NEW YORK – NASCAR was finalizing a deal Tuesday night with Nationwide Insurance to sponsor its No. 2 series beginning in 2008, according to The Associated Press.
Nationwide will replace Anheuser-Busch, which has sponsored the second-tier Busch Series for 26 seasons but said this year it would end its entitlement deal at the conclusion of this season.
The deal with Nationwide is estimated to be seven years at $10 million a year, according to a person familiar with the negotiations who requested anonymity because the deal had yet to be completed. Anheuser-Busch was paying roughly the same amount, and NASCAR initially had sought an increase in the price of the series.
But despite a flurry of early suitors, NASCAR was unable to secure sponsorship in a search that has stretched nearly 10 months.
Franchitti to make stock car debut Friday. Dario Franchitti’s much-anticipated move to stock cars will begin Friday with an ARCA race at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.
The 2007 Indy 500 winner and IndyCar Series champion has agreed to a multiyear deal to replace David Stremme in the No. 40 Dodge for NASCAR’s Chip Ganassi Racing.
Andretti Green Racing announced it released Franchitti from his driver agreement.
Indy 500 purse on the rise
indianapolis The Indianapolis 500 purse will be at least $13.4 million next year, an increase of $2.7 million from this year’s record payout and the biggest one-year jump in the race’s 91-year history.
The winner also will receive at least $2.5 million, some 42 percent more than the record $1.76 million paid to Buddy Rice in 2004.
Both the total and first-place prizes could be even higher, depending on contingency awards such as winning the pole position and other performance bonuses.
Leafs’ Bell cleared by doctors toronto Mark Bell was cleared to play by doctors in the NHL’s substance-abuse program, but the new Toronto Maple Leafs forward will now have to serve the 15-game suspension handed down by the league.
Bell was suspended indefinitely Sept. 4 and placed into Stage 2 of the program, run jointly by the NHL and the players’ association. He entered the program in September 2006 following his arrest on drunken driving and hit-and- run charges in California when he was a member of the San Jose Sharks.
The NHL added a 15-game suspension for Bell on Sept. 12, and he is eligible to return on Nov. 6 when the Maple Leafs play the visiting Ottawa Senators.
Beasley scores for Glasgow. Midfielder DaMarcus Beasley became the first American to score for different teams in the European Champions League and assisted on another goal, helping Glasgow Rangers to a 3-0 upset victory at Lyon in the first round of the European Champions League.
Beasley scored three goals for PSV Eindhoven during the 2004-05 Champions League.
