Tribe votes down deals, stops betting on NASCAR
Friday, Feb. 05, 2010
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FORT WORTH, TX - NOVEMBER 05: Kyle Busch drives the #51 Miccosukee Resorts/Graceway Toyota during practice for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series WinStar World Casino 350 at Texas Motor Speedway on November 5, 2009 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR)
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TALLADEGA, AL - OCTOBER 31: Crew members work on the #09 Miccosukee Indian Gaming & Resort Dodge, driven by Brad Keselowski, in the garage area after rain canceled qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AMP Energy 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 31, 2009 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR)
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TALLADEGA, AL - OCTOBER 31: Crew members work on the #09 Miccosukee Indian Gaming & Resort Dodge, driven by Brad Keselowski, in the garage area after rain canceled qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AMP Energy 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 31, 2009 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR)
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MARTINSVILLE, VA - OCTOBER 24: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #51 Miccosukee Resort Toyota, leads Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Bounty Chevrolet, during the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway on October 24, 2009 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by John Harrelson/Getty Images)
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HOMESTEAD, FL - NOVEMBER 20: Kyle Busch, driver of the #51 Miccosukee Resorts/Graceway Pharmaceuticals Toyota, pits during the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Ford 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 20, 2009 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – There was mixed news Friday on the NASCAR sponsorship front, with one brand extending its involvement in Cup competition and another abandoning its role in all three national series.
Roush Fenway Racing announced that Crown Royal has extended its sponsorship of driver Matt Kenseth's No. 17 Ford. That deal will cover 36 of the 38 Cup events in 2010. Originally, Crown Royal was expected to be the team's primary sponsor for just over half the season.
Meanwhile, team owners James Finch and Kyle Busch were notified late Thursday that Miccosukee Resort and Gaming has decided not to continue its NASCAR sponsorships.
Finch was planning to field the No. 09 Cup entry with driver Aric Almirola and a full-time Nationwide entry for James Buescher.
Miccosukee was also to sponsor Busch's No. 18 in the Truck series, one of at least two full-time Truck series entries under the Kyle Busch Motorsports banner. Busch planned to split time in the No. 18 with driver Brian Ickler.
As the Observer and ThatsRacin.com reported last month, the Miccosukee Indian tribe set a Feb. 4 vote on its NASCAR involvement.
"We had a contract, but our only recourse is to go in front of the tribal council, and that's not a case I'm going to win," Finch said.
Busch sounded optimistic despite the sponsor's departure.
"It’s unfortunate and disappointing, but we are close on announcing another partner for Daytona and were excited about that, too," Busch said. "We still plan to move on and run both myself and Brian Ickler in the No. 18 and Tayler Malsam in the No. 56 since I’m committed to the series."
"I still feel like the Camping World Truck Series is strong and now it’s an opportunity for some new partners to come on board and they’ll get a value with the team we’ve built.
"We feel like whoever comes with us will be happy with their investment since we've got the right people in place to run up front and win races."
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