Dollar General has expanded its primary sponsorship of IndyCar Series driver and team owner Sarah Fisher.

Fisher, who founded her own team, Sarah Fisher Racing (SFR) last year, will compete in every 2009 IndyCar Series SuperSpeedway event after Dollar General confirmed it would back her at Texas Motor Speedway (TMS) and Homestead-Miami Speedway (HMS) in addition to its existing commitment to support her at Kansas, Indianapolis, Kentucky and Chicago. The extra US$700,000 investment takes Dollar General's backing close to the US$2 million mark.

The commitment doubles SFR's involvement from its 2008 debut season, and continues the team's rapid growth. "To think this partnership began in mid-2008 and has grown to this calibre is a true testament to how much Sarah Fisher Racing has grown. We are continually humbled by our family of partners which has allowed us to take steps towards reaching our goals," said Fisher. "I took my rookie test at TMS back in 1999, and to compete there again makes me very happy because it will be my first start there as a team owner. When I first visited TMS at age 19, I never dreamed that I'd return one day as a team owner."

"Dollar General is pleased to add two additional races to our sponsorship of Sarah Fisher and SFR," said Rick Dreiling, Dollar General's chief executive. "Sarah's determination and devotion to the sport is an inspiration to us all. It is with great pleasure that Dollar General increases its support of Sarah and her team as they pursue their goals."

Eddie Gossage, Texas Motor Speedway president, was keen to welcome Fisher back. "Sarah Fisher is one of the most talented race car drivers in IndyCar racing and we're thrilled to see her return to the place where her IndyCar Series career started," he said. "She is a legitimate fan favorite and won the IndyCar series most popular driver award three years in a row. Next to the Indy 500, the Bombardier Learjet 550k draws the second-largest crowd of the IndyCar season so plenty of fans are excited about her return."

Homestead-Miami Speedway track president Curtis Gray was also keen to praise Fisher, saying: "Sarah Fisher is a racing pioneer, who has made a lot of history in her career: the first woman to finish runner-up in a major-league open-wheel race, when she placed second here at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2001; the first North American woman to win the pole position for a major-league open-wheel race; the first female driver in the 21st century to drive a Formula One car. So it's more than fitting that she be a part of the IndyCar Series Championship in Miami, as we make motorsports history as the first and only track ever to host all of North America's premier motorsports championships- IndyCar, Nascar and Grand-Am Sports Cars."

source - sportsprodailydeal.com