Tweet lures Camping World in as NHRA new title sponsor

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Marcus Lemonis first learned the NHRA drag racing series had abruptly lost its title sponsor via Twitter and used the same social media platform to alert the league he was interested in helping.

Lemonis tweeted on Sept. 22 to NHRA that Camping World isn't “scared of our commitment to racing... let's sit down and talk sponsorship." Just 12 days later, NHRA announced a multi-year partnership with Camping World as its new title sponsor.

“This is the power of social media, it really is. Welcome to 2020," NHRA President Glen Cromwell said. “Marcus is extremely good at positioning himself and his company in a great light on social media and he took advantage of a great opportunity, probably within 24 hours of the news."

Lemonis took notice the same day NHRA filed suit against sponsor Coca-Cola after Coke severed its 19-year sponsorship agreement that ran through 2023. The suit alleges Coca-Cola, which marketed various products during the deal, “seized on global tragedy, the COVID-19 pandemic, as a pretext" to walk away to save money.

NHRA, like most businesses, has had a turbulent season while navigating the pandemic. The schedule of 24 events was decimated by cancellations, teams struggled to make budgets work and John Force, the immensely popular 16-time Funny Car champion, sidelined his four-car organization when racing resumed in July.

This season will ultimately have just 11 events and the abrupt and unexpected loss of the title sponsor was going to be a significant blow.

Then Lemonis took notice.

Camping World has sponsored NASCAR's Truck Series since 2009 and Lemonis is already a significant contributor to the motorsports industry. The NHRA sponsorship issue was tagged to him on Twitter by another user and he immediately began his...