‘Case’ Study: NASCAR, Busch Beer Announce Return of Busch Pole Award
Anheuser-Busch’s Busch Beer Becomes ‘Official Beer of NASCAR,’ Fastest Qualifier to Earn Busch Pole Award
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 14, 2018) — NASCAR and Anheuser-Busch announced today a multi-year agreement that welcomes the global brand back as an Official Partner and designates Busch Beer as the “Official Beer of NASCAR®.” The new partnership builds upon Busch’s industry-wide presence and includes sponsorship of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series™ Busch Pole Award, rewarding the driver with the fastest qualifying time each week.
“We are continuing to evolve our presence in NASCAR because we believe in the power and loyalty of NASCAR fans,” said Chelsea Phillips, Vice President, Value and Beyond Beer brands, Anheuser-Busch. “Returning as the Official Beer of NASCAR strengthens our deep-rooted history in the sport and will provide fans with even more opportunities to enjoy a crisp, cold Busch beer on race day.”
Anheuser-Busch’s history in NASCAR dates back decades to 1978, when it sponsored the Busch Pole Award. Additionally, Busch was the “Official Beer of NASCAR” from 1988 through 1997. Beginning in 1998, Anheuser-Busch sponsored the Bud Pole Award through its Budweiser brand, which also became the “Official Beer of NASCAR” through 2007.
“The Busch Pole Award is one of the most recognized programs in NASCAR and partnering with a global marketer like Anheuser-Busch will further elevate the value of the program and our sport,” said Lou Garate, Vice President, Partnership, NASCAR. “Anheuser-Busch has a storied history in NASCAR dating back to the 1970s and we know our fans will celebrate and support Busch’s return as the ‘Official Beer of NASCAR.’”
The Anheuser-Busch sponsored Pole Awards were awarded to many of NASCAR’s most iconic drivers. Geoff Bodine won the last Busch Pole Award at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 1997. In 2007, Jimmie Johnson won the last Anheuser-Busch sponsored Pole Award (Bud Pole Award) at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the same race he won his second championship.
Competitors can become eligible for the Busch Pole Award beginning this weekend at Auto Club Speedway. At the end of the season, drivers who accumulate the most Busch Pole Awards in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series are awarded the season-ending Busch Pole Award.
As part of the partnership, Anheuser-Busch joins the NASCAR Fuel for Business Council®, bringing together an exclusive group of more than 50 NASCAR Official Partners to buy and sell products and services from one another.
The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season continues at Auto Club Speedway with the Auto Club 400 on Sunday, March 18 at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Busch Pole Award qualifying for the Auto Club 400 takes place Friday, March 16 at 7 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
About NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States. NASCAR consists of three national series (Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR XFINITY Series™, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series™), four regional series, one local grassroots series and three international series. The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. Based in Daytona Beach, Fla., with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).
About Anheuser-Busch
Anheuser-Busch and its employees build on a legacy of corporate social responsibility by focusing on three key areas: promoting alcohol responsibility, preserving and protecting the environment and supporting local communities. In the past three decades, Anheuser-Busch and its wholesalers have invested more than $1 billion in preventing drunk driving and underage drinking and promoting responsible retailing and advertising. Anheuser-Busch reduced total water use at its breweries by nearly 50 percent over the last 10 years. To date, Anheuser-Busch and its Foundation have contributed approximately $20 million each year in support of charitable organizations that help in local communities. The company also has provided over 79 million cans of emergency drinking water to people impacted by natural and other disasters since 1988. Based in St. Louis, Anheuser-Busch, the leading American brewer, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev, the leading global brewer. For more information, visit www.anheuserbusch.com.
About Busch Beer
Busch was introduced in 1955, holding a noted place in Anheuser-Busch history as the first new brand after the repeal of Prohibition. Busch Light and Busch are currently the sixth and tenth best-selling beers in America, respectively.
Sources: Chris Tropeano/NASCAR, Integrated Marketing Communications