Communications giant AT&T has filed suit against NASCAR alleging the US motorsport series is trying to force the company out of the sport. The suit claims the motor sports regulator has violated the company's right to sponsor the No. 31 racecar; owned by RCR Racing and driven by veteran driver Jeff Burton.
NASCAR has rejected a plan to change the paint scheme for the car. The proposed change would introduce the AT&T globe on the rear quarter panel. Cingular is currently transitioning its brand name to the name of its parent company, AT&T now that AT&T's merger with BellSouth is complete.
But Nascar will represent itself in order to protect the rights of series sponsor, mobile phone company Nextel which agreed a high degree of marketing control to sponsor the Cup series.
