Track Junky
03-08-2012, 10:29 AM
For the past decade, what used to be called Sears Point Raceway has been
called Infineon Raceway. As of May 31, it will be called something else.
Infineon Technologies, a German semiconductor manufacturer whose U.S.
headquarters are in Milpitas, will not renew its naming-rights deal for
the Sonoma County speedway. The raceway's parent company, Speedway
Motorsports Inc., made the announcement Wednesday in its annual earnings
report.
The deal with Infineon was worth $34.6 million over 10 years, raceway
officials said.
Raceway President Steve Page said Wednesday that Infineon's departure was
not a surprise.
"We've known for three or four years that Infineon was not going to
renew," he said. "When we did this deal in 2002, Infineon's management
people were very active around motor racing. They had Mario Andretti on
retainer and brought clients here from around the world.
"About three years later, the whole management group was replaced."
He said the raceway is in the market for a naming-rights partner.
"Hopefully, we'll have a new name by the end of the year," he said. "We
have lots of conversations going on, but there's nothing imminent." Tom
FitzGerald is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright 2012 SF Chronicle
called Infineon Raceway. As of May 31, it will be called something else.
Infineon Technologies, a German semiconductor manufacturer whose U.S.
headquarters are in Milpitas, will not renew its naming-rights deal for
the Sonoma County speedway. The raceway's parent company, Speedway
Motorsports Inc., made the announcement Wednesday in its annual earnings
report.
The deal with Infineon was worth $34.6 million over 10 years, raceway
officials said.
Raceway President Steve Page said Wednesday that Infineon's departure was
not a surprise.
"We've known for three or four years that Infineon was not going to
renew," he said. "When we did this deal in 2002, Infineon's management
people were very active around motor racing. They had Mario Andretti on
retainer and brought clients here from around the world.
"About three years later, the whole management group was replaced."
He said the raceway is in the market for a naming-rights partner.
"Hopefully, we'll have a new name by the end of the year," he said. "We
have lots of conversations going on, but there's nothing imminent." Tom
FitzGerald is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright 2012 SF Chronicle