The company, until 2009 the leading sponsor in track hospitality, will cut back from providing 17,000 guests with the necessary accommodation through an overall 37 races in 2008 to a maximum amount of 2,000 guests through only 6 races in 2009. Although no news has emerged over how this is going to affect DuPont's sponsorship deal with Gordon, the news is quite worrying. DuPont's current deal with the No 24 Chevy lasts until the end of 2010.
According to some industry experts quoted by NASCAR's official website, the dramatic cuts in their sponsorship programme will produce savings “well into the seven figures”.
“The economy has had a huge impact on us. The current environment along with the high cost of hospitality have forced us to make significant cuts. DuPont began focusing heavily on reducing costs across the board in every business and in every region late last year and continues with that focus,” said Larry Deas, DuPont's motorsports manager, according to the aforementioned source.
“The cost of hospitality, the catering, it's gotten to the point that it's much, much harder to justify doing it,” added Deas.
As far as Gordon is concerned, the only information released by Deas concerning his future role in the sponsorship deal is that he'll be used in other ways in order to make him visible for the NASCAR public.
“Some of these changes will be good for us. Traditionally, what we've done is use Jeff in a face-to-face atmosphere, a hospitality appearance or a dinner. Now we've got to find other mechanisms to use Jeff so that he can impact our revenue without a lot of cost,” concluded Deas.
DuPont's have been main sponsors for Jeff Gordon ever since he set his foot into the Hendrick Motorsports garage, in 1993.
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