The Obama-NASCAR Controversy
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Jul 14, 2008
Daily News
NASCAR’s BAM Racing team has presented Barack Obama’s presidential campaign with a potential sponsorship deal in the Sprint Cup series later this year, but it doesn’t look like an Obama car will be burning rubber on the track anytime soon.
BAM team spokesman Rhett Vandiver said that the team made a sponsorship proposal to the Democratic presidential hopeful’s campaign, and has made similar proposals to the campaign of Republican John McCain and at least one third-party candidate.
Late Friday, the Obama campaign said there would be no sponsorship.
“The Obama campaign will not be sponsoring a car in the Sprint Cup series, though we will continue to look for ways to reach out to voters and convey Senator Obama’s message of change.” said Bill Burton, an Obama campaign spokesman
Sports Illustrated first reported, saying Obama’s campaign is in talks to become the primary sponsor of BAM Racing’s No. 49 Toyota for the Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway Aug. 3.
Veteran NASCAR driver Ken Schrader will drive the entry which is outside the top 35 in owner points and must qualify for the race on speed. The team has run just once since Martinsville due to sponsorship concerns, and has just six top-10 finishes in 167 career starts in the Cup series dating back to 2002.
According to the Federal Election Commission’s Web site, Schrader gave $1,000 to the campaign of North Carolina Republican congressman Robin Hayes in June 2004, and a total of $2,500 in 2003 and 2004 to the failed Virginia congressional campaign of Republican Kevin Triplett, a former NASCAR official.
Also according to the FEC, Mrs. Ann Schrader of Concord, N.C. and Ken Schrader Racing donated a total of $2,000 to President Bush’s campaign in May 2004 and $900 to the North Carolina Republican Executive Committee in August 2004.
NASCAR has been playing an increasing role in politics, as so-called “NASCAR dads” were considered a key constituency in recent elections.
A Cup series car carried a George W. Bush logo in 2004 but wasn’t officially associated with the campaign. And Democratic presidential hopeful Bob Graham sponsored a truck in the Craftsman Truck Series in 2003.
