Earlier this month, NASCAR announced a new title sponsor for its premier racing series, with the Monster Energy drink brand stepping in to replace Sprint in the top-level Cup Series.
It struck us odd at the time that it didn’t tell us what the series would actually be called under the new deal, but now it’s official. Starting next season, the top level of stock car racing will be called the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.
The rebranding moves the sponsor’s name to before that of the series organizer, shifting from the previous naming scheme under which the series was successively branded the NASCAR Winston/Nextel/Sprint Cup Series. (It had previously been known as the Grand National Series in the days before title sponsorship.)
NASCAR similataneously also revealed a new take on its traditional logo that removes the multicolored background from the text and replaces it with a streamlined pattern of blue, red, and yellow stripes.
There’s no indication as of yet whether other beverage sponsors in the series will continue their participation in a series now under a competitor’s name. Current principal team sponsors include 5-Hour Energy (which sponsors Clint Bowyer’s No. 15 Chevy SS) and Dr. Pepper (whose logo features prominently on David Ragan’s No. 23 Toyota Camry fielded by BK Racing that took over the team after Red Bull’s withdrawal in 2011).
Monster Energy already serves as presenting sponsor for the FIA World Rallycross Championship, in which Red Bull sponsors several drivers. Meanwhile Red Bull similarly sponsors the rival Global Rallycross series, in which Tanner Foust and Scott Speed are supported by Rockstar energy drinks and Brian Deegan by NOS.