Amazing Behind the Scenes Look This Week 31 Years Ago / Inside Peek at RJR Racing PR Machine

Dave Fulton
@dave-fulton
13 years ago
9,138 posts

It is fascinating what corporate documents wind up in various library collections.

Here's one I found from Bob Moore, former head of PR at RJ Reynolds Special Events department.

It's his May 21, 1981 weekly report to RJR corporate management.

This was pre The Winston. At this time, RJR had become embroiled in a feud with Charlotte Motor Speedway because they sold signage to Skoal. Winston pulled all its support from CMS and its events and sent no reps. After things cooled off between CMS and RJR, CMS wound up with The Winston. But, you'll see no mention of Charlotte Motor Speedway in this report heading into the 1981 World 600.

Interesting to note the discussions of moving the Winston Cup Awards Banquet to New York and the documentation of efforts to place "cigarette sponsorship" stories in publications.

We used to have do the same type reports every week at Wrangler and 7-Eleven for corporate management.

If you want to see what was realling going on behind the scenes at Winston ( and Camel and Vantage ) in 1981, just click the link:

http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/documentStore/p/e/r/per69d00/Sper69d00.pdf




--
"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"

updated by @dave-fulton: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
Dave Fulton
@dave-fulton
13 years ago
9,138 posts

And, an interesting press release detailing some of the efforts that began the weekly Winston Racing Series:

http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/documentStore/g/h/k/ghk13a00/Sghk13a...




--
"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"