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©1999 SpeedCenter Publishing Ford-powered NASCAR team McDonald's Corporation announced it has entered into a sponsorship agreement with Precision Preparation, Inc. (PPI) as a primary NASCAR team sponsor. The sponsorship starts immediately and goes through the year 2003. The agreement calls for PPI to field a McDonald's NASCAR Busch Series team next season, which will eventually lead into a Winston Cup program. "NASCAR will continue to be an important property in delivering McDonald's fast, accurate and friendly Drive-Thru message," said Bill Korbus, McDonald's motorsports manager. "Our primary focus through the year 2000 will be with our sponsorship of the Bill Elliott Racing Team. The PPI agreement is our groundwork for the future." PPI, owned by Cal Wells III, is a multi-dimensional racing company based in Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. The company has competitive interests in the SCORE off-road series, the Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) FedEx Championship Series and the KOOL/Toyota Atlantic Championship. PPI also owns Precision Service Racing Group, which directs motorsports programs for Yokohama Tire Corporation, and its PPI Specialties Division manages a host of other motorsports entities. These Include the Toyota Motorsports garage, which maintains Toyota's show car fleet, pro-celebrity cars, and CART PPG Pace Cars; the building and maintenance of the CART safety trucks; and multiple show car programs and at-track corporate hospitality services for Pioneer Electronics, MCI WorldCom and FedEx. "McDonald's and PPI share a vision: creating a mutually beneficial partnership which will extend beyond a traditional sponsorship," Korbus said. "Our business objectives are in sync as we plan to continue our successful NASCAR program. PPI is not only a leader in racing technology, but it is also a marketing-driven company that uses racing as a business tool to benefit its contingent of sponsors. We are delighted to form this partnership with PPI and Cal Wells and look forward to a successful relationship." Wells said he is excited and ready for the challenge of expanding his racing operation to the NASCAR circuit. "We're thrilled with the opportunity to partner with McDonald's as we take on the challenge of NASCAR competition," said Wells. "We will work together to build an organization that reflects McDonald's top-caliber involvement in auto racing. We have a lot of work ahead of us, and our first priority is to find a driver who meets the criteria of both PPI and McDonald's." Wells and his PPI associates have begun preparations to field a Busch car at the 2000 season opener in Daytona Beach, Fla. The company has acquired Tim Wardlaw as program manager and just recently hired Joe Garone as crew chief. Wells has had discussions with car manufacturers, and collectively with McDonald's, has arrived at the decision to continue the relationship with Ford. PPI is currently in the process of securing a location to base the team in the Charlotte area. Source: McDonald's |
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