Start Your Engines

Apparently Obama is going NASCAR.

NASCAR.com

Sports Illustrated is reporting that the Obama campaign is planning to sponsor a car in the August Pocono race.

Here are some details from the article at SportsIllustrated.com:

A BAM spokesperson has revealed the team will hold a press conference July 23 in Miami to reveal the partnership, currently a proposed one-race deal with an option to continue. Obama will be at the briefing, which will be tied to the "Get Out The Vote" campaign message he spread throughout the 2008 primary season.

Racing sources claim one of the options being considered would allow individual campaign donors to get their name on the race car for as little as $100.

I went to the BAM racing website and the company is offering a Diamond Sponsor Program for $4995.  Currently, the team's #49 car has sponsorships from healthlife.com, zoneloans.com, obovo.com, and qtrax.com, Microsoft Small Business, and some smaller sponsorships.

The team also has a secondary site 49sponsor.com which touts the low cost of a NASCAR sponsorship thanks to "new technology".  In fact, if you want to sponsor the team...here's the link.  You just need your credit card:

2008 #49 NASCAR™ Sprint Cup Team Diamond Sponsorship™ Program

Order Bonuses Include – Bonus #1: Custom Official Sponsor Icon, Custom Official Sponsor Icon, Official Press Release: Bonus #2: Official Sweepstakes Campaign with Weekly Newsletter; Bonus #3: (Optional) Race Website; (See sponsorship details for each package)

Official Team Sponsorship* - $10,080.00 Special Pricing Availability? Introductory Price $4,995.00 Promo Code Required

*Official 2008 Team Sponsorship - Logo or Business Name (color or tone-on-tone) on the car every time the car races. Diamond Sponsor space size and location on the car may vary.

As I have written many times before, the Obama campaign, for better or worse, is about marketing.  And this may be the best example of it.  NASCAR is all about marketing and sponsorships.

This also plays to a key constiuency for Obama...the middle income, white voter.  He's speaking the language of 100,000 fans (at the event) and millions more on television by having his logo plastered on the hood of a stock car.

Even if the car, reportedly driven by Ken Schrader, doesn't perform well...the car will still be the buzz of the race with a ton of relatively inexpensive airtime...

Ken Schrader (courtesy schraderracing.com)

You just have to wonder what's next?:

Obama's name on the Goodyear Blimp flying over the World Series?

The Obama Kickoff Classic high school football game in San Antonio?

The Obama Open...just in time for Tiger Woods return to the PGA?

Maybe the Little League World Series Brought To You By Obama for America?

Don't laugh.  It could happen.

Thanks for reading.  TA

 

Comments

[luckybleu]

if obama really wanted to get his message out he would do adds on qtrax

[Mike In Dallas]

Any bets on what lap the Obama car will be smashed into the wall?

The only worse judgment than Obama's about this is the fool who gets behind the wheel.

[louis]

Oh my god...I am already going to vote for a Republican candidate for president because of Obama....what is he trying to do....turn me into a full fledged Republican....Nascar? ....

[Tony]

NASCAR or The Left Turn Circuit needs to be completely taken off the air. Toothless hillbillies are the main audience so why even have it. I mean it is a dude driving a car and they referred to as athletes. If that's the case then a Metro bus driver is an athlete. They drive 8 hours and deal with customers are make both right and left turns.

[Jollan]

Obama's campaign is genius. This is going to be awesome.

[Jollan]

Obama's campaign is genius. This is going to be awesome.

[Gwen S.]

I wouldn't put anything past Obama and his team. I feel for Ken Schrader, he may have to ride around with "Obama for President" on his car- Poor Guy!!!