NASCAR.com has announced the launch of the NASCAR Pro Championship presented by Sprint, the first-ever NASCAR social gaming experience, which will be featured within Car Town, the largest automotive and motorsports game on Facebook. The launch of the NASCAR Pro Championship presented by Sprint coincides with the coverage of TNT’s Summer Series and will run through the conclusion of the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series on Nov. 20 in Homestead, Fla.
The NASCAR Pro Championship presented by Sprint is free to play and provides NASCAR fans and Facebook users with the opportunity to compete against their friends in a sponsored race and complete challenges and activities that will earn them virtual rewards. Race winners will accumulate prizes to add to their Car Town garage.
During the game, fans can race against virtual drivers on a series of three different tracks, complete a variety of missions and involve their social network to win the coveted NASCAR Pro Championship title. Popularity rankings will also allow players to keep up with their friends and invite others to be their virtual fans.
As title sponsor, Sprint will be heavily integrated into the game with race graphics throughout, including a branded vehicle, race entrance, victory lane and leader board. Players can earn Sprint-branded virtual rewards by watching a NASCAR 101 video featuring Miss Sprint Cup, by visiting Miss Sprint Cup’s Facebook page and by sharing a picture of their virtual car with their Facebook friends. Sprint-branded promotional media and calls-to-action from NASCAR.com, Yahoo! NASCAR and TNT NASCAR coverage will drive viewers online to play the game.
As an added bonus, special codes will be delivered on-air during TNT’s coverage of the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup series giving fans an opportunity to win prizes during their online game play. Each month, fans have a chance to start over as a new challenge begins and a new champion is crowned.
“Through our NASCAR.COM features including video highlights, live leaderboards and RaceBuddy, fans can engage in an interactive viewing experience,” said Justin Williams, senior director of business operations for NASCAR.COM. “Adding the NASCAR Pro Championship presented by Sprint allows us to reach fans already engaged in social media gaming and continue to provide them with a fully immersive NASCAR experience.”
“We’re excited to launch the NASCAR Pro Championship presented by Sprint as a complement to the Daytona Challenge launched by International Speedway Corporation, alongside many of the NASCAR teams, earlier this year,” said John Martin, managing director, NASCAR Digital. “The NASCAR industry continues to be uniquely positioned through the partnership with Car Town to introduce the excitement of stock car racing to a new generation of fans.”
Car Town was developed by Cie Games, creator of interactive media properties that deliver deeper engagement and a rich experience to game players and serve as a powerful media platform for advertisers. Car Town, the first Facebook game built around brands, was launched in 2010 and already has attracted almost 9 million users. Car Town players use virtual currency to purchase, collect and customize virtual cars and build their dream garage. Owners can race against their friends and perform a variety of tasks that earn points they can use to purchase additional cars or car-related products and services – just as they would do in real life.
