Red Bull to sponsor NASCAR team

UPDATE #2 This rumor is upgraded to 'fact' today. See story on our Home page.

01/24/06 Further snooping around we find that the NASCAR team sponsorship has been something they've been planning for some time. Our understanding is that this will not effect their Champ Car sponsorship as the two series cater to two totally different markets. Red Bull is very impressed with the hip, urban crowd and energy that Champ Car brings at its enormously popular street races LB (So. Cal), Denver, San Jose (No. Cal) and should bring to new events like the upcoming Houston race (essentially the fourth biggest metro population in the U.S.). But they can't ignore the NASCAR crowd due to its large TV viewership and sponsor support. Pure speculation here, but we think come Long Beach you'll see either Allmendinger's entire Champ Car done up in a Red Bull scheme or significant signage on both A.J and teammate Justin Wilson's machines. Mark C.

01/24/06 Toyota tonight will introduce their initial NASCAR Nextel Cup teams and sponsors for 2007 at Lowe's Motor Speedway as part of the week-long NASCAR media tour. Bill Davis Racing and Michael Waltrip's team are expected to be two of the teams. We also hear that Red Bull will sponsor a team. Team Red Bull will be based in Mooresville, NC, and stock car veteran Marty Gaunt [ formerly with Penske] will serve as the team's general manager.

With Red Bull in NASCAR and F1 big time, will they still do a Champ Car program as rumored?