Verizon on Penske’s IndyCars too

Verizon Wireless will rev its engines for the first time at Daytona with the announcement of a full-season entry in the 2009 NASCAR Nationwide Series. The company today announced that it plans to enter a multi-year deal that makes Verizon Wireless the primary sponsor on the No. 12 Verizon Wireless Dodge Charger driven by award-winning driver Justin Allgaier and an associate sponsor of the No. 3 and No. 6 Penske teams for the 2009 IndyCar Series season.

The announcement also introduces Verizon Championship Racing — an umbrella theme for all of the company's planned activities on racing. Verizon Championship Racing will be the name of a new category available to V CAST Video subscribers and will offer a host of multimedia options for sports fans. Scheduled to debut in February, the channel will include behind-the-scenes exclusive interviews with NASCAR drivers, recaps of races, highlights, games, news and other racing information. Smart Cars branded with the Verizon Championship logo will debut at Daytona along with a number of hospitality and interactive activities to introduce Verizon Wireless to NASCAR fans.

According to Verizon Wireless Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Mike Lanman, the opportunity fit perfectly with Verizon Wireless' ongoing goal to provide new relevant sports and entertainment content to customers. NASCAR enjoys about 75 million fans nationwide.

"We are excited about this agreement," Lanman said. "Customers who are fans of racing will have access to their favorite sport like never before. And, because V CAST is always evolving we look forward to providing them with even more options in the coming months. This is a multi-year agreement that provides a host of opportunity for both Verizon Wireless and Penske Racing and ultimately customers."

The arrangement with Penske Racing stems from Verizon Wireless' recent acquisition of Alltel. The company chose to continue Alltel's nine-year sponsorship with Penske Racing and will ultimately expand the relationship with exclusive offerings for Verizon Wireless customers.