GLENDORA, Calif. — NHRA, the world’s largest motorsports organization, has entered into a strategic alliance with global sports and entertainment company IMG to assist the premier drag racing sanctioning body as its exclusive outside sponsorship marketing agent.
IMG will work alongside the current sales team at NHRA, led by Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing Gary Darcy.
“IMG brings with it more than 50 years of leadership and innovation in the world of sports,” said Darcy. “With strong relationships within corporate America and abroad, we believe IMG will be able to help deliver NHRA’s unique attributes to key decision makers in the sports sponsorship arena.”
IMG will be charged with business development and securing non-endemic sponsorship to NHRA, which continues to offer the best value in terms of sports sponsorship according to a leading sports business publication. 
The team will be led by former NASCAR executive George Pyne, president of IMG Sports & Entertainment. Much of the initiative will be driven out of the New York and Charlotte offices of IMG, giving NHRA a presence in both the business and motorsports capitals of the world for the first time in its 50-plus year history.
“NHRA is a tremendous value proposition, not only in motorsports, but in all of sports,” said Pyne. “NHRA offers unmatched access to both its stars and its fans and, coupled with its nationwide footprint, makes for a perfect fit for any organization considering sports sponsorship.”
As part of the exclusive outside sponsorship marketing agent agreement, IMG will conduct a brand study and prepare recommendations on how to enhance the sales, marketing and branding efforts of the NHRA, working closely with NHRA’s senior management team.
In addition, IMG will place an executive within NHRA’s offices in Glendora, Calif., to oversee all day-to-day activities and resources IMG will engage.   
In the coming months, and with guidance from NHRA, IMG also will create and manage a NHRA Business-to-Business Council.