AMA Pro Racing has announced that Progressive Insurance will continue its partnership with the sanctioning body as the title sponsor of the Grand National Dirt Track Series in 2001.
For the second straight year, Progressive will remain the title sponsor of the AMA U.S. Flat Track Championships and will continue its high-profile promotions within the sport. The company plans to continue its 1-800-FLAT-TRACK marketing campaign and its complementary Internet strategy, again generating additional purse money for the series. Progressive kicks in an additional dollar to the Rider Bonus Fund each time a flat-track fan gets an insurance quote from the company. Every time a fan gets an insurance quote by calling 1-800-FLAT-TRACK, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, or visits www.amaproracing.com and clicks on the Progressive banner, or stops by the Progressive tent at a Flat Track race for a quote, Progressive will contribute $1 to the 1-800-FLAT-TRACK bonus fund. The 1-800-FLAT-TRACK bonuses will be divided among all Progressive Insurance Grand National Championship riders who earn points at AMA Progressive Insurance Grand National Championship races, and will be distributed at season’s end. This bonus is on top of the $100,000 point fund Progressive posts as part of the program.
This year, the campaign generated an additional $10,000 for the season’s point fund, according to Progressive’s Motorcycle Marketing Manager, Miriam Deitcher.
“The flat-track racers and fans have been incredibly supportive of Progressive Insurance and the 1-800-FLAT-TRACK program,” Deitcher said. “The support has been overwhelming to me, and I’m looking forward to next year. Everyone seems to be real happy that Progressive has come in and provided some extra exposure for the sport. And we’re happy to do it because we know our customers love dirt-track racing.”
As the nation’s leading motorcycle insurer, Progressive has been able to use its large existing customer base to promote professional flat-track racing, creating new fans along the way. Deitcher says Progressive considers flat-track fans to be an important part of its customer base, a group that sees the company’s involvement in motorcycle racing as a true value benefit to Progressive’s customers. Progressive also supports the national series broadcasts on ESPN2.
Progressive Insurance has been in business since 1937, and it wrote $6.1 billion in premiums in 1999. It’s the fourth largest auto insurer in the U.S., and is the nation’s largest insurer of motorcycles, with over 800,000 policyholders. Since 1994, the company has sponsored the Progressive Insurance AMA Harley-Davidson SuperTwins and the Progressive Insurance AMA Pro Thunder road race series. Progressive has also sponsored the 1999 and 2000 Progressive Insurance AMA Superbike races at Sears Point Raceway, and Progressive remains the AMA’s official insurance provider, offering discounted rates to AMA members.
