NASCAR’s top series gets new name, logo

The new name of NASCAR’s premier series is the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, a name that takes effect Jan. 1.

The first race in the newly named series will be the 59th Daytona 500 on Feb. 26, NASCAR said. The new series name and brand mark, which features the neon green Monster logo, were shared Monday across NASCAR’s social and digital media platforms.

NASCAR’s new logo features all capitalized, white bold letters with yellow, red and blue stripes before them. The previous logo was white bold lettering overlaid on stripes of yellow, red, magenta and blue.

“Our new NASCAR mark is modern, timeless, and embraces the heritage of our sport,” said Jill Gregory, NASCAR’s senior vice-president and chief marketing officer. “It was important for us to recognize our history and implement a piece of each previous mark in the new design.”

NASCAR announced its new deal with the energy drink giant earlier this month. NASCAR executives say the sponsorship is another way it is seeking to connect with younger fans, though experts say the deal carries risks for both sides.

NASCAR’s attendance has been dwindling in recent years for a host of reasons — from stagnant wage growth among the middle class to fans’ distaste for the Chase format and NASCAR’s rule changes. And while the energy drink industry has been growing, the drinks’ safety, especially among young consumers, has come into question.

Winston-Salem-based tobacco company R.J. Reynolds ended its nearly 30-year sponsorship of NASCAR in 2003. Under RJR, NASCAR’s premier series was the Winston Cup Series, a nod to RJR-branded cigarettes.