NASCAR has given Monster Energy yet another extension so the company can determine if it wants to continue to sponsor the Cup Series.
Monster came aboard as the title sponsor of the Cup Series for the 2017 season on a two-year deal. Monster was also given the ability to continue it’s sponsorship beyond the 2018 season.
NASCAR president Brent Dewar told MRN’s NASCAR Live that NASCAR had granted Monster an extension past a Dec. 31 deadline to decide if they wanted to pick up the option.
“They signed late in the season,” Dewar said via NBC. “I worked with them very closely in bringing them to the sport. They were just looking to have a full season. They had to Dec. 31 (to determine if to agree to the renewal). We’ve given them an extension to go through the evaluation.
Monster was announced as the title sponsor for 2017 back in December of 2016 just ahead of the 2016 driver awards banquet.
The sponsorship of the series by Monster has come at a smaller cost than the one that Spring, then Nextel, spent when it took over as the title sponsor for the 2004 season. Previously the series had been sponsored by Winston from 1971-2003.
Rumors circulated a month ago that NASCAR has begun identifying other companies who could sponsor the series beginning in 2019 if Monster did not extend it’s current deal.
