National Rifle Association to sponsor NASCAR race in Texas

[ogfarmer 138]

The National Rifle Association will sponsor the NASCAR Sprint Cup event in Texas on April 13, Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage announced Monday.

The race will be called the NRA 500 and will be run during prime time.

"NRA members and NASCAR fans love their country and everything that is good and right about America. We salute our flag, volunteer in our churches and communities, cherish our families, and we love racing." NRA Chief Executive Officer Wayne LaPierre said a video statement played for reporters at a news conference announcing the event.

The sponsorship comes as the gun rights advocacy group has been ramping up its campaign against gun control initiatives in Washington.

Just a few weeks ago, the NRA bought newspaper ads in five states and regional ads and online commercials on websites in 15 states.

The NRA spent about $350,000 on that campaign, a source familiar with it told CNN.

It's the first time the NRA has sponsored a race in NASCAR's top series. Last year, the organization sponsored a Nationwide Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

The race had been promoted as the Texas 500 after the track's deal with Samsung ended last year.

"The title sponsorship costs for a Sprint Cup series race vary greatly from track to track, with variables ranging from market size to attendance, TV ratings and inventory included in the sponsorship package," Mike Zizzo, spokesman for Texas Motor Speedway, said in an e-mail.

The Sports Business Journal reported that Sprint Cup sponsorships typically sell for about $1 million per race.

"The NRA has been involved in the sport for several years and a partner of (track owner) Speedway Motorsports, Inc. for many years in various aspects, and this race entitlement is just another extension of that business relationship," Gossage said.

The winners of races at the track are often given two revolvers and a cowboy hat while taking photographs in victory lane. The fastest qualifier is awarded a shotgun.

Richard Childress, who owns several NASCAR teams, is a member of the NRA's board of directors.

The Texas Motor Speedway has more than 190,000 seats. There will be another Sprint Cup event at the track in November, sponsored by AAA.

 

 

I wonder how much this will cost

[Kimber45 3]

YeeeeeeeeeeeeHaaaaaaaaaa

[Tactical Turtle 11]

Fast cars and guns...what America is about hell yea

[wink-_-wink 1]

_{I wonder how much this will cost}

_{190,000 seats + the MILLIONS watching from home (or trailer).... not a nascar fan but this has GOT to be great publicity!}

[jm1827 284]

Never watched a NASCAR race before but will definitely watch this one!

[JustJoe 0]

I dunno, but it feels like preaching to the choir.

[BlueLineFish 615]

wasted money

[Cold Steel 0]

Don't think they need to convince those in Texas which side of the gun debate to be on. This is for the National T.V. audience. I've already seen the state run media twisting this into an insensitivity issue! Hope it works out as a positive for our side.

[67gtonut 847]

Hoping to see some of the cars that are sponsered by "Real Tree" done up in Camo paint schemes....

[dtown223 12]

I dunno, but it feels like preaching to the choir.

Agreed

On one hand, it's good to work the demographic that already supports the NRA to some degree, but it also will reinforce the perception that all NRA members are hillbilly/NASCAR fans.

I'd like to see more efforts and resources toward getting "fence sitter" types converted.

Maybe an NRA sponsored ballet?

[Bbott 1]

I'd be willing to bet that a large percentage of the anti-gun/anti 2A people who we need to convince do not watch NASCAR. I agree with the folks who think this is possibly wasted money.

[Njgunowner 2]

Talk about preaching to the choir...

 

This is a money/membership grab plain and simple. There's a lot more than 4.3 million nascar fans (the current nra membership count), so I betting they are hoping to grab some new members.

[Duppie 73]

A clear waste of resources and nothing more than a avenue to sign on more of the already initiated.To make an impact go the route of Red Bull or Tag Heuer and get involved in the X games or some form of extreme sports where the demographic is younger,affluent and forward thinking.

I venture maybe 75% of NASCAR fans has a firearm in his/her car,truck or camper and while I don't follow NASCAR,I have yet to hear of some wild shoot out.....as someone already stated the NRA is preaching to the choir.

[Barms 98]

Enougjh with the speculation about the effectiveness of advertising. Unless you are a marketing guy you have no idea. I am not a marketing guy but here are some facts:

 

22 percent of every TV that was on Sunday had NASCAR on. That number was staggering. Do 22 percent of households have a gun? No

 

Michael Waltrip a racing ICON had a "remember Newtown" sponsor on his car. Whoever paid him to do that didn't say "that is not our audience"

 

It's about maximum number of eyeballs period

 

EDIT. 22 percent was the Daytona 500. Don't know regular weekly viewing but I know it beats the NBA ratings regularly

[Duppie 73]

Enougjh with the speculation about the effectiveness of advertising. Unless you are a marketing guy you have no idea. I am not a marketing guy but here are some facts:

 

22 percent of every TV that was on Sunday had NASCAR on. That number was staggering. Do 22 percent of households have a gun? No

 

Michael Waltrip a racing ICON had a "remember Newtown" sponsor on his car. Whoever paid him to do that didn't say "that is not our audience"

 

It's about maximum number of eyeballs period

 

EDIT. 22 percent was the Daytona 500. Don't know regular weekly viewing but I know it beats the NBA ratings regularly

Actually it was more than 24% in some markets but solely because Danica Patrick was on pole,typically NASCAR struggles to see half of those viewers and viewership is steadily declining so as an investment do you still consider it sound?

If it was my money and I wanted to reach an audience that was not totally sold or convinced of my product and my business's integrity I would seek out those people and invest in a growing market and viewership not on the converse.

NASCAR is slowly dying and unless the rules change to encompass "Death Race" like mayhem,it will continue to fade....hardly a venue to attract new customers or change minds.

[raz-0 1,259]

Enougjh with the speculation about the effectiveness of advertising. Unless you are a marketing guy you have no idea. I am not a marketing guy but here are some facts:

 

22 percent of every TV that was on Sunday had NASCAR on. That number was staggering. Do 22 percent of households have a gun? No

 

Actually more than 22% of households have a gun. Even by less than friendly stats, individual ownership is about 32%, and household ownership is nearing 50%. There are a lot of gun owners not on the roles of the NRA.

 

Michael Waltrip a racing ICON had a "remember Newtown" sponsor on his car. Whoever paid him to do that didn't say "that is not our audience"

 

It's about maximum number of eyeballs period

 

EDIT. 22 percent was the Daytona 500. Don't know regular weekly viewing but I know it beats the NBA ratings regularly

 

Dude, MLS is about to eclipse the NBA in popularity. THat isn't saying much.

[Barms 98]

Dying shmying. Is it the single most watched television event that day? If not I will shut up.

 

I am happy to see any positive message out there period. We are fighting for our lives. Why does the effort need to be qualified?

 

Someone anyone please suggest a better mass marketing message? And keep in mind most companies would probably not even accept the money

[Barms 98]

 

 

If 50% of households have a gun how are we losing this battle?!?

 

Is that number correct?

 

 

[Duppie 73]

Dying shmying. Is it the single most watched television event that day? If not I will shut up.

 

I am happy to see any positive message out there period. We are fighting for our lives. Why does the effort need to be qualified?

 

Someone anyone please suggest a better mass marketing message? And keep in mind most companies would probably not even accept the money

I find NASCAR fans loyalty to their sport so quaint, Yes NASCAR has a large viewership but all you have to do is google NASCAR viewership stats to find that while cyclical, it is declining rapidly and even more alarming for their management and advertizing staff,it's declining most among the ever important 18 to 34 demographic...This is the age group that exercises the most buying power for all that lite beer,snack foods and hardware stores that keeps NASCAR turning left. Even more insidious,this is the all important age group that have kids that would have been the new generation of NASCAR fans....now not to be.

So yes, NASCAR is indeed dying Sir.

[Barms 98]

I just googled gun ownership percentage and I now remove myself from this debate.

 

I had no idea

[jonfoxx 4]

IMO, its smart in every way. Great exposure to possible new members who probably already own guns AND great debate by those that will be outraged by the idea and drive their views publicly and nationally. And this is coming from someone who loves racing (Indycar & F1) buts absolutely HATES Nascar! Maybe they can sponsor a car in the Indy 500 too!!! Hell, the National Guard did and isn't that really just our tax dollars being spent on an autosports luxury sponsorship that most successful corporations can't even afford??? Man, I gotta stop, I might get really going.... but all in all, as an NRA member, I am in favor!

[RS1200XL 4]

Any exposure is good exposure. Additonally, Nascar was doing fine, actually one of the highest rated sports, until they brought Nextel/Sprint into the picture. Ever since the early 2000s it has been on the decline. However, with racers like Brad Kesolowski being VERY outspoken, and Danica bringing a larger demographic to the sport I feel it will bounce back. They just need to get back to their Southern roots.