Crown Royal Extends Sponsorship for Matt Kenseth's #17

DAYTONA BEACH, FL (Feb. 5, 2010) — Roush Fenway Racing announced today that Crown Royal has extended the number of races in which it will be primary sponsor of driver Matt Kenseth and the No. 17 Sprint Cup Series team. Crown Royal will serve as the primary sponsor for 35 Cup Series races in 2010. Kenseth will debut his new Crown Royal Ford Fusion when it hits the track for his fourth-career Budweiser Shootout appearance on Saturday, Feb. 6.

The makers of Crown Royal Canadian whisky, a subsidiary of Diageo plc (NYSE: DEO), have been partners with Roush Fenway Racing dating back to 2003. In 2005, Crown Royal entered the sport as sponsor of the No. 97 team, and in 2006 became the sponsor of Jamie McMurray’s No. 26 team. “I’m thrilled that Crown Royal chose to expand their sponsorship of our team for the entire 2010 season,” said Kenseth, one of only five drivers in NASCAR history to win the Sprint Cup rookie of the year award, a Sprint Cup Championship and the Daytona 500.

“I know that this is going to be a successful season for our No. 17 team and it will be great to represent the Crown Royal brand for 35 Cup Series events. I had the honor of working with DIAGEO and their Smirnoff ICE brand back in 2003 where we developed a great relationship. In addition to the sponsorship, we look forward to helping Crown Royal promote its responsible drinking platform, as well as kick-off the annual Crown Royal “Your Name Here” program this week, which awards naming rights to the Spring race at Richmond International Raceway to an adult fan.”

“Crown Royal looks forward to furthering its sponsorship with Roush Fenway Racing, Matt Kenseth and the entire No. 17 team,” said Rob Mason, Senior Brand Manager, Crown Royal. “It will be a big year for Crown Royal both on and off the track. We couldn’t be more thrilled to assist the No. 17 team in its efforts to return to Victory Lane, as well as continue our dedicated commitment to use the sponsorship as the core platform to deliver our responsible drinking message to adult racing fans.”

Kenseth will make his inaugural run in the No. 17 Crown Royal Ford on Saturday, Feb. 6 for the non-points exhibition event, the Budweiser Shootout, at Daytona International Speedway. The first points race of the season will be the Daytona 500 the on Sunday, Feb. 14 in which Kenseth is the defending champion of the event.

About Crown Royal Canadian Whisky
Crown Royal Canadian whisky is the number one selling Canadian whisky brand in the US by value and has a tradition as long and distinctive as its taste. Specially blended to commemorate a grand tour of Canada made by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain in 1939, Crown Royal Canadian whisky’s smooth, elegant style reflects its aristocratic origins and is considered the epitome of Canadian whisky. The Crown Royal Company is also the primary sponsor of the No. 17 Roush Fenway Ford Fusion driven by Matt Kenseth. For more information visit www.crownroyal.com.

It’s about quality, not quantity.

About Diageo
Diageo (Dee-AH-Gee-O) is the world’s leading premium drinks business with an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across spirits, wines and beer categories. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Guinness, Smirnoff, J&B, Baileys, Cuervo, Tanqueray, Captain Morgan, Crown Royal, Beaulieu Vineyard and Sterling Vineyards wines.

Diageo is a global company, trading in more than 180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE). For more information about Diageo, its people, brands and performance, visit us at http://www.diageo.com. For our global resource that promotes responsible drinking through the sharing of best practice tools, information and initiatives, visit DRINKiQ.com http://DRINKiQ.com.

Celebrating life, every day, everywhere, responsibly.

About Roush Fenway Racing
Roush Fenway Racing is NASCAR’s largest team operating seven motorsports teams. Four in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with drivers Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards and David Ragan; and four in the Nationwide Series with Edwards, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., Colin Braun, and Paul Menard. For more information on any of the Roush Fenway Racing teams, log onto www.RoushFenway.com. Become a fan of Roush Fenway Racing on Facebook by going to http://www.facebook.com/roushfenway. And for sponsorship inquiries please contact Robin Johnson at 704.720.4645.
Crown Royal Extends Sponsorship for Matt Kenseth's #17 Crown Royal Extends Sponsorship for Matt Kenseth's #17 Reviewed by Admin on Friday, February 05, 2010 Rating: 5