The US Air Force has started its tenth year as a sponsor in the Nascar Nextel Cup series by renewing its associate sponsor partnership with Richard Petty Motorsports for the 2010 season.
 
Representatives of the team have chosen the No. 19 car driven by Elliot Sadler, a top-25 finisher in the Nextel Cup series, to represent the Air Force this season. Sadler's car will feature the dark blue paint scheme of the Air Force for five of the 37 Nascar races this season.
 
"We are thrilled to have Richard Petty Motorsports as partners for another Nascar season with the Air Force '19' car," said Col. Michael J. Tillema, the US Air Force's chief of strategic marketing and communications. "The Air Force is all about speed, agility and pushing the boundaries of technology and we believe those features align well with this great American sport and its fans."
 
The colonel added that he sees the continued business association with Richard Petty Motorsports and Nascar as a fantastic opportunity for race fans to learn more about the Air Force and inspire young Americans to consider the Air Force as a great career choice. 
 
Executives at GSD&M Idea City, the Air Force's advertising agency, organized the sponsorship and will roll out a multi-media advertising campaign to support the partnership in early 2010.