For the NASCAR fan, the post-race image of drivers swigging Gatorade, Coke, Pepsi, Dasani water or some other drink of choice (or drink of sponsor) has become an expected ritual. From pay-by-the-chug incentives, to NASCAR's placement of series sponsor Powerade on top of drivers cars in victory lane (even those sponsored by Gatorade), hydration is big business in NASCAR. The discussion continues at a two-day conference being covered by veteran motorsports reporter David Poole.

Corporations have used management consultants, PR firms, marketing firms, and other outside help for decades. So it should come as no surprise that consultants are lining up to advise companies on how best to take advantage of the NASCAR gold rush. A wise move for trigger-happy companies eager to spend what can top $20 million annually to sponsor a team. And with 72% brand loyalty of fans to NASCAR sponsors, throwing some marketing dollars into NASCAR might end up being worth it for the right companies. And reading www.rpmblog.com can't hurt either...

With their US-based racing reaching record levels of fans, season lengths stretched to the max, and race fans around the world clamoring for a taste of the action, NASCAR Chairman Brian France has reaffirmed his desire to go north, south, and overseas. With the Craftsman Truck Series as the likely guinea pig in Canada, watch for NASCAR to offer cookie cutter racing to welcoming countries around the world. Will global sponsorships follow? Or wil "local" companies based in host countries sign up with the hopes of achieving the brand awareness enjoyed by US brands that sponsor NASCAR in America?

So you win the Nextel Cup--what's the first thing you do? Go to Disneyland? Crack open a Bud? If you are Tony Stewart, you skip both of those choices and go on a $17,000 exercise equipment spending spree. Always thinking ahead, Stewart is hitting the weights early in an attempt to get ahead of the competition--and get in shape. Not a bad idea during the time of holiday feasts and parties...

Odds are that the racing stars that started NASCAR almost 60 years ago would not recognize the NASCAR of today. With Jeff Gordon launching wine, Brian Vickers hawking products for sponsor Garnier Fructis, Dale Jr. selling Drakkar Noir cologne, and several drivers being featured in pages of top fashion magazines, the sport has moved away from the grease monkey, moonshine-running early days and into the waiting arms of corporate America. And given the money it costs to fund a competitive team in NASCAR, new (and unlikely) sponsors will continue to follow the dollars spent by the most loyal purchasers in America: NASCAR fans.

Driving in the NASCAR Elite Division Southeast Series, Lelani Munter need not worry about sponsorship for 2006 with her new friends at Konica Minolta footing her racing bills. While the comparisons to Indy Racing League stunner Danica Patrick are likely to be made, both women are also talented on the track, proving themselves against grizzled veterans. No stranger to racing, Munter set the bar for female stock car drivers at the Texas Motor Speedway and also serves as a correspondent for NASCAR.com. Konica Minolta joins Fuji and Kodak as photography industry sponsors in NASCAR and IRL.

With only 52 points between Tony Stewart (Home Depot) and Jimmy Johnson (Lowe's), it is likely that one of the biggest home improvement retailers will come home with the NASCAR Nextel Cup championship trophy today. But their battles on the track almost mirror the corporate battlesoff the track and in the stores. Home Depot still dominates ($73 billion in sales in 2004) Lowe's ($36 billion in sales in 2004), but Lowe's is growing at a faster rate. On the track, Stewart has won a championship already and is the favorite to win again this year, but Johnson is always hot on his heels as the constant runner-up. And with an estimated $15-20 million investment by each company in their NASCAR teams annually, both companies have certainly gotten one of the best bangs for the buck in sports marketing.

Dubbed the "Ameriquest Dream Team", Mark Martin, Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth, and Greg Biffle will all be sponsored by Ameriquest during the 2006 National Busch Series season. Given Roush Racing's dominance in NASCAR, a partnership between one of America's largest mortgage lenders and one of NASCAR's best teams seems a natural fit. And possibly a job in finance once their NASCAR careers are done?

Kurt Busch's run in with the law on Friday evening has been the subject of intense media scrutiny--even the Gray Lady has weighed in. While there is only suspicion that Busch was drinking and driving, the officer that pulled Busch over in Arizona smelled alcohol on Busch's breath and Busch failed a field sobriety test. But the real reason this event is coming under such repeated rehashing is Busch's current sponsor (Crown Royal) and his new sponsor (Miller beer). Add to this that Busch was the sponsor of Crown Royal's NASCAR "Drink Responsibly" campaign and it comes as no surprise that current team owner Jack Roush acted swiftly to suspend Busch and NASCAR officials have had no shortage of kind words. Like many of the on-track driver antics (fighting, swearing, etc.), furor at Busch will likely pass, but this does serve as a reminder that even NASCAR drivers make mistakes but appear to be held to a higher standard due to their relationship to their sponsors--and to their fans.

Playing up some cross-marketing efforts between NCAA football fans and NASCAR fans, the Florida Gators will be represented by Kyle Petty and the Florida State Seminoles get track exposure from Scott Riggs. Both drivers will sport the colors of the schools at the final race of the season this coming weekend at Homestead (FL), playing up one of the top rivalries in college athletics. Can Mark Martin in Stanford colors and Jeff Gordon in Cal logos be far behind?

Usually NASCAR is not considered a prime source of diversity, but reflecting the changing ways of the sport, that's exactly where Black Entertainment Television (BET) has gotten one of its newest employees. For their new TV show "New Faces Search", the network has chosen Terrence Jenkins, a Senior Account Executive in NASCAR's Diversity Department. Who would have thought there would be an overlapping of employees at BET and NASCAR?

Just when you think you have seen it all, NASCAR tries to convince you otherwise. NASCAR has partnered with romance powerhouse Harlequin to create NASCAR plot lines and branded romance novels. The first is In the Groove by Pamela Britton. Can calendars featuring shirtless drivers be far off?

NASCAR seems to have captured every market in the US, but even the fastest growing sport has targets it still wants to expand. Just in time for the holidays NASCAR is rolling out a new fold-out board game called Race Day that it hope will hook kids in at an early age to a sport their parents likely already love.

No surprise to readers of RPM, but the Army has been profiled once again for taking their recruiting efforts to the tracks. According to Army recruiters, each race produces over 2,000 new leads for potential men and women willing to protect the citizens of the United States. The Army has mastered event marketing, offering race fans climbing walls, dog tags, and battle simulation exercises. God bless our troops...

The "win on Sunday, buy on Monday" mantra touted by America's auto makers just got another shot in the arm with today's announcement that Ford is extending their relationship with Homestead Miami for the next 10 years. With several Fords in the chase for the Nextel cup, Ford's investment should be paid back in spades...