NASCAR Implements Team Owner Charter Agreement
for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
New Collaborative Business Model for Owners and Tracks Now in Place for 2016
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 9, 2016)
– During a historic event held
today in Charlotte, N.C., NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France joined
with NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team owners to announce a landmark
long-term agreement that provides teams with increased business
certainty and the ability to work more closely with NASCAR
to produce best-in-class racing.
In
effect as the 2016 NASCAR season prepares to kick off this weekend, the
new Charter system addresses three key areas – participation,
governance
and economics – to promote a more predictable, sustainable and valuable
team business model. The agreement grants NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Charters to 36 teams, establishes a Team Owner Council that will have
formal input into decisions, and provides Charter
teams with new revenue opportunities including a greater interest in
digital operations.
“Today
represents a landmark change to the business model of team ownership in
NASCAR,” France said. “The Charter agreements provide nine years of
stability for NASCAR and the teams to focus on growth initiatives
together with our track partners, auto manufacturers, drivers and
sponsors. The Charters also are transferable, which will aid in the
development of long-term enterprise value for Charter members.”
The
system affords Charter teams that remain in good standing more
predictable revenue over the nine years of the agreement. Along with
improved
financial certainty, the new framework is designed to increase the
long-term market value of teams and provide the ability to plan farther
ahead with existing, new and prospective partners.
Similar
to the five-year sanctioning agreements that NASCAR begins with tracks
in 2016, team owner Charter agreements allow for longer planning cycles
around competition, innovation, digital marketing, governance and
research and development.
“The
new Charter program strengthens each of our businesses individually and
the team model as a whole, which is good for NASCAR, our fans, drivers,
sponsors and the thousands of people who we employ,” said Rob Kauffman,
co-owner of Chip Ganassi Racing. “This will give us more stability and
predictability, and it will allow us to take a more progressive,
long-term approach to issues.
“NASCAR
and the teams share a desire to preserve, promote and grow the sport
and ultimately produce great racing for our fans and partners. These
common goals served as the foundation for discussions and helped bring
us to this unprecedented agreement. This is a great step forward for the
entire sport made possible by Brian France setting a new course for the
NASCAR industry and the owners coming together
on shared issues. Everyone involved then compromised a bit to be able
to come up with something that worked for all.”
Each
Charter team owner has a guaranteed entry into the field of every
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points race. To maintain the historical
openness
of NASCAR racing, the balance of the field will be open for team owners
who do not hold Charters. These Open team owners will compete for the
remaining starting spots and positions in the race, as each event in the
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ starting lineup
shifts in 2016 to a 40-car field.
“The
new team owner agreements will offer a more appealing environment for
both current and prospective team owners at the NASCAR premier series
level,” France said. “I’ve always stressed that if we can do things to
improve the business of our stakeholders, we will pursue it. I’m very
proud of what we’ve accomplished today with this agreement.”
NASCAR Charter teams
(Listed by historical inception of race team entity, then numerical)
2015 Car #
|
2016 Car #
|
Organization
|
43
|
43
|
Richard Petty Motorsports
|
9
|
44
|
Richard Petty Motorsports
|
3
|
3
|
Richard Childress Racing
|
27
|
27
|
Richard Childress Racing
|
31
|
31
|
Richard Childress Racing
|
2
|
2
|
Team Penske
|
22
|
22
|
Team Penske
|
5
|
5
|
Hendrick Motorsports
|
24
|
24
|
Hendrick Motorsports
|
48
|
48
|
Hendrick Motorsports
|
88
|
88
|
Hendrick Motorsports
|
6
|
6
|
Roush Fenway Racing
|
16
|
16
|
Roush Fenway Racing
|
17
|
17
|
Roush Fenway Racing
|
1
|
1
|
Chip Ganassi Racing
|
42
|
42
|
Chip Ganassi Racing
|
11
|
11
|
Joe Gibbs Racing
|
18
|
18
|
Joe Gibbs Racing
|
20
|
20
|
Joe Gibbs Racing
|
15
|
TBD
|
Michael Waltrip Racing
|
55
|
TBD
|
Michael Waltrip Racing
|
4
|
4
|
Stewart-Haas Racing
|
10
|
10
|
Stewart-Haas Racing
|
14
|
14
|
Stewart-Haas Racing
|
78
|
78
|
Furniture Row Racing
|
35
|
34
|
Front Row Motorsports
|
38
|
38
|
Front Row Motorsports
|
47
|
47
|
JTG Daugherty Racing
|
7
|
7
|
Tommy Baldwin Racing
|
13
|
13
|
Germain Racing
|
32
|
32
|
Go Fas Racing
|
23
|
23
|
BK Racing
|
83
|
83
|
BK Racing
|
62
|
62
|
Premium Motorsports
|
33
|
95
|
Circle Sport Racing
|
51
|
15
|
HScott Motorsports
|
The
2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season will kick off with the Sprint
Unlimited
on Saturday, Feb. 13 and the 58th running of the Daytona 500® on
Sunday, Feb. 21 at Daytona International Speedway®. The Sprint Unlimited
and the Great American Race® will be broadcast live on FOX, MRN Radio
and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, with additional coverage
on NASCAR.com.
