Anheuser-Busch ended its sponsorship of the NHRA.
The St. Louis-based division of Anheuser-Busch InBev also announced that it will end its 30-year relationship with Kenny Bernstein Racing’s NHRA team. The brewery said the three-decade relationship was the longest in motorsports history, eclipsing STP’s 28-year sponsorship of NASCAR’s Richard Petty.
Budweiser has sponsored the NHRA since the early 1980s and is celebrating its 30th season with Kenny Bernstein Racing. The Budweiser-Bernstein relationship is the longest running in motor sports history, eclipsing STP’s 28-year sponsorship of Richard Petty in NASCAR. Kenny Bernstein Racing aims to continue racing if new sponsorship is secured for 2010.
The team is second in the Full Throttle Drag Racing Series standings after the first three races.
“The NHRA and Kenny Bernstein Racing have been world-class partners, and we’re proud of everything we’ve accomplished together,” said Dan McHugh, vice president of media, sponsorship and activation for Anheuser-Busch.
“Thirty years is a long time for any type of sponsorship,” McHugh said. “This had nothing to do with Kenny. Our two-way communication has been fantastic over that length of time.”
“Budweiser provided us the opportunity to make a career of doing what we love,” Kenny Bernstein said. “We owe a debt of gratitude to all the Anheuser-Busch employees and wholesalers we’ve worked with, as well as the fans and friends who’ve followed and supported us all these years.”
The Budweiser deal made history last season when it surpassed the 28-year relationship STP had with Richard Petty to become the longest sponsorship agreement in racing.
Budweiser continues to sponsor a NASCAR Sprint Cup car — the No. 9 Dodge driven by Richard Petty Motorsports’ Kasey Kahne.
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