BRISTOL, Conn., June 21 (UPI) -- ESPN.com reported Thursday that Sprint will replace Nextel as the sponsor of NASCAR auto races and the championship points race in 2008.
The series will be re-named the Sprint Cup Series.
When Nextel signed a 10-year contract with NASCAR in 2003, it made a provision for one "re-branding" during the life of the agreement. Sprint is paying NASCAR a reported $70 million a year for naming rights to the national series.
"To my knowledge, they have not made a decision about that yet," NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston told the Daytona Beach (Fla.) News-Journal.
"If a decision is made for a change to occur, we'll certainly let everyone know," added Sprint spokesman Kurt Culbert. "At this point, it's no new news to report."
In 2004, the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., under its Winston brand, asked out of its deal with NASCAR. Winston had sponsored NASCAR's top series since 1971.
Sprint and Nextel agreed to a $36 billion merger in December 2004.
