Air Force officials announce NASCAR sponsorship for 2011

News > Air Force officials announce NASCAR sponsorship for 2011

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Crew members prepare the No. 43 Air Force car for a practice run at the Pocono Raceway Aug. 2, 2010. Air Force officials recently announced the renewal of the NASCAR partnership with Richard Petty Motorsports and the No. 43 car for 2011. (U.S. Air Force photo/Dale Eckroth)
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Air Force officials announce NASCAR sponsorship for 2011

Posted 1/27/2011

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1/27/2011 - RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFNS) -- Air Force recruiting officials announced Jan. 21 that they are renewing the NASCAR partnership with Richard Petty Motorsports and the No. 43 car for the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

"This is our tenth season in NASCAR and we look forward to competing and winning with the Richard Petty team," said Brig. Gen. Balan Ayyar, the commander of the Air Force Recruiting Service. "This is a high-performing atmosphere that aligns with the leadership, technology and competitive spirit of our Airmen and Air Force, and we're excited about NASCAR's efforts to reach a broader audience. We certainly intend to go beyond the race track to reach supporters and fans and emphasize the speed, power, precision and teamwork that is common to both NASCAR and the Air Force."

The Air Force is both a primary and associate sponsor of the No. 43 car, driven by A.J. Allmendinger, a 29-year-old driver with two Top 5 finishes and eight Top 10 finishes in the No. 43 car during the 2010 season. The car will feature the Air Force paint scheme in two of 36 NASCAR points races this season.

Air Force recruiting officials plan on activating the sponsorship both on and off the track with Air Force flyovers, swear-ins of new enlistees, involvement in pre-race activities and school visits with the No. 43 show car. The show car will travel to recruiting events at local high schools, promoting mechanical and technical careers to the nation's highest performing young Americans who may be interested in serving in the United States Air Force.

"The Air Force is proud of the partnership we have had with Richard Petty Motorsports," said Col. Michael J. Tillema, AFRS chief of strategic marketing and communications. "They are perhaps the most respected team in NASCAR and they have been strong supporters of the Air Force. We share a strong set of core values, hard work, discipline and the desire to win."

Comments

2/2/2011 4:18:08 AM ET
Has the Chair, I mean Air Force ever not met its recruiting goals? I served in another branch of the military and trust me, the Air Force is the best gig around and everybody knows it. Oh yes, this is a waste of money along with Tops In Blue and the over-glorified Thunderbirds. We should be called the "Waste Taxpayers Money Show Force." Just my two cents.

Danny, RAFL

1/31/2011 2:42:00 PM ET
@S CA I think you're mistaken about the cost. When the Navy didn't renew their contract with NASCAR in 2008 they decided to use the 6.5 million dollars eleswhere. If it costs that much to fly one F-16 sortie then we're doing it wrong. I do agree with others though we haven't exactly been having a hard time recruiting people so maybe we could send some of their budget to other programs.

MM, FL

1/31/2011 10:53:31 AM ET
The Air Force, or any of the services for that matter, will never cut recruiting opportunities. It is what it is. Besides, you can't even fly one F-16 sortie for what it costs to sponsor a NASCAR team. It's chump change in the government's eyes.

S, CA

1/31/2011 10:21:29 AM ET
Has the Air Force had a difficult time meeting recruiting goals? If not, then why not reduce expenditures that don't provide a measurable benefit. If the Air Force was not meeting recruiting goals then you look at increasing the recruiting budget with gimmicks like this. How do Air Force leaders go to Congressional committees and say we need another couple of billion dollars for aircraft and then also show the Air Force is spending money on these types of extraneous activities? If I were sitting on one of those committees I would say as long as you can support spending money on items like this you don't need more money. As a taxpayer, I say the same thing.

Jerry , Oklahoma

1/31/2011 10:12:45 AM ET
Looks like someone needs to get their priorities straight. There are guys and gals in the AOR's who need better equipment to protect their lives. And if you think having AIR FORCE across a race car will help recruiting, well you're just not very smart. Thank you, AF Leadership.

TSgt XXXX Ret, NM

1/31/2011 7:51:08 AM ET
I bet a couple sponserships with NASCAR and IndyCar are cheaper than flying around 7 airplanes and a flight of maintainers all over the world. The Blue Angels do it better with less footprint anyway.

SDH, Georgia

1/30/2011 10:55:44 PM ET
In response to PB. Cutting the recruiting sponsorship budget will do nothing to save those 2,500 officer positions. Different money and different issues. The AF recruiting service gets a budget to work with just like everyone else. Advertising in a very popular market gets a pretty good return on that investment.

GFenley SMSgt Retired, Louisiana

1/30/2011 12:49:26 PM ET
Recruiting is a vital aspect in our branch's goal to find and enlist America's finest. I like this investment by AFRS. The AF has manning issues now but we can't overlook the future of our force. Keep it up AFRS and let's all wish our best to the No. 43 car.

LT RJF, Tyndall

1/30/2011 12:08:48 PM ET
I recently talked to a recuriter about getting my grandson in. No soap unless he spoke a foreign language or was a jock to be a parajumper. Why waste so much money on recuriters?

Retired AF E8, Northern California

1/29/2011 11:52:43 PM ET
@ PB: Who cares how many officers jobs could have been saved? It's a good recruitment tool for enlisted folks who don't need officers to supervise them. That's what senior NCO's are for.

Al, GA

1/28/2011 6:55:13 PM ET
Doesn't make sense that we're still pressing ahead with such programs in a time of severe budget issues... Between this, Tops In Blue and Thunderbirds, I'm certain we could save an awful lot of money. Oh yeah, now all of a sudden a new uniform for deployers after wasting all the time manpower and money on the ABUs. Hopefully, very soon, someone up there figures out how to budget the right way because seems to me we aren't doing it.

SJ, Florida

1/28/2011 5:48:09 PM ET
The Air Force is sponsoring HIM? Really? The Petty team should sponsor the Air Force. Mr. Allmendinger's 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup winnings by Nov. totaled $4,729,715. Granted he doesn't get the entire purse since the team has to be paid and there are equipment costs, but come on. If Mr. Allmendinger and Mr. Petty are true American patriots, they would donate the Air Force markings on the car in EVERY race, not just two of 36 The article neglects to mention the figures on the cost to our taxpayers and our Air Force.

DMPI, Al JBAB DC

1/28/2011 4:04:51 PM ET
How many of the 2,500 or so officer positions that are going to be cut could have been spared if this sponsorship had been cut instead?

PB, US

1/27/2011 11:09:35 PM ET
SECDEF is looking for ways to save money -- this seems like a great place to start.

Sgt Whoever, conus

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