INDIANAPOLIS -- The 100th running of the Indy 500 will have a new name, and itt is not going over well for some.
The 100th running of the race will be called the "100th Indianapolis 500 Presented by PennGrade Motor Oil."
"Why do we need it?" Brandon Patterson asked.
Tradition is important, but dollars may be more important. Speedway leadership was all smiles when they made the announcement Thursday. And driver Graham Rahal, whose car is partially sponsored by D-A Lubricants, praised the deal.
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But Facebook has been littered with negative comments about the race's new name. Randal Ellington, a distance cousin of 3-time race winner Wilbur Shaw, is one of the folks who is unhappy.
"Very poor timing," he said.
Despite his comments, there is strong support among some Speedway business owners.
"Everybody needs a sponsorship. I think it's wonderful," Tina Wilson said.
Sources speculate that the three year sponsorship deal is worth about $5 million.
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