A new era in NASCAR sponsorship will begin this weekend at Daytona International Speedway as Cheerios and Betty Crocker become the first new primary sponsors of the famed Petty Enterprises No. 43 Pontiac in 29 years. Driver John Andretti took to the track today for the first time in the new No. 43 under the watchful eye of legendary car owner Richard Petty, who exercised his creative talents to help design the No. 43 Cheerios / Betty Crocker machine, which still maintains the `Petty Blue’ paint scheme. The No. 43 Cheerios / Betty Crocker Pontiac will race for the first time in the Pepsi 400 July 1.
“This is an exciting time for all of us at Petty Enterprises and General Mills,” said Petty, who drove the No. 43 to 200 wins during his career. “In securing a new primary sponsor for the No. 43 car, it was important to work with a company that shared the same family and business ideals as Petty Enterprises and I am looking forward to working with Cheerios, Betty Crocker and General Mills for a long time to come.”
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General Mills, now in its third year as a primary sponsor in NASCAR Winston Cup, is replacing STP, which had a very successful 29-year relationship with Richard Petty and Petty Enterprises. The multi-year sponsorship agreement was announced at a press conference last fall in Darlington, South Carolina. Through the agreement, General Mills’ Cheerios, Hamburger Helper and Pop Secret brands were associate sponsors on the STP car for the first half of the 2000 Winston Cup season.
“General Mills understands the rich history behind the Petty Enterprises No. 43 and we are truly honored to be taking on the role of primary sponsor on this legendary car,” said Laurie Greeno, Vice President of Motorsports at General Mills. “The two organizations are a terrific match and we are looking forward to a long and rewarding partnership.”
John Andretti, who claimed his first NASCAR Winston Cup victory at the 1997 Pepsi 400, feels that General Mills is a nice fit with Petty Enterprises. “I am really excited to have the opportunity to drive the new No. 43 Cheerios / Betty Crocker car,” Andretti said. “Richard made the No. 43 STP car legendary and I would like to do the same for the No. 43 Cheerios / Betty Crocker car. It will be great to work with a company who shares so many of the same values that we strive to achieve at Petty Enterprises.”
Cheerios and Betty Crocker are products of General Mills, Inc., a leading manufacturer and marketer of consumer food products, with annual sales exceeding $6 billion. Major U.S. businesses include Big G cereals; Betty Crocker dessert, side dish and dinner mixes; snack products; Gold Medal flour; and Yoplait and Colombo yogurts. The company’s expanding international operations include wholly-owned businesses in Canada, Mexico and China, a snacks joint venture with PepsiCo in Europe, and a worldwide cereal joint venture with Nestle.
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By GlobalDataCheerios®, Betty Crocker®, Gold Medal®, and Colombo®are registered trademarks of General Mills, Inc. Yoplait®is a registered trademark of Yoplait S.A. France.
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