Charging into the Ring: Red Bull Racing Enters the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series

摘要

Like to break into the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series? You could do it like some teams have done, by first racing and winning in other series before moving to NASCAR. Or you could do it by starting from scratch and leading the field for two laps at the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona barely a year later, the way Red Bull Racing did in 2007. Founded in 1987, Red Bull is the world's leading energy beverage, with close to a 50 percent share of a USD4 billion market. Last year, more than 3 billion cans were sold in 130 countries, enabling co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz to go racing any weekend, and, potentially, in any series he desires. Shortly before the effort was announced last January, Marty Gaunt was hired as the team's first employee and Vice President, General Manager. "If it has wheels and burns gas, you'll find the Red Bull logo on the side of it from Formula 1 on down," Gaunt explains, "but this is Red Bull's first foray into NASCAR."