Winning NASCAR races isn't necessary in winning over fans. Millsport, a motor sports-oriented sports marketing agency in Charlotte, thinks it has proven that by classifying 36 Sprint Cup drivers with the Davie Brown Index, which quantifies an athlete's charisma, relevance and influence on consumer behavior. In a nationwide online survey of 300 avid fans, Dale Earnhardt Jr. ranked first, followed by Jeff Gordon and Jeff Burton. But two drivers known more for their boardroom savvy than their racing success rounded out the top five: Michael Waltrip, who has four victories (all between 2001-03) in 694 starts, and Kyle Petty, who has eight wins but none since 1995. Mike Bartelli, senior vice president for Millsport, said the results prove personality can outweigh performance when sponsors are making multimillion-dollar decisions on funding a driver's car.
-- USA Today
Slow and savvy can win marketing race, survey indicates - USATODAY.com
03-21-2008, 10:45 AM
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