[Team Yates]

Bud man? Kahne deflects questions about sponsor
LOUDON, N.H. - Kasey Kahne declined to spill the beans about next week's sponsorship announcement for his No. 9 Gillett Evernham Motorsports car, but said
"I think it's different than what a lot of people are expecting."
What people are expecting is that Anheuser-Busch, and namely its Budweiser brand, will replace the Dodge dealers on Kahne's car next season. But Kahne politely avoided questions about Budweiser and pointed to the Tuesday announcement for more information. Kahne did say he enjoyed his time driving a Dodge-sponsored car, which has been his only primary sponsor since he entered Nextel Cup racing in 2004. "It's been great working with the Dodge Dealers over the years, and we're going to keep working with them," he said. Mike Accavitti, director of Dodge Brand and SRT Marketing and Communications, said GEM's multi-year agreement with a new sponsor will allow Dodge to "redirect valuable resources toward the challenges facing all our teams." "We now have the opportunity to apply additional resources to areas that can directly impact the on-track performance of all our teams and expand marketing opportunities for our dealers," Accavitti said in a statement.

[Bob Tanner]

I agree with many of you; Kasey Kahne just doesn't seem to fit the classical Anheiser-Busch Budweiser mold. His eyelashes make me think he'd be a natural for Revlon.

That being said, I absolutely believe, to the bottom of my cynical little heart, that, given enough advertising budget, Bud could make even Richard Simmons into as big a beer-swilling icon as they did Junior.

I wonder if they'll get "Kasey's Kuties," (his stalking, mid-life crisis queens from the All State commercials) to come drink with him? Or, maybe since Kahne's recently "gone Hollywood" with Paris, maybe they'll pair him up with some starlett... like say...? Lindsey Lohan?

[lilsexy08]

When they announced the 88 number for Junior I'm like ok! LOL! Now all the people with tattoos can just add another 8 and they would be good to go! LOL!

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by lilsexy08

When they announced the 88 number for Junior I'm like ok! LOL! Now all the people with tattoos can just add another 8 and they would be good to go! LOL!

Somewhere (maybe here on GTG) I saw a tattoo on some guys shaved head of the #8 Bud car. I hope he can grow hair to cover up that blunder.

[lilsexy08]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

Somewhere (maybe here on GTG) I saw a tattoo on some guys shaved head of the #8 Bud car. I hope he can grow hair to cover up that blunder.

I saw that! LOL! Can you imagine you get a tattoo and then your driver changes numbers!

[Team Yates]

IT'S OFFICIAL:

Budweiser to sponsor Kahne and #9 in 2008: Budweiser announced Gillett Evernham Motorsports driver Kasey Kahne will become the next world-class racer to take the wheel of the iconic red Budweiser car when the 2008 Sprint Cup season kicks off in February. "Budweiser has a long and storied history with NASCAR and some of its most successful drivers. We're excited about Kasey's ability to add to that outstanding lineage," said Tony Ponturo, vice president, global media and sports marketing, Anheuser-Busch, Inc. "Along with team owners George Gillett and Ray Evernham, we feel the pieces are in place for the #9 Budweiser Dodge to contend for NASCAR Sprint Cup championships for years to come."
"The fan in me is thrilled because driving for Budweiser is the kind of opportunity you dream of when you break into this sport. I'm excited about getting behind the wheel of a car that's been driven by some of the best this sport has seen," said Kahne, who has seven wins, 31 top-fives and 46 top-10s in three and a half years on the Cup circuit. "We'll be out to win races and championships, and everyone involved with our organization feels we can do that."
"If Kasey's proven anything in his young career it's that he has the talent to be one of our sport's most consistent winners," said Gillett Evernham Motorsports co-owner Evernham.
"He's already one of the most popular drivers on the circuit and only stands to benefit more from Budweiser's track record for helping develop drivers with sponsorship activation that's second to none," added Gillett.
Budweiser first sponsored a team on the NASCAR Winston Cup Series circuit in 1983, and in 1998, Budweiser became the "Official Beer of NASCAR," cementing the brand's place among stock car racing's elite sponsors. Budweiser is also the sponsor of the Bud Pole Award in all NASCAR divisions, the title sponsor of the annual Budweiser Shootout at Daytona, the exclusive beer and malt beverage advertiser of the Daytona 500, and the "Official Beer Sponsor" of Daytona International Speedway, the Daytona 500 and the Pepsi 400. Throughout its history in NASCAR, the iconic Budweiser car has been driven by Terry Labonte, Darrell Waltrip, Bill Elliott, Ken Schrader, Ricky Craven, Wally Dallenbach Jr. and Dale Earnhardt Jr.(GEM PR)(9-18-2007)

[jks812]

It's gonna be so funny to see him as a spokesman for Bud. He looks like a child....lol.

[SpaceCadet]

Originally Posted by jks812

It's gonna be so funny to see him as a spokesman for Bud. He looks like a child....lol.

I'm thinking he's still got a few years till he hits puberty. Jeez, ya know what? The more I think about it the more I think this is really a bad deal. Young kids will relate to him because he looks so young himself. I hope they take a completely different approach with this, maybe along the lines of "don't forget to be responsible". Not sure is being responsible sells beer, though.

[tbalt]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

I agree with many of you; Kasey Kahne just doesn't seem to fit the classical Anheiser-Busch Budweiser mold. His eyelashes make me think he'd be a natural for Revlon.

Now that there is funny, I don't care who you are!

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by SpaceCadet

I'm thinking he's still got a few years till he hits puberty. Jeez, ya know what? The more I think about it the more I think this is really a bad deal. Young kids will relate to him because he looks so young himself. I hope they take a completely different approach with this, maybe along the lines of "don't forget to be responsible". Not sure is being responsible sells beer, though.

This very scenario is why people have college degrees in marketing. What ever needs to be done to make Kasey the Bud salesperson will get done.

[38SadlerFan]

Didn't anyone see those photos of Kasey in the off season shirtless with a Bud Light in his hand? There is a link to one of those pictures in this post.

It seems as if he was prepping last off-season for his new sponsorship gig. Bud can just run those pictures and please the women (shirtless Kasey Kahne) and the guys (drinking beer with hot chicks).

[Robertdjr]

Check out how they designed the #9 for Casey's new car.

Jayski's® Silly Season Site - 2008 Sprint Cup Paint Schemes

[lilsexy08]

Originally Posted by tbalt

Now that there is funny, I don't care who you are!

That is funny! Get some black mascara to bring out his eyes! Yea, anyway he does look so young! He looks like he never got in facial hair! LOL! Just messing!

[jks812]

Originally Posted by 3fanforever

Check out how they designed the #9 for Casey's new car.

Jayski's® Silly Season Site - 2008 Sprint Cup Paint Schemes

The car does look good. Just looks strange seeing the car with a #9 instead of an 8.

[Racer Duck]

Originally Posted by jks812

The car does look good. Just looks strange seeing the car with a #9 instead of an 8.

Interesting .. without "Dodge" on the front or "9" on the door, it'd look just like Jr's current COT. I was hoping they'd come up with something more original.