NASCAR: DEWALT Tools and AT&T Join Alliance with Roush Racing

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

June 2, 2001

TOWSON, Md. – NASCAR Winston Cup Series sponsor DEWALT Industrial Tools and AT&T Broadband have formed a marketing alliance that will feature AT&T in a special paint scheme on the No. 17 Ford Taurus for two races this season, the companies announced today. The relationship will spotlight special AT&T Broadband paint schemes for the Dodge/Save Mart 350 at Sears Point Raceway on June 24 and the Pepsi 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 7.

The car designs for these two races will feature AT&T as the primary signage on the No. 17 Ford Taurus driven by Matt Kenseth in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. In addition to the special paint schemes, AT&T will be featured underneath the DEWALT logo on the hood of the car for the duration of the season.

"AT&T is pleased to join forces with DEWALT on the NASCAR circuit, and we look forward to sharing a winning season with our outstanding driver, Matt Kenseth," said Karin Rutstein, director of partnership marketing for AT&T Broadband. "Our relationship with DEWALT focuses on speed and technology. These two attributes, which are essential to the Roush Racing No. 17 Ford Taurus, are also important to AT&T Broadband and are an integral part of the services that we provide our customers."

"One of the unique aspects of DEWALT Racing is our relationship with our marketing partners, such as AT&T," stated Jon Howland, DEWALT Motorsports Manager. "We feel as though these special paint schemes make our program quite appealing, as it allows companies such as AT&T Broadband a unique opportunity to market to their customers. We recognize that both AT&T Broadband and DEWALT share in the positioning of our products and are utilizing our Winston Cup sponsorship to reach our respected audience."

Said Geoff Smith, president of Roush Racing, "Roush Racing is happy to be a part of DEWALT's newest strategic racing relationship with AT&T Broadband. True to form, NASCAR racing continues to offer a broad sports marketing platform that enables over 900 sponsors in Winston Cup alone to effectively communicate to current and prospective customers alike."

AT&T Broadband’s integrated NASCAR program includes its sponsorship as the Official Communications Company of NASCAR, a designation that it shares with Motorola. Together with Motorola, it has an agreement with NASCAR Winston Cup driver Rusty Wallace. This year marks AT&T Broadband’s first year as an associate sponsor with two Roush Racing teams, the No. 17 DEWALT Ford Taurus and the No. 99 CITGO SUPERGARD Ford Taurus driven by Jeff Burton. In addition, AT&T Broadband has relationships with three International Speedway Corporation tracks including Daytona International Speedway, the new Chicagoland Speedway and Miami-Homestead International Raceway.

AT&T Broadband, a business unit of AT&T, is the nation's largest broadband services company, providing analog and digital television entertainment services to more than 15 million customers across the nation. The company also provides advanced services, such as high-speed cable Internet services and competitive local phone service. AT&T Corp. is the world's leader in telecommunications services and technology.

Today the DEWALT Power Tools line consists of over 200 electric power tools and over 800 accessories including: drills and hammer drills; screwdrivers; circular, chop, miter, table, reciprocating, and jig saws; planers; impact wrenches; die, angle, and bench grinders; shears; nibblers; sanders; laminate trimmers; routers, and plate joiners. This year will be an exciting time for DEWALT as it offers its largest product launch ever -- even greater than the initial product line introduction.

Roush Racing is the largest motorsports team in the world with eight teams in NASCAR's three major series: Mark Martin, Jeff Burton, Kurt Busch and Matt Kenseth (based in Concord, N.C.) in the Winston Cup Series; Greg Biffle and Jeff Burton in the Busch Series (based in Mooresville, N.C.); and Chuck Hossfeld and Nathan Haseleu (based in Livonia, Mich.) in the Craftsman Truck Series.

Text provided by Amy Walsh

Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit The Racing Photo Museum and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.