BROOKLYN, Mich., June 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) announced today it has formed a unique partnership with two marquee brands -- Domino's Pizza (DPZ) and Burger King Corporation (BKC) to be co-primary sponsors of its second 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series team.
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"When we first approached Burger King and Domino's Pizza, we knew we were thinking outside of the box and didn't know if two food brands would be willing to work together to sponsor the same team," said Michael Waltrip. "We took the risk and are very excited to have two of the world's most recognized brands sponsoring the No. 00 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup team."
"It's not unusual for two or more sponsors to split a sponsorship season. However, this is the first time that two companies within the same industry agreed to be sponsors of the same car during the same season. This is another example of the unprecedented approach Michael Waltrip Racing is taking to becoming a multi-car NASCAR NEXTEL Cup team organization."
Domino's will kick off the season at the Daytona 500 and continue as the primary sponsor through the May race in Darlington, SC. A Domino's paint scheme also will adorn the No. 00 Toyota Camry at the August NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race at Michigan International Speedway. Domino's will deliver its final five races during the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup.
"We've taken a strategic approach to our involvement with NASCAR and have been rewarded by the fans as we moved from the number three pizza choice to number one in a few short years," said Ken Calwell, Domino's Chief Marketing Officer. "By splitting the 2007 season with Burger King, we are able to implement our marketing and promotional efforts at different points throughout the season that make sense for our brand and build more meaningful connections with fans and customers."
The No. 00 Burger King Toyota Camry will hit the track Memorial Day weekend at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, NC, and cap off the regular season under the lights at Richmond International Raceway. Five Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races, including the final race at Homestead Miami Speedway, will feature the Burger King paint scheme.
"We're excited about the opportunity to extend our 2006 primary sponsorship commitment with Michael Waltrip Racing for another year," said Russ Klein, Chief Marketing Officer, BKC. "Our HAVE IT YOUR WAY(R) philosophy is about giving our customers experiences they want. We're looking to deliver a winning season in 2007."
The split-season sponsorship allows Domino's and Burger King to continue their respective relationships with Michael Waltrip Racing, while positioning both companies at the forefront of the changing motorsports industry.
The team along with input from both sponsors is in negotiations to secure a driver and will make a separate announcement once a driver has been determined.
"I hope we find a driver who likes to eat," said Waltrip. "I've had an opportunity to work with both Domino's Pizza and Burger King in the past and believe we're delivering a racing team the fans will love."
Domino's, the Official Pizza of NASCAR, partnered with MWR three times in 2005 as the primary sponsor on Waltrip's No. 99 NASCAR Busch Series car and will be the primary sponsor of Waltrip's No. 55 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup car at the Michigan race in August. Burger King recently announced plans to join MWR for a partial season in 2006, sponsoring the No. 00 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup car for five races beginning in July at Chicago Motor Speedway.
About Michael Waltrip Racing
Michael Waltrip Racing enters multiple full-time Toyota Camry entries in 2007 during Toyota Motorsports' inaugural year in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series. Beginning as a modest family-owned operation in Sherrills Ford (N.C.) nearly a decade ago, Waltrip's team developed quickly into a top-notch winning organization. After overseeing a winning NASCAR Busch Series team, Waltrip raised the bar for Michael Waltrip Racing and began fielding cars in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series on a limited basis. His trial run as a NASCAR Cup Series team owner was the driving force behind his vision to become a full- time owner.
Setting the stage in August of 2005, Waltrip announced his plans to design and create Waltrip Racing World, an interactive high-tech race shop designed for the ultimate fan experience encompassing over 11 acres and more than 125,000 square feet of buildings to house his multiple NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Toyota Camry entries. Look for Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota Camrys to take the track at Daytona International Speedway in 2007.
About Burger King Corporation
The BURGER KING(R) system operates more than 11,100 restaurants in all 50 states and in more than 65 countries and U.S. territories worldwide. Approximately 90 percent of BURGER KING restaurants are owned and operated by independent franchisees, many of them family-owned operations that have been in business for decades. To learn more about Burger King Corporation, please visit the company's Web site at http://www.burgerking.com/ .
About Domino's Pizza
Founded in 1960, Domino's Pizza is the recognized world leader in pizza delivery. Domino's is listed on the NYSE under the symbol "DPZ." Through its primarily franchised system, Domino's operates a network of 8,079 franchised and Company-owned stores in the United States and more than 50 countries. The Domino's Pizza(R) brand has been named a Megabrand by Advertising Age magazine, and had global retail sales of nearly $5.0 billion in 2005, comprised of approximately $3.3 billion domestically and $1.7 billion internationally. Domino's Pizza has been named "Chain of the Year" by Pizza Today magazine, the leading publication of the pizza industry and is the "Official Pizza of NASCAR(R)." More information on the Company, in English and Spanish, can be found on the Web at http://www.dominos.com/ .
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