DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 11, 2014) — NASCAR announced today it has reached an agreement with Chester, Conn., and Charlestown, N.H.-based Whelen Engineering to enhance its long-standing status as the Official Warning Lights of NASCAR with the additional position as the Official Vehicle Illumination Lights of NASCAR.
The expansion adds to Whelen’s NASCAR portfolio, which includes entitlement sponsorship of two regional touring series, an international touring series and the weekly racing series.
The success Whelen has found with its flashing and rotating warning light product line, combined with its relationship with NASCAR, has fueled the establishment of the new consumer product line of constant illumination for vehicles. The category includes head lights, brake and tail lights, directional lights, spot lights and flood lights. The products offered are wide-ranging in use from on-road to off-road driving; perimeter or long-range illumination; for the general public and for fire, safety and ambulance vehicles.
The new product line of vehicle illumination lights is in use by NASCAR in the administration and officiating of its national and regional touring series, including affixed flood lighting on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series trailers and portable lighting utilized by the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tours.
“Whelen Engineering’s decision to expand its agreement is another indicator that NASCAR – our teams, our tracks, and most importantly our fans – continues to drive businesses,” said George Silbermann, NASCAR vice president for regional and touring racing. “Whelen Engineering is well known as the industry leader in specialized lighting products, and has been a long-time supporter of NASCAR racing at the grassroots level.”
Whelen Engineering’s relationship with NASCAR began in 2005 as the entitlement sponsor of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour. At the same time, Whelen also became the Official Warning Lights of NASCAR. In the 10 years since, fire, safety and ambulance vehicles at NASCAR events have been outfitted with Whelen warning lights, and race tracks have been featured Whelen caution control lights.
“Whelen Engineering has been known for years as the best in flashing warning lights, but we’re also now manufacturing illumination products with the same quality and attention to detail,” said Whelen Engineering Vice President for Motorsports Phil Kurze. “Through the NASCAR sponsorship we have the opportunity to display our latest and greatest products at tracks not just in the U.S., but around the world. A large percentage of NASCAR fans are people that have a need for our product, and we know NASCAR helps us generate sales by displaying our products in the area we are sponsoring.”
Whelen has experienced incremental increases in sales as it has become more involved with NASCAR. Since the initial agreements in 2005, Whelen added to its NASCAR portfolio with entitlement sponsorships with the grassroots weekly NASCAR Whelen All-American Series in 2007 and the European-based NASCAR Whelen Euro Series in 2013.
Whelen also recently signed on as the title sponsor of the inaugural Whelen All-Star Shootout, a special non-points NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour invitational event on Friday, July 11, at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The Whelen All-Star Shootout, which will pit past champions and race winners head-to-head, will air on Fox Sports 1 on July 20, at 2 p.m. ET.
About NASCAR: The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States. NASCAR consists of three national series (the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series), four regional series, one local grassroots series and three international series. The International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) governs the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, the premier U.S. sports car series. Based in Daytona Beach, Fla., with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and follow NASCAR at www.Facebook.com/NASCAR and Twitter: @NASCAR.
About Whelen EngineeringWhelen Engineering designs and manufactures the “Official Warning Lights of NASCAR” and the “Official Vehicle Illumination Lights of NASCAR.” Whelen’s products can be seen on just about every race track in the United States. Whelen is proud to sponsor the Whelen All-American Series, the Whelen Euro Series, the Whelen Modified Tour, and the Whelen Southern Modified Tour. Off the track, Whelen is the choice for Police, Fire, Public Works and EMS markets worldwide. Founded in 1952, Whelen has become a leading provider of innovative warning lights, white illumination lighting, sirens, and controllers. With two state-of-the-art facilities in Chester, Connecticut and Charlestown, New Hampshire, Whelen products are proudly designed, manufactured, and assembled in the U.S.A. Find out more at www.whelen.com.
Contact:
Tom Bryant // NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications
(386) 310-6060
tbryant@nascar.com
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