Another top sponsor leaving NASCAR: Jim Beam

  Robby Gordon: a big sponsorship hit, with Jim Beam dropping support (Photo: Toyota Motorsports)
  

   By Mike Mulhern
   mikemulhern.net

   NASCAR is losing yet another sponsor, Jim Beam, which has been Robby Gordon's major sponsor on the Sprint Cup tour.
   The company announced that decision Tuesday, one day after Jack Daniels announced it was ending its NASCAR sponsorship with Richard Childress.
   Jim Beam officials said "marketing plans for 2010 will not include a return to the NASCAR Sprint Cup series. As a result, the company will not extend its current partnership with Robby Gordon Motorsports in 2010.
    "The company plans to focus its marketing resources for Jim Beam into other platforms that directly impact the end consumer."
    Company president Bill Newlands said "It was a difficult decision to transition away from being a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team sponsor.
    "We always take a hard look at our marketing resources and how we can best interact with legal purchase age consumers. After an extensive review of our marketing strategy, we have come up with new alternatives to fuel growth for Jim Beam in 2010."