New title sponsor for NHRA as Coca-Cola extends

The NHRA Drag Racing Championship has announced it will have a new Title sponsor from 2013 through to 2018 when The Coca-Cola Company switches its title sponsorship from the Full Throttle energy drink brand to Mello Yello.

From next year, the Series is to be known as The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.

According to SportsPro the deal is worth between $3-4 million per annum. Coca-Cola has been involved with the NHRA since 2002 when the Powerade brand first took naming rights of the biggest drag racing series in the world until 2009 when Full Throttle (The Coca-Cola Company’s US Energy Drink platform) took the title sponsorship.

“The Coca-Cola Company and our bottlers have enjoyed a long and productive relationship with the NHRA,” said Sharon Byers – Senior VP of Sports and Entertainment Marketing at The Coca-Cola Company. “Together, we have created a successful formula for many Coca-Cola brands to connect with NHRA’s passionate and dedicated community. We know this trend will continue with the addition of Mello Yello, which boasts its own faithful following, to the equation.”

2013 will mark a return to motorsport for the Mello Yello brand which enjoyed a successful partnership with Kyle Petty during 1991-1994 in the top tier of NASCAR (now the Sprint Cup).