Monster Energy hopes to build buzz for Cup

Monster has a two-year sponsorship deal with a two-year option worth a reported $20 million annually — smaller than the $750 million, 10-year deal Sprint paid NASCAR to name the title series.

DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. >> Kurt Busch’s car could have been parked at an auto show. Models in skimpy attire lingered around his Monster Energy car, posing for a steady stream of fans wanting snapshots and selfies.

Even among the cluster of candy, beer and fast food companies adorned on cars lined on the grid at Daytona International Speedway, the oversized green “M” claw on Busch’s Ford caught the eye.

Monster had sponsored Busch, the 2004 NASCAR champion, in the Cup series the last two seasons. But the Clash at Daytona was the debut for the energy drink giant as the title sponsor for the elite Cup series. Spirits were high around the No. 41.

The initial buzz wore off when Busch slammed the car nose first into the wall early in NASCAR’s kickoff race, crunching the hood and leaving the squiggly “M” claw flapping as the car skidded across the track and into the infield grass.

Mitch Covington, Monster’s vice president of sports marketing, watched the race and shrugged off the early exit.

“I had to call Kurt up and tell him good job,” Covington said. “He didn’t appreciate it because he wanted to win the race. Hey, you know, if you’re not going to win, crash ‘em hard, man. Look good.”

Monster, after all, has crafted a party-brand image on looking good.

“It’s built on girls, parties and motorsports,” Covington said.

The big question for the top auto series in North America is whether the mix of busty babes, fan zone smoke shows, motorcycle “ball of death” and the corporate logo plastered on all 40 Cup cars be enough to give NASCAR the jolt the sport desperately needs. NASCAR is ready to try anything to get out of its funk of sliding fan interest, both at the track and on TV screens.

Monster Energy has a two-year sponsorship deal with a two-year option worth a reported $20 million annually — far smaller than the $750 million, 10year deal Sprint paid NASCAR to have its name emblazoned in the title series. NASCAR’s top circuit has been called the Winston Cup, Nextel Cup and Sprint Cup. Monster is now on board, trying to make NASCAR hip again, and entice a younger generation to give the sport a shot.

“No matter what they’re doing, they’re always trying to find something creative ,” Busch said.

NASCAR was the cool sport on the block roughly two decades ago. Jeff Gordon dazzled Madison Avenue with a polished charm that opened opportunities never seen before in NASCAR. The sport stretched beyond its Southern roots, and drivers were in demand for national magazine cover shoots, late night talk show spots and movie cameos.

TV ratings exploded. Tracks couldn’t build new grandstands fast enough. Companies pumped in needed sponsor cash because they all wanted a piece of the next big thing.