NASCAR Cup Series

Stewart finds funding from Mobil 1 for 2011

Published Oct. 13, 2010 12:05 a.m. ET

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Tony Stewart's hot streak continued Tuesday, when he announced a partnership with ExxonMobil that fills the primary sponsorship holes on his race car for next season.

The announcement was made two days after Stewart's win at California, which cut his deficit in the title race to a manageable 107 points. There are six races remaining in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship, and Stewart is seeking his third NASCAR title.

The multiyear contract with ExxonMobil will put its Mobil 1 brand on the hood of Stewart's No. 14 Chevrolet for 11 races as primary sponsor. It will share main sponsorship duties on the No. 14 Chevrolet with Office Depot.

''As a team owner, I'm absolutely thrilled to add such a respected technology partner to our race team,'' said Stewart, the co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing.

Crew chief Darian Grubb said Mobil 1 will bring more than sponsorship dollars to SHR.

''I think people underestimate the technology they can bring to our team,'' Grubb said. ''We're just kind of in the infancy state of getting some of those things in place and working out some programs. In the next month or two, it will be some small things. But hopefully by the time next season rolls around, we'll have a competitive advantage.''

The signing takes a weight off Stewart's shoulders in the never-ending search for sponsorship. He learned earlier this season that longtime sponsor Old Spice was leaving his team at the end of this year, and it's not been easy to secure funding in this difficult economy.

Top-name drivers such as Stewart have struggled to find funding, and four-time champion Jeff Gordon still does not have a primary sponsorship deal announced for next season. But Stewart said there's still money to be found for NASCAR teams.

''There are still companies that are going to be in the sport, and there are still companies who want to be associated with marquee guys,'' he said. ''I can promise you that (Gordon and Hendrick Motorsports) are not sitting over there without an offer on the table.''

Stewart said Mobil 1 fills his car for 2011, and teammate Ryan Newman is in good shape, too. But the team is always looking for associate sponsors - a search that has become highly competitive throughout the industry.

''It's tough, you realize there's a lot of teams competing for the same dollars,'' he said. ''The competition off the track is just as tough as the competition on the track right now. I don't know if this is customary, but I know it's competitive when we got letters from our own sponsors that they had sent to Roush (Fenway Racing) saying they were happy with us.''

Mobil 1 is moving to Stewart-Haas from Penske Racing, which signed Shell Oil Company's Pennzoil brand to sponsor Kurt Busch next season.

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