WeatherTech named entitlement sponsor of IMSA SportsCar Championship
WeatherTech has been named new title sponsor of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, replacing TUDOR, which has been the title sponsor for the merged championship's first two seasons.
It's a multi-year deal and replaces TUDOR, which was announced to still extend for 10 years through at least 2025 as official timepiece of IMSA.
The Bolingbrook, Ill.-based company has had a longtime presence in sports car racing, primarily supporting Cooper MacNeil's racing career in the American Le Mans Series and now the TUDOR Championship.
MacNeil's father, WeatherTech founder and CEO David MacNeil, expanded on the announcement.
"I have been involved in racing for over 30 years," MacNeil said. "I've competed in IMSA with Alex Job, finishing on the Sebring podium in 1999. My son Cooper has been driving in the American Le Mans Series and TUDOR Championship for the past six years.
"We are thrilled to be a part of the next evolution of sports car racing with the influx of new FIA GT3 cars next season and the new prototypes coming in 2017. This is an exciting time for sports car racing in America and I hope to help broaden the appeal of this compelling sport."
"WeatherTech is the perfect choice to serve as our new entitlement partner as we further expand the marketing activation and exposure of what now will be known as the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship," added IMSA CEO Ed Bennett.
"David MacNeil's enthusiasm and personal passion for our sport, along with his proven success at growing the WeatherTech brand through brilliant, high-quality manufacturing and aggressive product marketing, will pay dividends for all involved.
"This new partnership coupled with the introduction of many new global race car specifications to the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship over the next two seasons gives us an extremely bright future in support of our overall IMSA plans."
This is the company's home race, just slightly more than two and a half hours north of its corporate headquarters, and Cooper MacNeil noted a heavy presence of guests this weekend.
MacNeil told Sportscar365 on Friday that a major announcement was on tap for this weekend.
"It's our home track, and WeatherTech is just 2.5 hours away," MacNeil told Sportscar365. "We have a big announcement to make on Saturday. It's gonna be a pretty big weekend for us."
