TNT Adds Sponsors to NASCAR Wide Open Pit Crew

TNT added five new sponsors for its Wide Open presentation of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing Nextel Cup Series race, the Pepsi 400, July 7 from Daytona International Speedway.

The drama network’s Wide Open approach will provide continuous race coverage free of national commercial breaks and will feature animated national-sponsor messages, including original branded content and distinct on-screen graphic elements, according to Turner officials.

The sponsor graphics and vignettes will appear along the lower portion of the screen in place of traditional commercial interruptions, limiting the telecast to only three local commercial breaks per hour. The production, Turner executives said, will feature 22% more unobstructed race action than that of a standard telecast.

Autozone, Ford Motor, Miller Brewing, Principal Financial and Subway joined PepsiCo, Toyota Motor Sales, Sprint Nextel and DirecTV as the national sponsors that will be featured on the telecast,

TNT will drop the flag on its 22nd consecutive year of NASCAR coverage June 10 with its coverage of the Nextel Cup race from Pocono Raceway.