Nostalgia is something that is well-understood by old-school NASCAR fans. While the sport has evolved to become the giant it is today, diehard fans will definitely have the older generation drivers and their raw emotions on the track closer to their hearts.

Recently, former NASCAR Cup Series sponsor and iconic brand has the fans going back a couple of years as they reminisce about the good old days while speculating a possible comeback.

Despite parting ways with NASCAR back in 2003 after a successful association of 30-plus years, the iconic sponsor still is affectionate among many fans. A small update yesterday had the fans think about the possible return of the adored brand despite legal implications acting as a strong deterrent.

Recent reports have fans speculating about the return of an iconic NASCAR sponsor

Before their separation, NASCAR had a proud sponsor, Winston, one of the largest tobacco brands in the country, that helped NASCAR with the ‘Winston Cup’ name. While gone are the days when drivers like Dale Earnhardt Sr used to Winston’s badging on their race suits, the name still resonates deeply with the racing community.

Winston massively helped racing, especially NASCAR. The company helped NASCAR when it was confined to the Southern part of the country to expand its wings to the million-dollar organization it is today.

Now coming to the recent happening, after being acquired for $7.1 Billion dollars by Imperial Tobacco Group in 2015, Winston brand has recently made a small activation at an adult-only speakeasy at NWB, the same iconic place where NASCAR All-Star took place. And this has fans on a nostalgic trip while speculating about the former sponsor’s return.

It was in the 1970s when RJ Reynolds, the owner of the brand, sought a new tie-up with a sports entity it could sponsor and attach its hallmark cigarette brand to. Consequently, everything played out just fine so that NASCAR president Bill France Jr. and RJR sports executive Ralph Seagraves sat down together. And fans got the NASCAR Winston Cup Grand National Series, which then became NASCAR Winston Cup Series.

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Also, Winston is also running a rewards contest that includes a grand prize of a Roval trip and a whopping $20,000 cash prize. Despite a long and successful sponsoring campaign with the organization, stern governmental legislation squeezed the brand to end all advertisements of tobacco products, prompting Winston’s sponsorship.

Fans give their take as the former sponsor teases a possible return

With ITG or Imperial Tobacco Group taking on things from RJ Reynolds in 2015, it also marked the acquisition of an iconic brand. Not only was Winston a key element of the sport’s popularity as it helped the sport reach across the country, but Winston’s group was also generous with NASCAR teams, as they helped them with monetary funds and major deals.

And seeing the news of the brand back near NASCAR seems to have sent the fans to a guessing game.

One fan wrote on Reddit, “TIL: Winston is still around”

“Damn now I regret not going in there Wednesday night when I saw it”

“Everybody’s going to die of something might as well let people do what they want with their health. Hell, sugar and sodium in our foods probably kill more than cigarettes”

“I always just wished as a kid they would have made a bigger gen 4 car that was safer and that was it. Like literally just make it bigger. I miss that car and the Winston days”

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While these updates only indicate speculations about the return of the brand, the once iconic company is still around, still being one of the top tobacco companies in the country.

The post NASCAR Fans Speculate Triumphant Return of Iconic Sponsor After $7.1 Billion Move With $20,000 Prize appeared first on EssentiallySports.



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