Thursday, March 11, 1999
Cintas is Ky. Speedway's first big sponsor
BY MIKE BOYER
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Uniform supplier Cintas Corp. is the first corporate sponsor to sign on with Jerry Carroll's $152 million Kentucky Speedway in Gallatin County.
Financial terms of the five-year agreement weren't disclosed, but Cintas and Speedway officials said Wednesday that the agreement makes Cintas the official uniform supplier for track personnel and supplier of most of the racing apparel sold at a gift shop that will be part of the race complex.
“This is a natural for us,” said Bill Goetz, vice president of marketing for Mason-based Cintas.
“Our largest customer base is the automotive aftermarket, such as automotive repair shops.”
And auto racing is second in popularity only to pro football among the corporate buyers who are Cintas' customers.
The agreement also gives Cintas first pick of 18 choice billboard sites between the 1.5-mile track's first and second turns, and makes Cintas the exclusive supplier of work towels to racing teams during events, said Mark Cassis, vice president of business develop ment for the Speedway, which is to open in May 2000.
That's a unique twist for Cintas, which began as an industrial rag vendor to Cincinnati manufacturers.
Mr. Cassis said the Speedway is negotiating a number of corporate sponsorships and has tentative agreements with three other major corporate sponsors.
“Sponsorships really drive this sport,” he said. “And race fans really remember who brings the races to them.”
He declined to identify the other companies that the Speedway has agreements with but said two are based in Cincinnati and a third involves a company outside the area.
None of the agreements involves naming rights for the 65,000-seat Speedway, which are being offered for $15 million for 10 years. By contrast, the Charlotte Motor Speedway recently sold its naming rights to the Lowe's home improvement chain for $35 million for 10 years.
Cintas, to become the nation's largest uniform supplier when it completes its pending purchase of Unitog Co., is no stranger to NASCAR, the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing.
The company is a sponsor of the Joe Gibbs Racing team and driver Bobby Labonte, and supplies NASCAR Series officials with work and race-day uniforms.
The company also supplies uniforms to a number of the leading NASCAR race teams, said Jim Stutz, Cintas market ing manager.
The products Cintas will sell through the Speedway gift shop will include Kentucky Speedway licensed apparel, NASCAR licensed apparel, which it now markets through its catalog, and Joe Gibbs Racing team and Bobbie Labonte apparel.
WHAT THE DEAL INCLUDES
• Official uniform supplier for Speedway personnel.
• First pick of 18 key billboard sites between the track's first and second turns.
• Control of most of the retail space at the track's gift shop.
• Supplying work towels to race crews from two Cintas trucks parked in key locations in the track infield.
• A corporate suite on the track's start-finish line.
Fed-up customers rail against airlines
Cintas is Ky. Speedway's first big sponsor
Bill introduces competition to electric industry
Former Mercantile workers begin to heal
Lottery's been good for Interlott in '98
Women's progress in business traced at awards ceremony
INDUSTRY NOTES: REAL ESTATE
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE
TRISTATE BUSINESS SUMMARY
TRISTATE MARKET SPOTLIGHT
