Shell Oil Co. and Penske Corp. have announced a multi-year cross business alliance set to begin during the 2011 NASCAR racing season.
Under the alliance, Shell and Pennzoil plan to expand their motorsports presence with a primary sponsorship with 2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, Kurt Busch and the No. 22 car, as well as associate sponsorships promoting Shell V-Power with IZOD IndyCar Series drivers Helio Castroneves, Will Power and Ryan Briscoe.
The partnership also provides an opportunity for Shell and Pennzoil to expand their presence not only within motorsports, but also as a supplier of fuels, lubricants and related products to the Penske organization.
Beginning in 2011, Shell and Pennzoil are scheduled to be the “Official Fuel and Motor Oil Supplier” to the Penske organization in the U.S., and the organizations will look to extend their partnership with business development opportunities in several other countries.
The alliance continues to enable further product development for Shell and Pennzoil both on and off the track through the invaluable knowledge gained surrounding fuels, lubricants and engine technologies. Like Shell and Pennzoil, Penske Corp. has a close relationship with Chrysler and Ferrari, both part of the Fiat Group.
Winning is a tradition for Penske, an organization that has earned more than 315 major race victories, including 15 Indianapolis 500 wins and the 2008 Daytona 500, 370 pole positions and 22 national championships.
As part of the alliance, Pennzoil will become the “Official Motor Oil” of Penske Racing in 2011, which includes all of its entries in the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series as well as the IZOD IndyCar Series. For Pennzoil, returning to Penske is a homecoming of sorts as Pennzoil first aligned with Penske as part of its IndyCar teams in 1983 and won the 1984 and 1988 Indianapolis 500 Mile Races with driver Rick Mears. In addition, Kurt Busch won his 2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship driving a Pennzoil-supported car for another team.
