Indy Car Announces 500 Sponsors

03/11/96

Several well known blue chip Fortune 500 advertisers with long time ties to the annual Indianapolis 500 mile race have jumped ship and announced allegiance/participation in the 'same day' U.S.500 being held at the high banked (and faster than Indy) Michigan International Raceway. Although their motives for defecting vary, allegiance to their chosen race teams seems to be the prime motivator and, of course, CART/INDY CAR has a 16 race season GLOBALLY and the rival IRL contingent with unknown drivers has four race dates. Advertisers/car sponsors supporting the Michigan race at around 200 grand a pop are: Target Stores, Miller Brewing, Mercedes-Benz, Pennzoil, Texaco, Toyota, Mobil, Honda, and Hollywood, a Brazilian tobacco company. Film at eleven.

Bill Maloney -- The Auto Channel