7-Eleven, Inc. extended its successful sponsorship with Andretti Green Racing (AGR) that will keep IndyCar Seriesracer Tony Kanaan in the Team 7-Eleven driver’s seat. The 7-Eleven/Andretti Green sponsorship, regarded as a model motorsports marketing relationship, enters its sixth year in 2008. Kanaan took first place Sunday in the Detroit Indy Grand Prix with Andretti Green teammate Danica Patrick placing second.
“Tony has been a winner for 7-Eleven, both on and off the track,” said Kevin Elliott, 7-Eleven senior vice president of merchandising. “Our employees and franchisees can be proud of 7-Eleven’s association with Tony and the AGR team. He is a competitive, aggressive and principled driver as well as an enthusiastic supporter and customer of 7-Eleven. We look forward to our sponsorship of Tony and to AGR’s Racing Team 7-Eleven in its driveto a championship in 2008.”
Kanaan won the IndyCar Series championship in 2004, breaking several IndyCar Series records: as the first driver to complete all 3,305 laps during the season; by leading the most laps ever in a single season (889) and by finishing in the top five in 15 consecutive races. Kanaan, the 2005 Indianapolis 500 pole position winner, is also the only driver in history to lead laps in his first six starts in the famed race. He finished the 2005 season in second place and sixth in 2006. Currently in third place and still in the hunt for the 2007 title, Kanaan won three of the last four IndyCar Series races leading up to the 2007 finale at the Chicagoland Speedway. He has won more races than any other IndyCar Series driver competing this year.
7-Eleven has been Kanaan’s sponsor since he began racing in the IndyCar Series, and sponsored AGR co-owner Michael Andretti at the Indianapolis 500 in 2003. As part of the extended agreement, Andretti, his son Marco, as well as Patrick may appear in 7-Eleven’s 2008 marketing campaigns. In addition to the Team 7-Eleven sponsorship, 7-Eleven will have a brand presence on Andretti Green’sentire stable of IndyCar Series entries.
“The popularity of the Indy Racing League is growing among our customers, so we believe there is a natural marketing fit for us,” Elliott said. “Also, Tony and Team 7-Eleven can showcase some of our signature products that they enjoy like daily prepared fresh foods, coffee, Slurpeee and Big Gulp drinks plus our recently branded 7-Eleven gasoline.”
The 7-Eleven and Andretti Green brands intersect as industry leaders with quality of service, speed, teamwork, innovation and excellence as their common hallmarks.
Based in Dallas, 7-Eleven operates, franchises or licenses more than 7,200 7-Eleven stores in North America.