Busch Arrest Puts Spotlight on NASCAR Alcohol Sponsors

NASCAR has tried to balance its decision to accept sponsorships from the liquor industry with "responsible drinking" messages, but still faced questions about the deals after a prominent race-car driver was arrested for an alcohol-related offense.

The New York Times reported Nov. 15 that 2004 Nextel Cup champion Kurt Busch was charged with reckless driving in Arizona after being pulled over by police and failing a field sobriety test. Busch was not charged with DUI; a second test was not completed because of an equipment problem.

In the wake of the incident, Busch was suspended for the rest of the 2005 racing season by his team, Roush Racing. One of Roush's main sponsors is liquor company Diageo. "We did not want to be in a position where Roush Racing and Diageo and Newell Rubbermaid [the team's other main sponsor] could be viewed as condoning this behavior," said Roush Racing president Geoff Smith. "In the end, we decided the only appropriate thing to do was suspend him."

"Diageo does not condone this type of behavior from anyone affiliated with our brands or our business," the company said in a prepared statement. "We fully support Roush Racing's swift actions in this regard."

The issue is particularly sensitive for NASCAR, which has its roots in bootlegging in the rural South. Jeff Burton, a fellow NASCAR driver, said the response to Busch's arrest may have been stronger because of the alcohol industry's involvement in racing. "I think the responsibility message has been more thorough because they are involved in our sport than if they weren't involved in our sport," he said. "And if you think about it, someone was held accountable maybe to a higher degree because they are involved in the marketing of alcohol."

NASCAR officials said they have no plans to alter their policy on liquor-company sponsorships.