
Richard Childress Racing made it official Tuesday: Longtime
NASCAR sponsor Budweiser will join RCR as primary sponsor on current Sprint Cup Series championship leader
Kevin Harvick's No. 29 Chevrolet for 20 of the 36 points races in 2011.
Harvick is the latest in a long line of high-profile sponsorships for the company during the last three decades, including three-time Cup champ Darrell Waltrip, a lengthy and popular pairing with
Dale Earnhardt Jr. and currently
Kasey Kahne.
Childress announced earlier this year that Harvick's current sponsor Shell-Pennzoil would not be returning next season and Kahne revealed last week that he will be joining the Red Bull Racing team for 2011.
A release from the team said in addition to its 20-race primary sponsorship deal, Budweiser would appear on Harvick's Chevy for Daytona Speedweeks' two non-points races and would be co-primary sponsor on the car for the exhibition Sprint All-Star Race. It will be an associate sponsor on the remaining events.
"We're excited to have as successful a driver as Kevin Harvick to usher in a new era for Budweiser,'' said Mark Wright, Anheuser-Busch Vice President of Media, Sports and Entertainment.
http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,localizationConfig,entry&id=834234&pid=834233&uts=1282070217
http://www.aolcdn.com/ke/media_gallery/v1/ke_media_gallery_wrapper.swf
Latest NASCAR Photos
FILE - This Feb. 7, 2009, file photo shows NASCAR driver Kevin Harvick celebrating in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Budweiser Shootout auto race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. Budweiser has teamed with Sprint Cup Series points leader Kevin Harvick as a primary sponsor for most of the 2011 season. (AP Photo/John Raoux, File)
AP
AP
Latest NASCAR Photos
LAS VEGAS - FEBRUARY 27: Brad Keselowski, driver of the #22 Discount Tire Ford, and Kevin Harvick, driver of the #33 Rheem Chevrolet, lead the field to start the NASCAR Nationwide Series Sam's Town 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on February 27, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Brad Keselowski;Kevin Harvick
Latest NASCAR Photos
LAS VEGAS - FEBRUARY 27: Brian Scott, driver of the #11 StopRepairBills.com Toyota, pits during the NASCAR Nationwide Series Sam's Town 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on February 27, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Brian Scott
Latest NASCAR Photos
LAS VEGAS - FEBRUARY 27: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #33 Rheem Chevrolet, pits during the NASCAR Nationwide Series Sam's Town 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on February 27, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Kevin Harvick
Latest NASCAR Photos
LAS VEGAS - FEBRUARY 27: Carl Edwards, driver of the #60 Copart Ford, pits during the NASCAR Nationwide Series Sam's Town 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on February 27, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Carl Edwards
Latest NASCAR Photos
LAS VEGAS - FEBRUARY 27: Danica Patrick, driver of the #7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet, pits during the NASCAR Nationwide Series Sam's Town 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on February 27, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Danica Patrick
Latest NASCAR Photos
LAS VEGAS - FEBRUARY 27: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #20 Interstate Batteries Toyota, pits during the NASCAR Nationwide Series Sam's Town 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on February 27, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Denny Hamlin
Latest NASCAR Photos
LAS VEGAS - FEBRUARY 27: Justin Allgaier, driver of the #12 Verizon Wireless Dodge, pits during the NASCAR Nationwide Series Sam's Town 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on February 27, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by John Harrelson/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Justin Allgaier
Latest NASCAR Photos
LAS VEGAS - FEBRUARY 27: Danica Patrick, driver of the #7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet, and John Wes Townley, driver of the #21 Zaxby's Chevrolet, lead a group of cars during the NASCAR Nationwide Series Sam's Town 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on February 27, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Todd Warshaw/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Danica Patrick;John Wes Townley
Latest NASCAR Photos
LAS VEGAS - FEBRUARY 27: Danica Patrick, driver of the #7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet, leads Mike Bliss, driver of the #40 Buck Commander Chevrolet, during the NASCAR Nationwide Series Sam's Town 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on February 27, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Todd Warshaw/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Danica Patrick;Mike Bliss
Latest NASCAR Photos
LAS VEGAS - FEBRUARY 27: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #33 Rheem Chevrolet, and Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 Z-Line Designs Toyota, lead a group of cars during the NASCAR Nationwide Series Sam's Town 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on February 27, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Todd Warshaw/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kevin Harvick;Kyle Busch
Latest NASCAR Photos