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Racing History
Texaco has a storied relationship with auto racing, sponsoring drivers since 1972. Since 1987, Texaco is still a major sponsor of the most gruelling and popular racing organization, the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) NEXTEL Cup Series. This commitment ensures the excellence of Texaco/Havoline's products and builds customer loyalty among the millions of racing fans in the United States and around the world.
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Texaco's winning heritage continues with 2003 NASCAR Raybestos Rookie of the Year Jamie McMurray piloting the No. 42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge. McMurray won his first NASCAR Winston Cup Series race in only his second start in October 2002, setting a new NASCAR modern-era record by becoming the quickest driver to win a Winston Cup race. Thirty-two years ago, Texaco/Havoline broke into auto racing with its sponsorship of two-time world champion Emerson Fittipaldi on the Formula One circuit. But Texaco's earliest roots in auto racing go back even farther.
The Early Days
Texaco's entry into the infant sport of auto racing was a 1913 ad that featured a racing car on a dirt track, piloted by Louis Disbrow, a record-setting driver who endorsed the superior performance of the company's motor oil and gasoline. Four years later, a two-man team performed a cross-country test of Texaco products by driving a Maxwell touring car from Newark, N.J., to Los Angeles, Calif., in 10 days and 16 hours.
In 1930, Texaco employee Stu Hawley broke cross-country records by driving a Buick, fueled and lubricated by Texaco, from New York to Los Angeles and back in just under six days. That same year, James Hargis and Charles Creighton covered the same distance, only it took them 42 days because they drove the entire route backwards-- hence their nickname, "The Backward Boys."
The next year, Texaco acquired the rights to Havoline's line of quality lubricants. Both companies knew the value of product testing under the most demanding circumstances, and Texaco/Havoline Racing was soon to be born. Texaco/Havoline began sponsoring auto racing in 1972, entering an arena of high drama and enormous popularity that continues to grow 30 years later.
NASCAR
Texaco/Havoline's NASCAR sponsorship is a natural extension of the company's support for auto racing. As interest in stock-car racing continues to mount among fans at tracks and on television throughout the United States, Texaco/Havoline demonstrates the reliability of its products in this unique form of auto racing. NASCAR alone attracts fans for its high-speed contact and gamesmanship.
As a master of these power-packed "games of tag," Davey Allison set a high standard when he earned Rookie of the Year honors as the first driver of the "Texaco Havoline Star" car in the 1987 Winston Cup Series. He logged 19 victories in Winston Cup events before his death in a tragic helicopter crash in 1993.
Ernie Irvan took his place behind the wheel of the Havoline machine and also achieved great sucess. In 1998, he was named one of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers.
Dale Jarrett represented Texaco/Havoline and won the 1999 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Championship, two years after finishing second in the points standings.
Since then, Texaco/Havoline Racing has been represented by Kenny Irwin, who was named Rookie of the Year in 1998; Ricky Rudd; and now NASCAR's most recent rising star and 2003 Rookie of the Year - Jamie McMurray.
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CART/Formula 1
Texaco's sponsorship was a big part of Formula 1 Racing from 1976 through 2002. Texaco's winning tradition continued in 1976 when Britain's James Hunt drove a Texaco-backed McLaren-Ford to the Formula 1 world title.
In 1989, Texaco/Havoline joined KMART as sponsors of the Newman/Haas Racing team, featuring such legends as Mario Andretti, Michael Andretti and Nigel Mansell.
Another dramatic "first" occurred in 1989, when Mario and Michael Andretti became the premiere father/son team to compete for one Champ Car team, as drivers for Newman/Haas Racing. Two years later, Michael swept the PPG Cup title with an unprecedented eight wins and eight poles. Also during 1991, Mario's son Jeff Andretti was added to Team Texaco and went on to earn Indy 500 and Champ Rookie of the Year honors.
When Michael Andretti left Newman/Haas Racing in 1993 to compete in Formula One, he was replaced by Nigel Mansell, who went on to win the CART championship that same year.
In 2001 Texaco/Havoline/KMART sponsored the Toyota-Lola, driven by young star Cristiano da Matta. He won four consecutive races in one stretch on his way to the CART Championship in 2002.
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CART
From banked super speedways to short ovals and from city streets to country roads, the Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) FedEx Championship Series is the bellwether of high-speed auto racing. Texaco's sponsorship was a big part of CART Racing from 1972 through 1985.
Texaco's first big sponsorship was Brazilian driver Emerson Fittipaldi, who became the youngest Formula 1 world champion ever in 1972 and won it again in 1974. Known for his good sportsmanship as well as his competitiveness and skills, Fittipaldi became a legendary figure in racing and continues his involvement to this day.
Texaco made history again in 1978 when it sponsored Janet Guthrie's Indy Car and NASCAR efforts. She became the Indy 500's first lady starter and finisher, earning ninth place despite driving with a fractured wrist. Her "Texaco Star Wildcat" racing car was later donated to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame.
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