NASCAR Announces Safety Changes, Tide Debuts New Daytona-Themed Commercial

In the aftermath of Juan Pablo Montoya’s fiery crash at Daytona International Speedway, NASCAR officials have announced that effective immediately, an extra pace car will be placed behind the final jet dryer during track drying and cleanup operations. Drivers of the track maintenance vehicles have also agreed to wear helmets and fire suits during race events, with the changes applying to all three of NASCAR’s national series -- Sprint Cup, Nationwide and the Camping World Trucks.

In a related story, it didn’t take long for Procter & Gamble to capitalize on the publicity generated by the product placement bonanza generated by the Montoya crash for the company’s Tide brand of laundry detergent. Boxes of Tide were used to wash jet fuel and residue from the track surface at Daytona, and the brand debuted a new commercial during Sunday’s FOX broadcast of the Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway, including footage of the crash cleanup and stating, “You keep inventing stains. We'll keep inventing ways to get them out.”