Full Throttle replaces POWERade as NHRA title sponsor

In the world of heads-up professional drag racing, perhaps nothing exemplifies the dog-eat-dog nature of the sport better than words, “Go Full Throttle or Go Home!"

Beginning in 2009, that's exactly how NHRA's top professional series will be branded, as Coca-Cola North America's Full Throttle energy drink succeeds POWERade as the title sponsor of NHRA's premier professional drag racing series. It's the first major sports marketing play for the beverage company's lead energy drink.

The association between NHRA and Coca-Cola North America, with support from Coca-Cola Enterprises, includes a two-year partnership extension through the 2013 season, representing one of the longest running series sponsorships in motorsports. The new series will be called the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.

“It's one of the great synergies of brand and sport," said NHRA President Tom Compton, who orchestrated the original deal with Coca-Cola North America in 2001. “To have a title sponsor for what will be, at minimum, 12 years by the end of this current deal is a tribute to a great relationship between NHRA and Coca-Cola North America, Coca-Cola Enterprises, the POWERade brand and beginning in 2009, the Full Throttle brand."

NHRA's top professional series, the second most popular form of auto racing in America behind only NASCAR (source: ESPN Sports Poll), holds 24 races from February through November, all of which are broadcast by ESPN2 in HD.

“When you fuse the energy of Full Throttle with the speed and intensity of NHRA professional drag racing, you've got a combination that's hard to beat," said Rafael Acevedo, senior brand manager, Energy Drinks, Coca-Cola North America. “We mean it when we say, ‘Go Full Throttle or Go Home.' We can't wait to unleash the power of Full Throttle and cement the relationship between NHRA drag racing, NHRA fans and the ultimate energy drink.

Full Throttle has been the official energy drink of NHRA since 2005 and currently sponsors the Full Throttle Pit Crew Championship, which awarded prize money in excess of $250,000 in 2007. Fully integrated marketing plans for Full Throttle and NHRA will include at-track activation, out-of-home media support, online presence, retail programs and sampling.