Sunoco complains about Shell exposure on Harvick’s uniform/helmet
Quote selected text Published February 22nd, 2007 in NASCAR News
It appears there was something that failed NASCAR’s post-race inspection after Sunday’s Daytona 500 — the uniform and helmet worn by race winner Kevin Harvick.
Responding to complaints from Sunoco, the official fuel supplier of NASCAR, the sanctioning body has been in discussions with Harvick’s Richard Childress Racing team the past several days to address Sunoco’s concerns over the branding of Shell-Pennzoil’s sponsorship on Harvick’s uniform and helmet.
In response to those complaints, Harvick can no longer wear the driver’s helmet used in Sunday’s race — which featured a prominent Shell logo — and his uniform had to be redone to include less prominent Shell logos, multiple sources confirmed.
Before Sunday’s Daytona 500, team officials confirmed Harvick was asked by NASCAR if he would wear a jacket over his uniform during Daytona 500 introductions, which he agreed to do.
During Speedweeks, officials with Sunoco logged several complaints with NASCAR regarding the Shell logos on Harvick’s helmet and uniform. They peaked when Harvick’s victories in Saturday’s Busch race and Sunday’s Daytona 500 produced several newspaper headlines utilizing the Shell name and many photographs of the Shell logos.
Sunoco signed a 10-year deal in 2003 to become the official fuel supplier for all three of NASCAR’s national series — Nextel Cup, Busch and Trucks.
As part of the deal, no new fuel suppliers are allowed to sponsor NASCAR teams, NASCAR officials said. Shell-Pennzoil was allowed to join RCR and Harvick’s No. 29 Chevrolet this season because the sponsorship was of its automotive lubricants.
Sunoco’s complaints are based on the extent Shell-Pennzoil’s branding is seen as promoting its gas product over its automobile lubricants.
“In exchange for providing a quality product for all three series, Sunoco was granted exclusivity in the fuel category at the track,” NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said.
“We’re always trying to work with our sponsors and teams to navigate through any challenges, especially the automotive lubricant category which is closely aligned with fuel.”
A message seeking comment from Sunoco’s media contact, Jerry Davis, remained unreturned late Wednesday.
Until a new helmet can be designed, Harvick is expected to wear the helmet he uses in Busch Series races, sponsored by another company. Harvick’s new uniform should be ready for this weekend’s race at California, team officials said.
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once again nascar being gay. stop trying to go after rcr all this shit is bullshit
They are not going after RCR. Sunoco paid a hell of a lot of money to be “The official fuel of NASCAR.” They have a right to get upset over this.
this retarded, they got so much free publicity! I figured they would love it, not fight to get it
changed!
You think Shell would have to approve all this before he wore it!
I get that they sponser the whole series and not one driver, but who cares you are getting more than you paid for
JUST WHEN HARVICK GET OUT FROM UNDER THE BLACK AND BRIGHT COLORS OF HIS OWN TO MATCH HIS PERSONALITY, SUNOCO NIXES IT.
WELL EXCUSE ME BUT I LIKE THE BRIGHT COLORS, SO GUESS HE WILL HAVE TO REMOVE SHELL LOGO, DAMN WHAT HAPPENED TO FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION??????
I guarantee you this is only because Harvick won the Daytona 500. If Harvick had crashed or even only finished in the top 5, Sunoco wouldn’t give a damn about it. And have you seen Harvick’s uniform? It’s the same number of primary sponser logos as any other drivers. It’s ridiculous.
Oh, not to mention it’s the same as the Bud Pole Award. You don’t think Budweiser pays big bucks for this advertisement? And do you see them complaining to Kurt Busch? No. It’s just stupid.
ben h is exactly right…the rest of u are just whiners!
ITS ALL ABOUT THE BIG MONEY, NOTHING MORE NOTHING LESS. BILL
… and now we know why most of you don’t work in motorsports marketing…
that is stupid… who cares if his uniform has a HUGE shell on it… Shell is also paying a HUGE amount of money to be his sponsor… and getting paid too…
sonoco needs to get over it… its a money issue, just like RCR has to find a new sponsor for the 31 car by next season cause its not allowed to have an AT&T logo on it… since cingular and at&t merged together… Sprint complained…
It dont matter about sonoco paying a lot of money to be the “fuel of nascar”
sonoco has just as much right, and has every EVERY right to be on his uniform HOWEVER big they want… its not HUGE anyway… get over it sonoco damn…
Greed has a way of making the greedy look foolish. Richard Childress ought to tell Sunoco , “give me 15 million dollars and I’ll put your name on Kevins car” , if not , STFU!!!!
I agree with Dude. Thats awesome. lol
What we’re forgetting is that this was part of a signed deal. Nothing short of that. I don’t think it has a thinkg to do with Harivick or RCR personally.
i think its totally bullshit that they can tell wut they can and cant have on the car bc you no wut nascar or the other company isnt paying for it to be there. you dont see groups like MADD going and trying to get rid of the beers sponcers and stuff so i think they should stfu and let freedom of speach be there or just take it to court
If anything i think Shell will benefit from this. How many people are going to stop using Sunoco because they are being babies about this. If they were complaining before, it should have been more public, because to the public it looks like they have a problem with the Shell-Pennzoil car in Victory Lane.
this type of thing happens all the time the coke 600 is won by jimmie and the 1st thing they do is put coke on top of the car and then jimmie knocks it off nascar says they like more comps to get in sport and let some b.s. like this to go on whats next no chevy winners at homested the ford 500
it aint nascar bein gay as much as sunoco. its the same wit nextel against cingular. u cant take away sponsorship just because somone is an official sponsor of somthing. to me its more like the suit an ties of nascar are moreinterested in money than into racing. its stupid and not neccesary. this stuff is getting to be worse than tryin to get full coverage on your health insurance. nascar likes to play favorites just as much as it does at the local saturday night tracks.
This is always what happens when a sport has so many “The official (item) of Nascar”…