IMS Sponsor Revenue for Indy 500 Up 9%

IMS officials say 23 new sponsors have been added for this year's Indy 500 Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials said that total sponsorship revenue for Sunday's Indianapolis 500 is "up 9 percent over last year and more than 18 percent over 2011," according to Anthony Schoettle of the INDIANAPOLIS BUSINESS JOURNAL.

Officials said that much of the success is "due to the development of new sponsorship categories and filling vacant ones." Sponsors will "get a mix of track signage, tickets, hospitality offerings and the right to use Speedway and Indy 500 logos in their marketing."

IMS officials said that for this year's race, the track has "added 23 new sponsors and increased the packages of seven existing sponsors." However, marketers said that most are "relatively small deals in the low-six-figure range." One of the "biggest-name sponsors to join the Indy 500 paddock this year is Philadelphia-based Sunoco." While Sunoco has been an IndyCar sponsor at the league level since '11, Shell "previously had an exclusive sponsorship deal at the IMS."

Sunoco is "expected to be active in promoting the race this year." Also notable is Hardee’s, "which is the first fast-food category sponsor at the track since 2008." Other big-name sponsors to "join the race this year are Great Clips, Caterpillar and the National Guard." IBJ.com