A division of Sonic Automotive has filed for a trademark for the name “EchoPark Speedway,” suggesting that the used car dealership chain could buy naming rights to one of Speedway Motorsports’ venues. The U.S. Patent & Trademark Office’s website shows that Sonic Divisional Operations LLC out of Charlotte filed for a trademark on Feb. 10 for the name EchoPark Speedway. Sonic, one of the largest car dealers in the U.S., launched EchoPark in 2014. Last month’s trademark request -- still pending approval -- for EchoPark Speedway shows the name would be used for “entertainment services in the nature of organizing and conducting motor vehicle races and exhibitions,” according to the filing. Sonic Automotive is publicly traded and tightly controlled by the Smith family, which also owns the privately held track operator and event promoter Speedway Motorsports. SM owns and operates 11 venues throughout the U.S. and promotes 15 Cup Series races annually, but SBJ could not immediately establish which venue could be re-named to EchoPark Speedway as part of the filing. SM declined to comment when reached this week. EchoPark is already the title sponsor of the annual NASCAR Cup Series race at Circuit of the Americas, which SM runs after renting out the venue. EchoPark also became the title sponsor of the restart-zone areas at SM tracks this year after Geico dropped out of the sport last year.
ECHOS REVERBERATE: While SM and EchoPark share common ownership, the deals between the company need to be arm’s-length transactions since Sonic is publicly traded. EchoPark pays $2.5M annually for the COTA race entitlement, which is more than most NASCAR events but it includes baked-in activation costs. For example, EchoPark had a full media buy with Fox for this year’s race. This year’s race will likely end up being one of the most-watched NASCAR events of the season at 4.132 million viewers. EchoPark has become one of Sonic’s fastest-growing businesses in recent years, and it counts former NASCAR drivers Michael Waltrip and Kyle Petty as brand ambassadors. In 2018, the company went viral on social media after driver Chris Buescher got EchoPark signage attached to his rear bumper during a crash in a race at the Charlotte Roval circuit.
CROWDED LOT: The used car dealership category is becoming crowded in NASCAR, with Carvana also aligned with Jimmie Johnson and HendrickCars.com having an anchor position with Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 5 Chevrolet driven by Kyle Larson. While some in the sport were skeptical that HendrickCars.com really wanted to sponsor Larson when he first came aboard HMS full-time in 2021, the company has said repeatedly that the deal has increased its business and the fact that it has maintained buying almost all of the inventory on the No. 5 gives credence to the claim.
