Military Sponsorships to remain in sports.

Military sponsorships will be allowed to continue: NASCAR and bass fishing can count on the military to keep the sponsorship money coming. The House voted Wednesday night to continue spending millions for the military to back sports to attract recruits for the all-volunteer force. On a vote of 216-202, the House rejected an amendment by Reps. Jack Kingston, R-Ga., and Betty McCollum, D-Minn., that would have trimmed $72.3 million for sports sponsorships from a $608 billion defense bill for fiscal 2013. The measure had targeted the money the National Guard spends to sponsor Dale Earnhardt Jr., NASCAR's most popular driver, as well as IndyCar Series driver JR Hildebrand. It also would have cut money the Army spends on the National Hot Rod Association drag racing, funds the Marine Corps uses for the Ultimate Fighting Championship and money spent on bass fishing. The House spent most of the day and night debating the far-reaching defense legislation that provides money for war, troops and weapons next year. Yet talk of Earnhardt's #88, bass fishing and NASCAR dominated the discussion. Kingston, a Georgian who says he hails from NASCAR and military country, insisted the sponsorship money was ineffective, attracting few recruits,and made no sense as the Army shrinks from a peak of 570,000 to 490,000 and the Marine Corps drops by 20,000, to 182,000. The end of the Iraq war, the drawdown in Afghanistan and the nation's fiscal woes have reshaped the defense budget, which has nearly doubled in the last 10 years.(Associated Press/ESPN)(7-19-2012)

Hooray, I guess?

At least SHR gets to keep their Army sponsorship.

Patrick confirmed for 2nd car still, since Newman will probably become the R&D driver or something.

I heard somewhere that this decision won't change the U.S. Army decision to not sponsor Newman...?

Casey Lester wrote:

Patrick confirmed for 2nd car still, since Newman will probably become the R&D driver or something.

Newman's probably leaving Stewart-Haas at the end of 2012. Chances are he could wind up going to Andretti's team if Kurt Busch doesn't get retained by Finch.