Bud Shootout up in air with Coors' NASCAR deal

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The future of the Budweiser Shootout after the 2008 season has yet to be determined with Tuesday's announcement that Coors Light will be the new official beer of NASCAR.

The Shootout, a season-opening, non-points event between the previous year's pole winners at Daytona International Speedway, will be run in 2008 under the Budweiser name.

After that it will be up to International Speedway Corporation whether to continue the race with Coors Light or another sponsor.

"Our agreement does not include the Shootout," said Andrew Giangola, the director of business communications for NASCAR. "That is a separate entitlement with ISC."

NASCAR's five-year, $20 million deal with Coors Brewing company gives Coors Light exclusive rights to NASCAR logos in advertising, packaging and promotions, as well as the right to brand the Pole Award.

Coors Light also plans to build distributor and consumer promotions giving fans exclusive access to one-of-a-kind NASCAR experiences.

"The company has a proven track record as a strong brand marketer, and we're looking forward to a mutually beneficial partnership that excites our fans and helps bring NASCAR to new levels of popularity," Steve Phelps, NASCAR's chief marketing officer, said in a statement.

Coors Light recently announced it would not return as the sponsor of the No. 40 Dodge driven by David Stremme. With no sponsor in hand, team owner Chip Ganassi opted not to pick up the option on Stremme's contract for 2008.

Ganassi is expected to announce soon that 2007 IRL champion Dario Franchitti will join his organization and drive a Cup car next season.

Budweiser has been NASCAR's official beer since 1998. It has been a fixture on the hood of Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s car since he began a part-time Cup schedule in 1999 at Dale Earnhardt Inc.

Earnhardt announced earlier in the year that he is leaving DEI and the Anheuser-Busch company after this season.

Budweiser announced last week a multiyear deal to sponsor the No. 9 car of Kasey Kahne at Gillett Evernham Motorsports.

NASCAR continues to search for a sponsor for its second-tier series, which has been sponsored by the Anheuser-Busch product Busch since 1984.

David Newton covers motorsports for ESPN.com.

Source: ESPN.com