NASCAR Launches “NASCAR Cooks!”

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) announced today a new brand extension and logo to further support the sport’s more than 25 licensed food and official partner products. “NASCAR Cooks!," an umbrella brand, will allow NASCAR’s food partners and other tailgate-related licensees to effectively promote to the most passionate, casual and new NASCAR fans the excitement and enthusiasm this sport produces for food, cooking and the tailgating lifestyle that is NASCAR.

To introduce “NASCAR Cooks!" to consumers and retailers nationwide, NASCAR will launch a nine-week consumer contest that will run from July 1 through August 27 under the banner, “NASCAR Cooks! Race Day Recipe Contest."

Fans interested in participating will be able to download contest rules and an application online at NASCAR.com later this summer.

The contest will consist of fans submitting recipes, which must include at least one “NASCAR Cooks!" family of products, online at NASCAR.com, where online visitors can also download and vote for their favorite recipe. Finalists will be posted online and the winner will receive a party at their house for him or her and their 20 closest friends. The grand prize winner will receive a NASCAR viewing party and backyard tailgate with a NASCAR celebrity during an upcoming NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race.

“NASCAR Cooks!" is designed to spotlight the natural fit between NASCAR and food. NASCAR is a lifestyle sport and one of the most celebrated aspects of this lifestyle is the camaraderie of the fans coming together at the track and at home to enjoy exciting on-track racing action. Food and fun are at the center of this experience and “NASCAR Cooks!" captures just that.

“NASCAR will have the largest live events in the country this summer as the Race to the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup heats up," said Mark Dyer, NASCAR’s vice president of licensing and consumer products. “’NASCAR Cooks!’ will celebrate the fact that our fans have the most fun in all of professional sports, whether they’re tailgating at the track or with friends at home for viewing parties. ‘NASCAR Cooks!’ will help fans build the perfect barbeque with officially-licensed NASCAR products of the highest quality."