Future of Budweiser, Earnhardt pact vague

Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Budweiser Chevrolet, with its No. 8 on the doors, might take on a new look with Hendrick Motorsports.

ST. LOUIS - Dale Earnhardt Jr. has launched a race of his own.

When the NASCAR star announced yesterday that his sponsorship deal with Anheuser-Busch Cos. is up in the air, he threw into question a nearly decade-long partnership that is one of the most recognizable corporate sponsorships in the sporting world.

The nation's biggest brewer has made its name synonymous with Earnhardt's No. 8 Budweiser Chevrolet. If Anheuser-Busch loses Earnhardt's contract, it could affect the brewer's overall marketing plan, said Benj Steinman, publisher of Beer Marketer's Insights.

"It's been a long-term lynchpin of their sponsorships," Steinman said.

Anheuser-Busch still holds massive sponsorship contracts with high-profile events, such as the Super Bowl. But Earnhardt is a particularly profitable athlete to sponsor because many of his fans are beer drinkers, Steinman said.

Earnhardt suggested the field is open for other companies to swoop in and put their tag on his car now that he has joined Hendrick Motorsports.

"Rick [Hendrick] has to decide what will fit in the cupboard and what won't. I want to give him the best opportunity to put together the best deal that will help," Earnhardt said.

Earnhardt's contract with Anheuser-Busch isn't set to expire for another year. Like any good NASCAR racer, he was quick to give praise to his current sponsor. The feelings of warmth seemed mutual.

"Anheuser-Busch has enjoyed a remarkable relationship with Dale Earnhardt Jr. since our sponsorship commenced back in 1999," Tony Ponturo, Anheuser-Busch's vice president of global media and sports marketing, said in an e-mail statement.

Ponturo suggested the company wasn't prepared to let Earnhardt slip away too easily.

"We look forward to exploring options with Hendrick Motorsports and JR Motorsports to continue Budweiser's relationship with him as he enters this new stage of his racing career," Ponturo said.

An Anheuser-Busch spokesman said Ponturo wouldn't comment beyond the brief statement or discuss any details of the company's contract with Earnhardt.

Earnhardt has driven under the Budweiser crown since he started his NASCAR career. Earnhardt will replace 22-year-old Kyle Busch at Hendrick Motorsports. It's possible that Hendrick could trade Busch's No. 5 to Earnhardt's former company DEI for the No. 8, if Busch signs with Earnhardt's old team.