Friday, Jan. 28, 2005 | 10:17 a.m.
SUN WIRE SERVICE
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- One year after Winston ended its partnership with NASCAR, one company is using the sport to promote a much different message: quit smoking.
Racing fans were exposed to tobacco advertisements for more than 30 years through Winston's sponsorship of the premier Cup series, which was replaced by Nextel last season.
But that also created a market for those same fans who might want to stop smoking. As such, Nicorette announced Thursday it has become an associate sponsor for Casey Mears' No. 41 car this season.
Research has indicated that "NASCAR fans are more likely than the average American to smoke, but they're also more interested in quitting than the general population," Nicorette marketer Steve Kapur said. "They might have started young and they're at the point in their lives where they're starting to feel the health effects."
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