O'FALLON, MO (February 28, 2011) – The American Drag Racing League (ADRL) announced on Monday that Karen Holschlag has been named the new Director of Sponsorship Development for the world's premier eighth-mile drag racing league.
The appointment comes after Holschlag's successful and standout 26-year career at Anheuser-Busch, Inc., the maker of Budweiser Beer, based in St. Louis, Mo.
While there, Holschlag served as Sports Marketing Manager for more than 20 years, negotiating various team, event and series contracts for the beverage industry giant. Some of the teams and series that Holschlag handled were the NHRA, Kenny and Brandon Bernstein, Indy Car, CART Series, Formula One Boat Racing and Michael Andretti. Her extensive motorsports background was one aspect that interested both the ADRL and Holschlag regarding the newly-created position.
"The things that appealed to me about this position is I will be able to utilize my contacts and experience in the motorsports industry and get back to what I enjoy," Holschlag said. "I appreciate this opportunity and I am excited to work with the ADRL and take the league to the next level."
Besides Holschlag's experience with major series contracts, she also spent time creating promotional sales and sponsorship programs that maximized brand awareness and benefitted all companies involved. Holschlag will also bring valuable event experience from her background handling both Top Fuel and Funny Car Shootouts, the Indy 500 and the LPGA Michelob Ultra Open at Kingsmill.
"I feel like I have a lot to offer the ADRL. The sport has grown a lot and there is a lot of potential for the future," Holschlag said. "The ADRL offers a great business model and unique concept, and I'm confident the ADRL will continue to evolve and progress."
Holschlag's hiring comes with strong excitement from the ADRL as it enters its seventh season. The 2011 ADRL Tour begins on March 25-26 with CarSafe Dragpalooza VII presented by LenMar Motorsports at Royal Purple Raceway in Baytown, Texas.
Working with ADRL Vice President of Sales and Marketing Brian Evans, Holschlag will help create even more worldwide exposure for the ADRL and its drivers through various local, regional and national sponsorships and promotions.
"We are thrilled to have someone of Karen's caliber as our Director of Sponsorship Development. Her track record speaks for itself and she has proven herself as a valuable asset in the motorsports world," ADRL Executive Vice President Jeff Fortune said.
"We are looking forward to the relationships she will create as the ADRL continues to grow on a worldwide level."
