »Landon410
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 1:48pmcut the defense budget, i guess that could help our construction business, we’d be building more large buildings after they are blown up….
we have the best military in the world for a reason, yes we spend a lot, but we also invent new technologies that are then used outside the military which help better your life
Report Post »Secret Squirrel
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 1:57pm.
Report Post »Why pull out of racing? Maybe because we’re BROKE!
We’ve been paying for 850 military bases around the world.
How many does China have? Russia?
Basharr
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 2:19pmI don’t see how cutting defense is going to protect the homeland. If anything it encourages those with the will to take action against us. Has anybody not read the news China now has far, far, far more nukes than our intel had lead us to believe. Not to mention our porous borders, the division of this nation and the simple fact that thanks to Obama and spineless actions we now look like a deer in the headlights to many of the wolves who have been waiting for the slightest chance.
Report Post »Thankful to be an American
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 1:07pmAs a Marine Vet I am proud to see the Army as a NASCAR sponsor, I wish all the branches had a car in the race. It not only helps recruitment, but it also reminds every one of the people that serve or have served. This is far from the first place to cut wasteful spending, what’s next stop the fly overs at all events and then remove the color guards from the parades? We SHOULD be proud to be Americans and never shy away from showing it!
This is all about obummer being pissed off and the brass following orders.
Report Post »GhostOfJefferson
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 1:38pmI respectfully disagree. The military should not be using tax dollars to advertise, sorry.
Bring back the cigarette and alcohol sponsors, those are the roots of NASCAR, if you read history. Alcohol because NASCAR came from the bootlegger culture of Prohibition, and cigs because they were the first big and strong sponsors of this American pastime.
I really don’t like military advertising taking the place of legally forbidden (now) government advertising. I prefer a civilian society with civilian symbols, not a legalistic society with only government allowed to dictate the terms and set the tone of advertising.
This is in no way reflective of my generally benign opinion of our military, it’s rather a comment on the proper role of government. And the proper use of tax money is not to have it spent plastering something on the side of a sport invented to *defy* government, or heck, on the side of any sport for that matter.
Report Post »Teufel Hunden
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 2:00pmI say **** can the commander in chief and put the savings into NASCAR! Ooorah!
Report Post »mdbd
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 1:00pmNASCAR & NHRA Military sponsorship leads to higher recruitment. Both organizations are patriotic, one of the very few we have left that honor our military. Could we been looking forward to the Draft? or is that the issue, minimize the recruits, making it more & more difficult to defend our nation!
Report Post »rangerp
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 1:15pmI highly doubt NASCAR fans are the type of people our current Commander in Chief wants in his reshaped military machine.
NASCAR is known for red blooded middle class working Americans who love their country, respect the flag, and uphold the constitution. Not a lot of communists, socialist, Marxist, gays, lesbians, OWS, Union Thugs, at a a NASCAR event.
Current President does not want a military that loves the constitution. This goes against his future plans of using the military to go house to house, taking the guns and Bibles.
there is a reason for ending DADT and wanting to put females in Ranger School. Obama wishes to destroy the current military, and rebuild it with liberal atheists that will one day do his bidding.
Report Post »observer48
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 6:48pmProve it. Show us the numbers.Please, show me the direct connection between motorsports sponsorships and recruitment numbers. Not your oppinion, I want the numbers based on dollars spent v. number of new recruits generated who confirm that they joined our military soely due to seeing the name of a service branch on a car. You want to make a statement like that, back it up with verified research. Now break it down for cost per recruit against dollar spent on sponsorship. Do you have any firm idea of how much $80,000,000 really is? Just a quick side bar, for a business to invest that, it has to expect a two or three times return on the expenditure to justify the cost. And , oh yeah, there are very few businesses that can even envision an $80,000,000 advertising budget let alone a budget that would allow that kind of spending on just sponsorship. The fact this is even a debate shows how far out whack things are.
Report Post »h20sue
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:58pmI have mixed emotions about this. I was a NASCAR fan but when they started using TNT and ESPN rather then one of the three national networks, I had to stop watching. We haven‘t had cable TV since 1997 because it’s a waste of good money. We have to eat, pay mortgage, bills, insurance, etc, and we do not waste…. Buying a pizza once a month is our excitement.
When BHO pulled the funds for our veteran funeral coverage (taps, flag, etc), this was a blow to our guts. These men and women gave their lives for our country and deserve full military rites. Our local vets who perform these services couldn’t afford to get to the services because funds were cut by Obama. They needed a van, so we had to donate to help them. This is a government expense, and as much as I love Nascar, I believe they should pull the plug on The Army Car. There are more important services needed in America. NASCAR doesn’t think enough of struggling middle class folks to run their races on ABC, NBC, or CBS, and Obama doesn’t give a rats but about the military people who gave their lives for this country. So…. what’s it going to be?
Report Post »DarthMims
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 1:22pmI have to call bs on you for this one, H2OSUE. Weekly televized races started on ESPN back in the early 1980′s, with TNN (the old Nashville Network), TNT and other cable networks showing the bulk of the races. CBS showed the occasional race, with ABC picking up major races for ESPN. The only time a broadcast network showed weekly races was the unfortunate NBC deal in the mid 2000′s.
Report Post »RedPepper2
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:53pmAny one having served in the US military knows the majority of recruits come from young people who are into exciting endeavors or sports. Few military recruits come from gang bangers, city wimps, library geeks or rich kids. The military should spend their recruiting budget where up and coming warriors hang out. And yes, you must have a warrior mindset to serve our nation honorably. I hope politics do not creep into our military leadership thus weakening our national defense.
Report Post »FSM_47
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 1:38pmtoo late –PC Politics is already running ALL branches of the military.
Report Post »GhostOfJefferson
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 1:40pmStrange, because when I was in the military, basic training was filled with a lot of marginally literate inner city types (this was the mid to late 1980′s). Not saying anything bad about them, they all likely went on to serve proudly, but let‘s not white wash the military into something it’s not. It draws heavily from inner city populations, as well as other populations.
Report Post »Wyatt's Torch
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:46pmI understand that it is a good recruiting device and nothing against NASCAR, but I would rather tax dollars be spent on bullets and bombs instead of restrictor plates and racing boots. Now if they were to make an armor plated heavily armed stock car that fired live ammo during the race, I might have to reconsider my stance and start watching more NASCAR.
Report Post »rangerp
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 1:28pmWyatt’s Torch
that would be a cool race to watch
Report Post »SidneyDave
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:45pmI wonder if maybe the Taliban or Al-Quida might be willing to sponsor a car? Would that be acceptable to these congressmen?
Report Post »h20sue
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 1:00pmGood one! I bet Obama would approve it in a heart beat! He seems to lean towards the middle east for support…. Can you say the Muslim Brotherhood?
Report Post »9111315
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 1:19pmApprove it — No, he would create a new stimulus plan to pay the fees for them.
. . . . I wonder if the Muslim cars would always blow up like they did back in the sandbox?
Report Post »Apple Bite
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:15pmHopefully, they kill this bill in the House. My suggestion, call your reps and tell them otherwise, that this is good use of promotion of our Military, something the entire country benefits from!
Report Post »BKing15
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:40pmYou “Conservatives” know nothing about budget cuts! WE HAVE NO MONEY TO SPEND…. WHY BORROW AND SPEND IT ON NASCAR SPONSORSHIPS?!?!
Report Post »Jaycen
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 1:03pmIt’s tax-payers sponsoring NASCAR. That’s a good use of our money?
No, please DON’T call your senators and representatives. Stop wasting my tax dollars on FREAKING SPORTING EVENTS.
Good lord!
Report Post »DarthMims
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 1:32pm@JAYCEN, I know $80 million is a lot of money, but compared to the advertising budgets of certain companies compared to the exposure and marketing, it is one hell of a deal. Add in the franchise money received back from merchandising, and it turns out to be pretty cheap.
Report Post »dannyo
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:11pmbarry needs the money to reinvest in solyndra, or to fund his campaign trips, or to fund moochies vaca’s and the sidwell frienders tuition..dem leaders live such frugal lifestyles..
Report Post »DarthMims
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 11:58amBetty McCollum is another one of those politicians that can’t do math. The $80 million spent every year on sports advertising generates more exposure than twice the money would with conventional advertising. And someone should remind her that every racing shirt, hat, and die-cast car sold puts money back into that advertising fund. I would dare to say that the NASCAR program generates enough revenue to balance out it’s part of that $80 million.
Report Post »Matt
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:43pmMoney has nothing to do with why they are doing it.
They want fewer patriots and more gangsters in the military, that way it will be easier to control once they try to subjugate our freedom. Too many patriots in the military and the military will revolt and save America when the time comes, instead of subjugating it.
There is too much of a correlation between patriots and NASCAR fans, because almost all nascar fans are conservatives from the south. Most conservatives from the south are great patriots these days.
Report Post »stumpy68
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:55pmAlso you cant get better targeted advertising the youth
Report Post »that watch NASCAR and Outdoor programs are a large percentage of
the youth that end up joining the Military.
Landon410
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 1:47pmthis is a good point, I would like to see what those numbers are to see the true amount spent on this.
Report Post »Uncurable wound
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 11:55amLets see how did Paul Revere put it???????Oh yah,
To Arms,To Arms!!!
Report Post »Bruce P.
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:31pmYou want to pick up a gun and shoot someone because the Army is no longer sponsoring stock-car races?
What buffoonery.
Report Post »malbro
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 11:37amObama didn’t liked being booed ….How many votes will go against The so called president for this………………..
Report Post »CatB
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:09pmNASCAR lost a lot of fans … having M.O. as Grand Marshall at the last Daytona race of 2011 … I guess it didn’t help there cause. They invited B.O. to a race just the other week … and now this .. sounds like they were trying to keep a sponsor.
Report Post »teddrunk
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:20pmNASCAR won’t be happy until it ends up like USAC/CART/IndyCar. It’s featuring of foreigners, tokens and going the PC route will eventually doom them.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:24pm@TED .. they already lost this lifelong fan … last race of last season … and the first race of this season we were a Neilson family and HAPPILY watched something else!
Report Post »Matt
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:44pmI dont think Barry will lose many votes. There are VERY few liberals who like NASCAR.
Report Post »SamIamTwo
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 11:37amIt’s about money…I worked for DoD for over 33 years…and every-time there are cuts…DoD takes the brunt of it is ALL!!
Word has it that Obama will be making the families who live off base to come back on base…causing a squeeze and lack of housing on base…then he will issue Contracts to his buddies to build the homes. It’s been done before.
Only DoD has been cut to the point of everyone doing everything with no one….
Report Post »h20sue
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 1:13pmWe reside in a military area, between two major posts. Obama has cut the military so much it’s leaving us in harms way. He wants to bring down America, but the libs don‘t understand what he’s up to. We see what’s happening on a daily basis. We see equipment that has been returned from the Middle East heading to storage. Money, money, money, going right down the drain. Men and woman who joined and wanted to become lifer’s beeing booted for one reason or another. Veterans, who were once given nice military farewells with taps, and widows or Mothers’s receiving flags, no longer are honored. Obama has disgraced our military. There’s no wonder we rarely see an Admiral, General, or Major giving TV interviews. I don’t blame them, I’d stay farrrrr away from the media. Bless their hearts, and their families as they are disgraced by our president. We all are!
Report Post »banjarmon
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 11:22amThis is TOTALLY UN-AMERICAN….SHAME ON Rep. Betty McCollum of Minnesota, and Rep. Jackson Kingston of Georgia!!!
Report Post »rox
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 11:37amWhy can’t we have any fun anymore? I love the pre-race pageantry with the military men and women and their children. NASCAR is a family event and they still pray, live, on national TV. That will be the next thing the commies try to take away.
Report Post »docgreen
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:41pmIn have a feeling these two yahoos are not going to be reelected! The Demographic of our military are people that Love Nascar. I enjoy Nascar and nothing makes me Prouder to see our military at races! You have got to be kidding me. Do these idiots in the House and Senate not understand what Nascar does for our military families, our wounded vets and their families? This makes me furious and the worse part about this is the fact they have probably never seen or have been to a Nascar event thats all about our Military! Is Nascar going to stop certain races, and stop recognizing our Military at certain races? OMG people we have to stop this! This is Crazy! I know our military men and women love it also! Just think about what it means to them, even overseas! They love to watch on their down time! Our country is doomed with these idiots thinking they know more than we do! I’m starting to hate our country and the people who run it!… They took something very special, for our Military Men and Women and just slapped every one of them in the face! All Military please step forward and help right these wrongs! Please! There is nothing more Patriotic than a Nascar Race thats put on for out military!
Report Post »Flag-Man
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 11:20amThe sponsorship of sports promotes enlistment in the military and pride in
Report Post »our country. The dems just can’t have that
Blazebanned
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 11:20amMy guess is, they need more hoodrats so are going to advertise on McDonalds and Dennys menu’s…..
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 11:19amI hear they’re going to use the money to produce a new TV show: “Queer Eye fror the Straight Soldier”.
Report Post »TexasArmadillo
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 11:16amWas it because Michelle was booed?
Report Post »Wool-Free Vision
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 11:32amBingo!
Report Post »rox
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 11:37amExactly.
Report Post »momrules
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:29pmDoes anyone remember Eartha Kitt and wht happened to her after Lady Bird Johnson took offense to something she said? LBJ ruined her career in America.
Report Post »N37BU6
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 11:15amProbably being redirected to Muslim outreach…
Report Post »johnpaulkuchtajr
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 11:41amRamadan begins on 20 July.
Watch the Ayatollah’s wedding band and wrist watch magically disappear!!!
The MSM will never report it, yet he has observed this Muslim tradition every year during Ramadan.
Look at the photos of Obama and the Turkish leader Erdogan. Obama didn’t shave his mustache in keeping with Muslim tradition. Again, it was obvious, but no MSM coverage.
Ever wonder why the Ayatollah Obama dines with MB swine at the WH?
Ever wonder why he will host the MB candidate and President-elect of Egypt at the WH?
Everybody napping out there?
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