honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted at 9:40 a.m., Monday, October 27, 2008

Auto racing: Kodak ending its NASCAR sponsorship

Associated Press

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Eastman Kodak Co. is ending its 22-year sponsorship in NASCAR and putting more sports marketing dollars into professional golf.

The photography pioneer, betting its future on electronic imaging, says the realignment fits better with a new effort to highlight its brand digitally, such as on PGA Tour scoreboards.

Kodak also wants to engage more customers overseas since 60 percent of its sales are outside the United States.

Kodak said Monday it is also ending a four-year sponsorship of Penske Racing at year-end.

Since signing on with NASCAR in 1986, Kodak-sponsored cars have won the Daytona 500 four times — with Ryan Newman's car this year, Sterling Martin's in 1994 and 1995 and Ernie Irvan's in 1991.