There will be the Cheerios car, the Valvoline car, the Home Depot car and the UPS car. Many other companies have also invested millions of dollars to link themselves to the popular sport. When they start those engines, it gives me cold chills. Others say that fans' brand recall extends to the checkout line. You watch races on TV and you go to races and you look for the stuff at the stores.
Fans say their brand loyalty comes from feeling a kinship with the drivers.
Mich. Martin, who works for a food distributor, also said he's more likely to go to Valvoline for oil changes because the company's driver, Johnny Benson, is from Grand Rapids. But the Lexington, Ky., motor oil company won't confirm rumors that it didn't renew its contract last summer with top driver Mark Martin because negotiations got too pricey. That contract is four times bigger than the previous one. The TV audience may grow because many fans say they've been priced out of the grandstands. It's getting away from its roots.