US brewery Anheuser-Busch has agreed a new partnership with Nascar, marking its return to the North American stock car-racing series following an 11-year absence.
The multi-year deal names Busch Beer as the official beer of Nascar. The partnership also includes sponsorship of the Nascar Cup Series Busch Pole Award, which recognises the driver with the fastest qualifying time each week.
Anheuser-Busch first sponsored the Busch Pole Award in 1978. It served as the official beer of the series from 1988 to 1997 and from 1998 it sponsored the Bud Pole Award through its Budweiser brand. Budweiser served as the official beer of Nascar until 2007.
Lou Garate, vice-president of partnerships at Nascar, said: “The Busch Pole Award is one of the most recognised programmes in Nascar and partnering with a global marketer like Anheuser-Busch will further elevate the value of the programme and our sport.
“Anheuser-Busch has a storied history in Nascar dating back to the 1970s and we know our fans will celebrate and support Busch’s return as the ‘official beer of Nascar'.”
Competitors can become eligible for the new Busch Pole Award from this weekend with the Auto Club 400 event at Auto Club Speedway. The driver who accumulates the most awards in this year’s Nascar Cup Series will receive the season-ending Busch Pole Award.
Anheuser-Busch also joins the Nascar Fuel for Business Council, which brings together an exclusive group of more than 50 official Nascar partners to buy and sell products from one another.