Irwin Tools Replaces Sharpie for Fall Night Race at BMS

BRISTOL, Tenn. – How quickly things can change.

On Saturday night, race fans attended the Sharpie 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. After midnight, however, the race officially didn’t exist anymore.

BMS president and general manager Jeff Byrd on Saturday announced that Irwin Tools, and parent company Newell Rubbermaid, will become the new sponsor of the track’s August night race, beginning in 2010.

“You’ll see some physical evidence of this relationship as early as tomorrow,” Byrd said. “And tomorrow comes real early at Bristol Motor Speedway, sometimes.” 

Irwin replaces title sponsor Sharpie, which had sponsored the Sharpie 500 since 2000.

The new partnership also includes a new name: The Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol, whose new logo was unveiled by Byrd and Irwin president Neil Eibeler at a press conference before Saturday’s final Sharpie 500.

“Sharpie, as I said, was a great sponsor. We fully anticipate being friends with Sharpie for a long, long time,” Byrd said.

“What makes this really special is [that] these guys aren’t rookies. They’ve been around the sport. They have a great relationship with Rousch-Fenway over the years. They’ve seen it, they’ve been to all the race tracks, they can pick and choose with whom they wanted to partner, I couldn’t be happier that we’re going to extend this Newell Rubbermaid relationship.”

Currently, Irwin is the sponsor of the No. 26 Rousch-Fenway Ford, driven by Jamie McMurray. Sponsorship of a race was the next logical step for the company’s racing division, although Irwin is uncommitted to funding the No. 26 team in 2010.

“We also sponsor, [through] one of our affiliate brands, Lenox, a race at the New Hampshire track,” Eibeler said. “Overall it’s an extension, something we want to leverage.

“If you talk to anyone about Bristol, this is the one they want to come to. We also can leverage their customers with our customers. There’s a lot we can do.”

The race’s new name is unique in that it does not feature a lap number. That, says Byrd, was all Irwin’s idea.

“They feel like there are a lot of races run at night, but there’s only one night race,” Byrd said. “And that’s at Bristol. Tonight.”