Apr
Busch Light Launches Accelerate Her Program
Anheuser-Busch and its Busch Light beer brand will dedicate $10M over the next three years to sponsor every woman driver in NASCAR, in a bid to accelerate change in the sport. The program is being called “Accelerate Her,” and Busch says it’s a first-of-its-kind commitment in American motorsports. There will be seven beneficiaries this year: Toni Breidinger, Natalie Decker, Amber Balcaen, Brittney Zamora, Stephanie Moyer, Melissa Fifield and Jennifer Jo Cobb. All of those women compete at levels below NASCAR’s premier Cup Series, which hasn’t had a woman driver since Danica Patrick retired. Rising NASCAR star Hailie Deegan is not included at the moment because she is still 20 years old, but Busch may have hinted at her by noting that a portion of the $10M will be reserved for drivers who are not of the proper age yet. The announcement will be amplified by an ad that will run during the Daytona 500 this Sunday on Fox. It is an important moment in NASCAR for female advancement, as these drivers will now have funding from a blue-chip brand to guarantee they can continue to ply their trade. Busch Senior Brand Dir Krystyn Stowe in a statement said that the brand, which has been associated with NASCAR for 40 years, is now “seizing the opportunity to make historic progress toward gender inclusivity.” Busch is one of four premier partners of NASCAR, with the other three being Coca-Cola, Geico and Xfinity. This comes after fellow A-B brand Michelob Ultra last year made a similar female-focused $100M commitment over the next five years in the sports it’s involved with.
