Ansell’s goal in lending their name to the ARCA RE/MAX Series Chicagoland event was to help draw attention to the Ansell line of hand protection products, currently available in each of the nation’s 245 Menards Home Improvement Stores. The name “Ansell Cut Protection 150″ was chosen to help highlight some of the unique characteristics of Ansell gloves.
“For over 100 years Ansell has been known for providing best-in-class protection solutions,” said Steve York, Director of channel development for Ansell Protective Products. “We pride ourselves on understanding user needs across all markets in regards to hand protection. Whether you are a professional contractor or a weekend warrior, lacerations/cuts are a major concern. By naming our race the Ansell Cut Protection 150, we hope to drive further awareness of the importance of wearing the proper level of cut protection.”
In racing’s early days, race events were titled primarily based upon the race location (ie, Daytona 200, Southern 500, Carolina 400), which provided a clear sense of nostalgia for the host geographic region/ track but did not necessarily help promote a company or product. Later, as Corporate America helped transform motor sports into a unique advertising stream, corporate race titles became the norm (ie., Budweiser 500, AC Delco 200).
In recent times, creative thinking from Corporate Sponsors has allowed race event names to become even more unique. For instance, Diego, the parent company of Crown Royal, involved race fans in the naming process for the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond Int’l Raceway. The race was entitled the “Crown Royal presents the Dan Lowry 400″ after a race fan won the naming rights during a contest designed to help promote the event and draw attention to the Crown Royal Brand.
Other unique race names in the ARCA RE/MAX Series throughout the years have included The Pork the Other White Meat 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the Prince Metternich ARCA 200 at Daytona Int’l Speedway, the Silver Dollar 150 at Toledo Speedway and the Par-A-Dice 100 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds.
Ansell is the world’s largest manufacturer of protective gloves and clothing, providing leadership in the areas of development, design, manufacturing and marketing. Ansell has led the personal protective equipment industry with “Ideas that Fit™” for more than 100 years. The global manufacturer has provided comprehensive safety solutions and product innovations to help manufacturers across a wide range of industries reduce worker injuries and boost productivity.
The Ansell Cut Protection 150, race 15 of the 21-race 2009 ARCA RE/MAX Series, marks the Series’ ninth appearance to Chicagoland since 2001. Former winners include Ed Berrier, Chad Blount, Frank Kimmel, Kyle Krisiloff, Dawayne Bryan, Steve Wallace, Michael McDowell and Scott Lagasse. The Ansell Cut Protection 150 rolls off at 6:30 p.m. Eastern on Friday, August 28, 2009, Live on SPEED.
- ARCA Press Release