Helio's new sponsor for 2011

**Big Mo** · 11-23-2010 08:35 PM

Shell.
Possibly.
Updated with photo:

**fleshwound_NPG** · 11-23-2010 09:00 PM

Sonoco will be thrilled.

Just like they were with Kevin Harvick winning the Daytona 500.

**fleshwound_NPG** · 11-23-2010 09:06 PM

Pennzoil makes much more sense.

You can (almost) have the late '80s Penske liveries all over again with Helio/Pennzoil, Briscoe/Penske and instead of the Miller car it's Verizon for Power.

**Gomer Simpson** · 11-23-2010 09:06 PM

Interesting. I would've thought they'd have gone with Pennzoil.

**fleshwound_NPG** · 11-23-2010 09:10 PM

**Luy** · 11-23-2010 09:16 PM

Well, Shell is still yellow and red, so maybe they can do something similar to the old Pennzoil cars:

**fleshwound_NPG** · 11-23-2010 09:20 PM

The problem with Shell being the primary sponsor is the Sonoco sponsors the series (official fuel)....THAT won't go down well.

There's a reason it's Shell/Pennzoil on the side of Harvick's car and not just Shell. The big reason is Sonoco would sh*t a brick and whine.

**Gomer Simpson** · 11-23-2010 09:28 PM

If Sunoco didn't require the contract to give them exclusivity, they had to have known this could/would eventually happen. Either they had the chance for exclusivity and didn't want to pay the price for it, or exclusivity wasn't on the table and they decided the sponsorship was worthwhile anyway. My guess would be the latter.

**Grizzlor** · 11-23-2010 09:39 PM

First off, I don't know that Sunoco's contract with IICS is anything close to the one it has with NASCAR. Second, I guarantee Sunoco's NASCAR deal is for significantly more money and exclusivity in NASCAR, because that's how NASCAR does business - monopoly style. This would be surprising, because Penske and Cindric repeatedly said that Shell would only be an associate on the IndyCar side.

PS: Peak is currently still the official motor oil.

**Mearsfan53081** · 11-23-2010 09:41 PM

My bet is the rlr scheme. It looks almost exactly like the Penske scheme from 2010 with different colors

**voice_of_reason** · 11-23-2010 09:49 PM

Maybe they can squeeze by with just Shell Rotella. That is the motor oil Shell makes. That wouldn't conflict with Sunoco Fuel.

**Grizzlor** · 11-23-2010 09:53 PM

Let's not forget that Honda has allowed Lotus to sponsor a car they are powering.

**wreckinturnone** · 11-23-2010 10:01 PM

Originally Posted by Grizzlor

Let's not forget that Honda has allowed Lotus to sponsor a car they are powering.

The shell car in cart was pretty cool.vasser and brack drove it

**BSJracing** · 11-23-2010 10:03 PM

Originally Posted by wreckinturnone

The shell car in cart was pretty cool.vasser and brack drove it

Not to mention Herta...

**Grizzlor** · 11-23-2010 10:06 PM

**millrace** · 11-23-2010 10:24 PM

Originally Posted by fleshwound_NPG

Sonoco will be thrilled.

Just like they were with Kevin Harvick winning the Daytona 500.

You say that like we're supposed to know what the heck you are talking about. Is that Nascar jabber?

**Cygni** · 11-23-2010 10:33 PM

Sonoco's contract isn't exclusive, and they really have no say in what Penske puts on his sidepods.

Penske's deal with Shell is massive, spanning everything from his cup cars to his car dealerships to his trucking company. It would surprise me if Shell's logos DIDN'T show up on his IndyCars.

**Gomer Simpson** · 11-23-2010 10:38 PM

Originally Posted by Cygni

Sonoco's contract isn't exclusive, and they really have no say in what Penske puts on his sidepods.

It would really surprise me if IndyCar signs any of those NASCAR-like exclusive sponsorship deals in the Randy Bernard era. Limiting the already limited sponsorship opportunities for IndyCar teams right now wouldn't be very wise. I think Randy is smarter than that. I don't even think they're a good idea when you're as popular as NASCAR was at its peak.

**Packer487** · 11-23-2010 11:18 PM

Never liked Brack's paint scheme but I always thought that Herta's car was the coolest one outthere.

**fleshwound_NPG** · 11-23-2010 11:41 PM

Originally Posted by millrace

You say that like we're supposed to know what the heck you are talking about. Is that Nascar jabber?

http://autoracingsport.com/sunoco-co...uniformhelmet/

**Grizzlor** · 11-23-2010 11:52 PM

Randy Bernard has said he doesn't like exclusive deals other than Izod's. And yes, Rahal-Letterman's Shell paint job was great.

**clovis** · 11-23-2010 11:53 PM

Originally Posted by fleshwound_NPG

Those were the days, weren't they?

I was in college then...and still use Pennzoil exclusively today because of their continued sponsorship in Indycar. Isn't it wild how a car sponsorship can cause someone to be a life long user of a product?

**Shadow101** · 11-24-2010 12:11 AM

Originally Posted by fleshwound_NPG

The problem with Shell being the primary sponsor is the Sonoco sponsors the series (official fuel)....THAT won't go down well.

There's a reason it's Shell/Pennzoil on the side of Harvick's car and not just Shell. The big reason is Sonoco would sh*t a brick and whine.

I don't remember Valvoline complaining when a Pennzoil or STP car was in victory lane.

**fleshwound_NPG** · 11-24-2010 12:37 AM

Originally Posted by Shadow101

I don't remember Valvoline complaining when a Pennzoil or STP car was in victory lane.

That's because....

http://autoracingsport.com/sunoco-co...uniformhelmet/

**Fro** · 11-24-2010 08:33 AM

We've known Shell/Vpower is the associate sponsor (replacing Mobil1) for the 3 Penske cars for a long time.

**Big Mo** · 11-24-2010 08:56 AM

Here's the photo as promised.

**texacostar05** · 11-24-2010 09:13 AM

Sweet..thanks Big Mo

**Fro** · 11-24-2010 09:16 AM

Hmm, that's cleanly the gas side of things. Shell V-Power pretty prominent and only a tiny Pennzoil logo. I'm guessing the Cup car will be the opposite.

I see the V-Power logo for Briscoe and Power in the old Mobil 1 spot. Verizon is associate on Helio & Briscoe's cars. Briscoe may still get the Altria money as it ramps down (or it could be Penskebux)