Tissot award integral part of contingency program

"I'm star struck right now," beamed Trish Baeza as she stood near the steps of the NASCAR pre-race stage at Daytona International Speedway on July 4.

Baeza, along with husband, Peter, are the proud owners of Rocks Fine Jewelry in Winter Park, Fla. They've followed NASCAR for more than 15 years, but this Independence Day the couple got an up-close-and-personal look at the sport -- and the stars -- they root for every weekend.

You see, the Baeza's are special guests of Tissot, the official watch and timekeeper of NASCAR and Sprint Cup Series contingency award sponsor.

The Baeza's jewelry store is an authorized Tissot watch dealer. And on behalf of Tissot, the couple was selected to attend the Coke Zero 400 to present the No. 48 Lowe's team with the Tissot "Pit Road Precision" Award. They took center stage during pre-race ceremonies where they presented a check and Tissot watch to driver Jimmie Johnson, who accepted the honor on behalf of the team for their performance at New Hampshire Motor Speedway the previous week.

"This is awesome, we're such huge fans of Jimmie and the whole 48 team," Baeza said.

During their visit to the speedway, the Baeza's toured the Sprint Cup garage, enjoyed the Fan Zone and watched the action-packed race from the grandstands.

The couple was grateful for the opportunity.

"We just love that they [Tissot] back up NASCAR," Peter Baeza said. "My wife is such a big NASCAR fan and I think this is just great. We love their watches and we love NASCAR."

The Tissot "Pit Road Precision" Award highlights the team aspect of NASCAR and the over-the-wall crew members who play a vital role in winning the race off pit road. The weekly award is given to the eligible team who has spent the least amount of time on pit road and has finished the event on the lead lap. The winning team earns $5,000 and a Tissot watch. The team with the most Tissot "Pit Road Precision" Award wins at the completion of the season will receive a $100,000 bonus plus Tissot watches for the crew and driver.

Rich Gutierrez, gas man for the No. 48 team, says the award means a great deal to the 48 pit crew, a group that takes a lot of pride in busting off fast stops and getting Johnson off pit road first.

"There are not many rewards out there for the pit crew for your performance on Sunday," Gutierrez said. "To have an individual award for the pit crew and to be recognized in that aspect is a good deal all around."

Gutierrez goes on to say the award builds team confidence.

"Everybody's excited on Monday when they find out they win," he said. "It builds morale. It makes pit practice a little easier. It's like you're shooting for something."

The award was the second of the season for the No. 48 team, and moved the crew to third place in the season-long standings behind Jeff Gordon's No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports crew and Greg Biffle's No. 16 Roush Fenway Racing crew, which are tied for the lead with three wins each.

The No. 48 team's over-the-wall crew consists of: Mike Lingerfelt (front-tire changer), Art Simmons (front-tire carrier), Jeremy West (rear-tire changer), Andy Brown (rear-tire carrier), Kenneth Purcell (jackman), Rich Gutierrez (gas man), Mike Knauer (catch can) and Ron Malec (eighth man). The team's pit crew coach is Greg Morin.

"The guys work hard week in and week out to be one of the best teams on pit road," 48 team crew chief Chad Knaus said. "It's nice when they're recognized for their work and dedication."

Motorsports has been a vital part of the Tissot DNA for almost 50 years, and the company's world-renowned reputation for precise time-keeping fits the goal of the "Pit Road Precision" Award. As part of the NASCAR contingency awards program, Tissot decals are affixed onto the front fenders of race cars behind the tires. By running the decals, NASCAR teams are eligible for the weekly and year-end awards.

For Tissot, it's creates a multifaceted advertising platform, exposure and recognition with teams, other sponsors and fans alike. The company receives brand exposure and visibility not only during pre-race ceremony presentations and in-race television coverage, but also via retail environments. Involvement in the NASCAR contingency awards program also allows Tissot to better build their dealer relationships by sending dealers, like the Baezas, to the track for a behind-the-scenes VIP experience. It also increases the company's visibility in the Sprint Cup garage and helps them build B2B relationships with other NASCAR sponsors.

It's an all-around win-win partnership for the race teams and Tissot.

"The world of motorsports and the world of watchmaking champion the same values, which include cutting-edge design, precision and innovation," said Sharon Buntain, president, Tissot U.S. "We are in admiration of the teamwork that goes into a NASCAR performance and this award is a symbolic way for Tissot to reward NASCAR teams for their precision and timely performances."

Tissot has been an official partner of NASCAR since 2006 and is the official timekeeper for a number of other sports, including the MotoGP World Championship, the Ice Hockey World Championship, the Cycling World Championship and the Fencing World Championship.