A New Model in Sponsorship: Sellers and SkillsUSA Announce Unique NASCAR Partnership

Leesburg, VA: After an impressive third place finish in the 2007 NASCAR Grand National Busch East Series, Peyton Sellers has joined forces with SkillsUSA, one of the largest student non-profit organizations in the country, to form a unique sponsorship opportunity. Sellers plans to field the “SkillsUSA team,” to be co-branded with SkillsUSA and one or two major corporate sponsors. Sponsoring companies will have major presence on the car, and will also have access to SkillsUSA chapters across the country.

SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry representatives working together to ensure America has a skilled work force. Formerly, known as VICA, SkillsUSA was founded in 1965 and is a national non-profit organization serving over 285,000 students and teachers annually in 130 different trade, technical and skilled service occupational training programs.

“I have always believed it is important for everyone to get an education,” said Sellers. “Our association with SkillsUSA can bring attention to the benefits it provides to those who are pursuing a skilled trade. At the same time, we can offer a sponsor a very unique opportunity.” Sellers has had a history of supporting education, with his “Stay in School” platform and past association with the Race to GED and his hometown Danville Community College.  The new approach will allow him to take this message to many schools across the US, and allow a major corporate sponsor an affiliation with this cause and access to this same audience.  

With the approaching retirement of the baby boomers, an employment gap as high as 35 million people will open in the American work force over the next 25 years. More than two-thirds of this gap will occur in jobs requiring technical skills such as those served by SkillsUSA. “We are excited about being involved in something like this and with a team of this caliber,” said Tim Lawrence, executive director of SkillsUSA. “We’ve had significant interest from many potential companies whose values align with this need or are interested in reaching out to this important audience.” 

In 15,000 high school and two-year college classrooms across the country, SkillsUSA students benefit from not only an enhanced curriculum in their chosen field, but by developing important leadership skills, professional ethics, communication skills, citizenship, and teamwork. The organization has served more than 9.3 million members.   

“We see this as a whole new model in sponsorship”, said Michelle Soyars, CCO of Media Fit, the marketing resource of Sellers Racing.  “It’s got all the national awareness of a major NASCAR sponsorship, plus it delivers more PR punch, a higher level of brand equity, and much more efficient activation opportunities.  Not to mention, the sponsorship involves a driver of the caliber of Peyton Sellers.” 

Sellers finished third out of 74 drivers in the NASCAR Grand National Busch East Series and second in the Toyota All-Star Showdown in Irwindale, California this year. The new “SkillsUSA team” will be pursuing opportunities in the ARCA, Craftsman Truck, and/or Nationwide Series.