Gordon Unveils Winston Cup
Pepsi Car
For the first time since 1983, NASCAR fans could see a Pepsi car in a Winston Cup winner's circle. Beginning this spring, three-time NASCAR Winston Cup Series Champion Jeff Gordon will race the #24 Pepsi/DuPont car in two races -- the spring race at Talladega on April 22 and the Pepsi 400 at Daytona on July 7. In addition, DuPont Automotive has developed a special pearlescent blue paint for the car so fans won't miss it.
For the past four years, Pepsi-Cola has enjoyed a successful relationship with Jeff Gordon and Hendrick Motorsports, highlighted by its associate sponsorship of the #24 DuPont Chevrolet in the Winston Cup Series and its two-year title sponsorship of Gordon's #24 Pepsi Chevrolet on the Busch Series. But now, the Pepsi car graduates to the Winston Cup, where a Pepsi car has not been seen since Darrell Waltrip's Pepsi Challenger finished second in points in 1983.
Last June, Pepsi extended its relationship with Gordon through 2005 and will continue to include him in promotional activities. Since 1998, Gordon has starred in three television commercials for Pepsi's flagship brand.
"I'm very excited to take Pepsi back to the Winston Cup series and to continue our partnership for the next five years," said Jeff Gordon. "We had two great years in the Busch series with the #24 Pepsi car and look forward to the two paint-out races this season."
"It's great to have a Pepsi car back on the Winston Cup circuit," said Katie Lacey, director of sports marketing for Pepsi. "Jeff and the team did a great job in the Pepsi car on the Busch series, and Jeff closed out his Busch career in style with a huge win at Homestead. And now, even more fans will be able to see him race. This car will really turn some heads."
Pepsi has been involved with Winston Cup racing since NASCAR introduced the sport in 1948. Pepsi serves its products at 18 of the 23 Winston Cup Series tracks and is the title sponsor of NASCAR Winston Cup Series races in Daytona, Fla. (Pepsi 400), Brooklyn, Mich. (Pepsi 400) and Darlington, S.C. (Pepsi Southern 500).