National Guard’s NASCAR sponsorship under scrutiny after revealed recruitment data

The National Guard’s multi-million dollar NASCAR sponsorship is under the microscope once again. USA Today writer Tom Vanden Brook reported Thursday morning that the Guard’s sponsorship in NASCAR has failed to sign up a single new soldier.

According to the article 24,800 recruiting prospects signed up for The Guard in 2012. In those cases, potential recruits cited the NASCAR sponsorship persuaded them to seek more information about joining. Of that group, only 20 of them met the Guard’s qualification for entry into the service, but none of them joined.

In 2013, the number of recruiting prospects dropped down to 7,500.

Senator Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) will be holding a hearing on The Guard’s recruitment process Thursday afternoon. She has already mentioned that The Guard is “wasting a bunch of money on a very expensive sports sponsorship.”

In 2012, $26.5 million dollars was spent by the National Guard to sponsor NASCAR racing, primarily Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 88 team and NASCAR’s most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr. In 2013, they spent $29.96 million to sponsor Earnhardt Jr. for 20 races. They’ve also spent $38 million on an IndyCar racing sponsorship.

In their defense, National Guard spokesman told the USA Today that 90% of Army National Guard soldiers who enlisted or re-enlisted from 2007 to 2013 mentioned that they’ve been exposed to information about the Guard through NASCAR-related recruiting.

Over the last several years, the Marines, Navy, Coast Guard and Army have all ended their sponsorship with NASCAR. The National Guard and Air Force remain involved in the sport.