March 26, 2010
By Rebecca Gladden
Log on to Discount Tire's racing-related website, www.DiscountTireMotorsports.com, and you will quickly recognize a recurrent theme: a rock-solid sponsor/driver relationship.
Discount Tire has been involved in NASCAR as a primary sponsor of Nationwide Series teams since 2004. The company sponsored Chip Ganassi Racing and driver Reed Sorenson for three years, then moved to Roush-Fenway Racing and driver David Ragan for the next three seasons.
This year, the company moved its sponsorship to Penske Racing and driver Brad Keselowski - although the motive behind that decision is unclear. The new partnership has proven to be an excellent fit for both parties, according to the Discount Tire representatives I spoke with this week.
Photo Rebecca Gladden
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A Discount Tire firesuit display in the lobby of the company's corporate headquarters
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I visited the company's spacious worldwide headquarters in Scottsdale, Arizona, Tuesday and met Paul Sharp, Assistant Advertising Manager, and Mark Thurman, Sales and Marketing Senior Analyst. I was given a tour of the facility and a chance to learn more about their NASCAR program. The building is located just 1-1/2 miles from the Penske Racing Museum in North Scottsdale.
"We've been very happy with Brad's enthusiasm and the way he interacts with our employees and customers," Sharp told me. "We enjoyed working with David Ragan and Reed Sorenson, too, but Brad's outgoing personality really fits our company well."
A case in point was the recent filming of a TV commercial for Discount Tire which pokes fun at Keselowski's ongoing rivalry, particularly in the Nationwide Series, with driver Denny Hamlin. Thurman said that Brad was extremely comfortable in front of the camera and even suggested ways to improve his participation.
Photo Rebecca Gladden
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Trophies won by Discount Tire sponsored drivers sit atop a race-used Goodyear
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Although the commercial will not air for another week, I am able to bring you a sneak peek at the humorous storyline. Keselowski is in a Discount Tire store where an employee, conveniently named Denny, is approached by a customer. Brad bumps Denny out of the way and tells him, "I've got this one." Watch for the ad to begin airing around March 29th.
The Discount Tire managers I met with told me that, while NASCAR sponsorship offers marketing advantages in terms of brand identity and recognition and other ROI perks, one of the biggest benefits is the sense of teambuilding and camaraderie that comes with backing a particular driver -- especially one as competitive and driven as Keselowski. "It provides a sense of team spirit and that's really why we do it," Sharp said. "Sponsoring a driver is as much about doing something for the employees as it is about selling tires."
As a Discount-Tire-sponsored driver, Keselowski's responsibilities include appearing at multiple corporate events throughout the year such as employee luncheons, awards banquets and other meet-and-greet functions, where he interacts with workers, poses for photos, signs autographs, and generally makes them feel like part of the No. 22 team. Sharp and Thurman both said that Brad excels at such appearances and that the company as a whole has embraced his go-getter attitude.
Photo Rebecca Gladden
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A close-up of the shredded tire, signed by former Discount Tire Nationwide Series driver Reed Sorenson
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Discount Tire's sponsorship of the No. 22 Penske Dodge in the NASCAR Nationwide Series is a multiyear contract, with the company serving as primary sponsor in at least 26 NNS races this year, along with associate sponsorships on Penske's Cup cars driven by Keselowski and teammate Kurt Busch. When the collaboration was first announced late last year, Keselowski noted that the company was founded in Michigan, which is his home state. "Like me, Discount Tire was born in Michigan, and that definitely adds special meaning for this new relationship," he said.
In his four Nationwide starts this year, Brad has two straight pole starts, three top-five finishes, and currently ranks second in points. He is running the full Nationwide Series schedule and gunning for his first NASCAR championship.
Coming in two weeks: My one-on-one interview with Brad Keselowski
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