NASCAR‘s only European race series has announced a partnership with Whelen Engineering, re-naming to the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series with immediate effect.
The announcement was made in Paris ahead of the Euro Series’ first race under its new banner at Tours Speedway in France, the first-of-its-kind temporary oval just outside of Paris. The entitlement sponsorship agreement lasts until 2019.
“NASCAR is a globally recognized brand that is synonymous with excitement, family entertainment, and close door-to-door competition,” said NASCAR Vice President of Regional and Touring Series, George Silbermann. “And that’s exactly what the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series represents in Europe. We are extremely proud to partner with Team FJ and Whelen Engineering, and help take this series to the next level.”
Whelen’s connection with NASCAR has lasted since the early 1990s, with its first involvement with Ted Christopher in the NASCAR Busch North Series, now known as the K&N Pro Series East. Having also sponsored Dave Blaney in the 2004 Daytona 500, the brand’s involvement increased in 2005 when it became the title sponsor for the Modified Tour, NASCAR’s oldest series. A further increase to the partnership came in 2007, when Whelen became the title sponsor to NASCAR’s grassroots weekly All American Series, comprising of 55 short tracks in the USA and Canada.
“NASCAR has been a tremendous partner for Whelen Engineering, and having our products at the tracks and used by teams is really at the core of what we’re about,” added Vice President of motorsports for Whelen Engineering, Phil Kurze.
“We enjoy helping to provide people with exciting weekend entertainment, and providing an opportunity for drivers, mechanics, crew chiefs and fabricators to display their talents. It just makes sense for us to be involved here and that we’re supporting their sport. As time has gone on, we saw an increase in sales, which we attributed directly to our involvement in NASCAR. As we continue to expand our distribution throughout Europe, partnering with Team FJ is a natural fit.”
Michelin also renewed their commitment to the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series in Paris, announcing two specific tyres and bespoke support for teams taking part.
“We faced several technical challenges when designing the tyres for the NASCAR WHELEN Euro-Series” said Director of Michelin Motorsport’s Customer Competition Department, Philippe Mussati. “First of all, the cars are highly specific in terms of their weight, power output, suspension and absence of electronic aids. Their tyres must therefore take these constraints into account to deliver the required grip, longevity and competitiveness.
“This fits perfectly with the MICHELIN Total Performance research and development strategy which seeks to take performance forward on all these fronts at the same time. Another challenge was the variety of track layouts and surfaces visited in the course of the season. This variety is another complex parameter when it comes to ensuring performance and longevity. MICHELIN has taken all these factors into account to develop a slick and a rain tyre that are an ideal match for the demands of NASCAR racing in Europe.”
