GEM opts for triple-sponsor approach for No. 19 Dodge

While it's becoming more common for a racecar to feature two primary sponsors -- what's called co-primaries -- Gillett Evernham Motorsports' No. 19 Dodge will have what it's calling tri-mary sponsors this year with Best Buy, Stanley Tools and McDonald's sharing the cost of a primary sponsorship.

"In our mind, it's the evolution of dealing with multiple partners for a team," said David Jessey, vice president of sales and development for Gillett Evernham Motorsports. "With costs escalating, only a few sponsors are going to be able to afford the whole season."

Some primary sponsorships have risen as high as $20 million a year, depending on the marquee value of the driver and the assets involved. Jessey admits that a tri-mary model is more challenging because the look of the car might be changing each week, but Gillett Evernham Motorsports is trying to make sure each sponsor has an identity with the No. 19 car, including equal representation on the hauler and other visuals.

Best Buy and McDonald's are also sponsors of the Montreal Canadiens, which, like Gillett Evernham Motorsports, is owned by George Gillett. In fact, it was during a Canadiens game last month, with all three sponsors sitting together, that they agreed to partner on a tri-mary deal. Stanley is investigating a sponsorship with the Canadiens, Jessey said, as well as a business-to-business relationship with Gillett's collection of 32 auto dealerships.

"I don't think sponsors are coming into the sport as primaries any more," said Alex Gillett, George's son and a co-owner. "There's more of a process where they dip their toe in the water. A tri-mary is a marrying of sponsors and they may grow or they may not. We're happy to do a tri-mary, but we hope to show them enough value to move them on up."