BMS Officials Announce Sponsor for NASCAR Modified Event
Bristol, TN — Bristol Motor Speedway officials announced today a unique sponsorship for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour combination event Aug. 19.
The University of Northwestern Ohio and its cutting-edge automotive programs will be the title sponsor of the “UNOH Perfect Storm 150,” one of the most anticipated events in the history of modified racing.
“On behalf of the faculty, staff and students at the University of Northwestern Ohio, we are extremely proud and honored to be the entitlement sponsor of the “UNOH Perfect Storm 150″ Inaugural event at Bristol Motor Speedway,” said Dr. Jeff Jarvis, President of UNOH. “Being the very first university in the country to offer a complete High-Performance Motorsports, Associate and Baccalaureate Degree, it is fitting that we should be the first University to sponsor the very best modified event in the country.”
Along with the UNOH race sponsorship, the school’s Motorsports Mobile Learning Center will be in the BMS display area for entire Sharpie 500 weekend to showcase the university and its various programs in High-Performance Motorsports, Automotive, Diesel, HVAC, Ag Diesel, and Alternative Fuels.
“We will have Instructors, Counselors and Students from Tennessee, W, Virginia, Kentucky, and Virginia area high schools in attendance at the event, to show them the alternatives available at UNOH for a post-secondary education,” Jarvis said. “UNOH has educated students from all 50 states and 16 foreign countries.”
“We try to add a twist to all of our sponsorship opportunities,” said BMS President and General Manager Jeff Byrd. “But this is different than anything we have done here before. Folks, in this area especially, know how committed we at Bristol Motor Speedway and Dragway are to education and this just takes it another step for us.”
In an another move designed to enhance the school’s profile, Steve Farmer, VP of Development for UNOH, announced initiatives beyond the race sponsorship.
“In addition to the promotion of the race and our University, we felt an on track presence was just as important as the other areas of the sponsorship we needed to support the event,” Farmer said. “As a result, we are proud to announce that we have entered into an agreement between the University of Northwestern Ohio and Mike Smeriglio Racing, to provide a full sponsorship of the No. 2 UNOH/Wisk/Snuggle NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, which will be driven by Todd Szegedy, in the “UNOH Perfect Storm 150”.
Szegedy was the 2003 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Champion.
“We are ecstatic at Mike Smeriglio Racing to have the University of Northwestern Ohio as the primary sponsor for the August 19th race at Bristol Motor Speedway. UNOH is an outstanding university and their college of technologies, high-performance motorsports degree program is truly the best in the country,” said car owner Mike Smeriglio. “We are confident their sponsorship will increase the visibility of their programs and attract potential students who are interested in a high-performance education, leading to amazing opportunities in the racing world. The University of Northwestern Ohio’s commitment to excellence in education and to motorsports exemplifies our mutual goals”
Speedway Motorsports is a leading marketer and promoter of motorsports entertainment in the United States. The Company, through its subsidiaries, owns and operates the following premier facilities: Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Infineon Raceway, newly acquired Kentucky Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Lowe’s Motor Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway. The Company provides souvenir merchandising services through its SMI Properties subsidiaries; manufactures and distributes smaller-scale, modified racing cars and parts through its 600 Racing subsidiary; and produces and broadcasts syndicated motorsports programming to radio stations nationwide through its Performance Racing Network subsidiary. The Company also equally-owns Motorsports Authentics, a joint venture formed with International Speedway Corporation to produce, market and sell licensed motorsports merchandise. For more information, visit the Company’s website at www.speedwaymotorsports.com.
Sources: Jason Christley/NASCAR WMT PR