Aflac inks 3-year deal with Edwards
By NASCAR Scene Staff
Thursday, May 29, 2008
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SCENE ON THE CIRCUIT: SPRINT CUP GARAGE
Aflac will be the primary sponsor for Carl Edwards for 2009 in what is reportedly a three-year deal worth at least $26 million a year.
It is the largest sports sponsorship for the insurance provider, which is set to be the primary sponsor for eight races this season for Edwards.
Neither Roush Fenway Presi-dent Geoff Smith nor Aflac officials would comment on the price of the deal.
“It reaches the right audience for us – the consumers that ultimately purchase our product,” Aflac Vice President for Marketing Services Al Johnson said May 21. “Even though we sell through the work site, it’s that employee, that consumer that is going to purchase Aflac.
“It also has other legs than just reaching consumers from a branding perspective. It has hospitality for us to bring in potential and current [clients]. It has ways for us to work programs with our field [sales] force and with our official sponsor of NASCAR, we’re able to also get in front of the other companies.”
Edwards had been sponsored primarily by Office Depot. Aflac plans to sell the hood space for some races and likely will keep 20-25 races for itself, Johnson said.
Edwards made the Chase in two of the last three years and is the defending Nationwide Series champion. He has won three of this year’s first 12 Cup races.
“We think Carl is the star of the sport, not only on the track driving with the way he is winning and the way he’s performing but also off the track – the character of him as an individual and who he is being a spokesperson for the Aflac brand,” said Aflac Chief Operating Officer for U.S. Operations Paul S. Amos II.
The sponsorship allows Roush Fenway Racing to concentrate on getting sponsorship and driver contracts finalized for current drivers Greg Biffle and David Ragan, both of whom have contracts and/or sponsorships that end following the 2008 season.
“I am very, very grateful,” Edwards said May 22. “Office Depot has been wonderful from the beginning. To have partners like Aflac and Claritin, in light of the economy right now and how tight every dollar is to every person, it means a lot for our team to have the support that we have. It’s crucial right now.”
Richert Out At DEI
Doug Richert, who helped guide Dale Earnhardt to his first NASCAR Cup title, has been released by Dale Earnhardt Inc.
Richert was the crew chief for the No. 01 Chevrolet driven by rookie Regan Smith since the start of this season. In addition to winning the championship with Earnhardt and car owner Rod Osterlund in 1980, he has nine career wins atop the pit box.
DEI officials have named Kevin Buskirk interim crew chief for Smith’s team.
“Basically, it was due to performance,” Richert said May 22. “I guess they felt like they needed a change there to see if that was the problem. Believe me, it’s not something you just want to jump out and do. We’ll see.”
Smith finished 21st or worse in 10 of his first 11 starts this season, and was 33rd in the point standings heading into the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte. He finished 19th in that race.
Richert said he hopes to land a new job soon, but said he isn’t locked in to returning to Cup.
“Other people might be looking to make changes, maybe they’re not happy with their performances,” he said. “Maybe there’s a Nationwide program ... sometimes everything doesn’t have to be real big to be good. If it’s someone that wants to start smaller and progress up and be a Cup team eventually, that’s OK, too. I’m kind of open on it.”
Buskirk, who has served in the crew-chief role, has been providing engineering assistance at DEI.
“It won’t be full time,” Buskirk said of the move, adding that he planned to travel with the team for a NASCAR test session at Pocono May 27-28.
“I really have no aspirations of being a full-time crew chief. I love what I do, finding new ways to make the cars faster or lighter or whatever. I’m hoping that by next week they would have somebody permanent.”
Montoya Gets Third Crew Chief
Jimmy Elledge barely had time to get to know his driver, Juan Pablo Montoya, before the crew chief was released by Chip Ganassi Racing.
Elledge began the season as crew chief for Ganassi driver Reed Sorenson, but moved to the organization’s No. 42 team when he swapped positions with veteran Donnie Wingo April 16.
But despite a second-place finish at Talladega, Elledge was fired May 19, despite the objections of Montoya.
Brian Pattie, who oversaw the team’s Nationwide program, has been named to replace Elledge.
Montoya, one of three drivers for CGR, won his first NASCAR Cup race last season as a rookie to end nearly five years of frustration for the group. But this year the three teams have continued to struggle. Montoya’s average finishing position was 18th through the first 11 races while Sorenson was 10 spots worse. And newcomer Dario Franchitti continues to mend from an ankle injury suffered earlier this season.
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