After changing the title sponsor for the event opener, the Clash, NASCAR is eyeing an overhaul to another marquee event. This time around, major changes are made to the biggest race of the season. Although the Daytona 500 race itself doesn’t have a title sponsor, the iconic duel races were backed by the Bluegreen Corporations.

Unlike other NASCAR qualifying races, the Bluegreen Vacation Duels are special as the results of this event determine the order of the main event. Not only that, duels are very important for the open entries who are looking to book their slot in the main races. 36 chartered teams have an assured spot on the starting grid, which leaves 4 spots for the open teams. Moreover, dramatic crashes in the duels can make or break drivers and teams’ fortunes for the Great American Race.

There’s been no official announcement regarding Bluegreen Vacations’ exit from their role as title sponsor for the duels. This development was confirmed on the Daytona International Speedway’s official website. They set out a countdown for the Daytona 500 weekend with the mention of media and radio partners. But the title sponsor, Bluegreen Vacation, was nowhere to be found; the website only mentioned, “Daytona Duel.”

Does this mean the duels won’t have a title sponsor ahead of the Daytona 500? Well, it is hard to make that prediction right now as NASCAR didn’t have the title sponsor of the Clash at the Bowman Gray initially. The partnership with Cookout as the title sponsor of the special event was only made official after some time. So there is a possibility that NASCAR might be on a hunt for a new sponsor to replace Bluegreen Vacations.

Usually, the loss of a sponsor from a NASCAR event is seen as a concern. But, in this instance, fans welcomed this change. Many even shared their bad experiences and horror stories of being duped by Bluegreen Vacations.

Fans applaud for booting Bluegreen as title sponsor for Daytona Duel races

Bluegreen Vacations is a subsidiary of Hilton Grand Vacations that has 50 owned or managed hotels under its umbrella. With the changing dynamics of the business, they’ve shifted to a time-share model. This is something that has landed the company in trouble as they were hit by a class action lawsuit. The group of people who filed the lawsuit claimed that the company engaged in the practice of false advertising and promises with regard to timeshare contracts. Going by this user’s comments, his family also seemed to have a hard time dealing with Bluegreen Vacations. “My parents had a Bluegreen timeshare. Slimy company, low-quality properties, and scheduling is a serious pain in the ass. F–k those people.”

The likes of Mike Wallace and Helio Castroneves have already confirmed that they will attempt to qualify for the Daytona 500 race. With the official announcements coming in, it is expected the number of entries could be close to 44-46. This is the highest number of entries in almost a decade, which only leads to more drama and thrilling action. Although the loss of a sponsor is somewhat worrisome, this fan was optimistic that NASCAR will get a new partner soon. After all, the appeal of the Daytona 500 is huge, and companies would want to leverage this grand occasion. “With as much potential drama as there could be in the duel races, I feel like Daytona is going to be able to sign a new title sponsor for the duels even on short notice.”

Now, this isn’t the first time that the Duels will undergo changes in terms of title sponsor. The likes of Budweiser and BRP Inc. were the ones who held the title sponsorship of the duels. However, this trend started back in 2007, and Gatorade was the first sponsor for the Daytona duels. This was also the time when Speed TV used to air the qualifying races at the Daytona International Speedway. Recalling the good old days and throwing shade at Bluegreen Vacation, a fan wrote, “It’s forever called the Gatorade Duels to me anyway.”

The timeshare sales tactics came back to haunt Bluegreen Vacations in 2019 as Bass Pro Shops also took stern action against their policy of offensive salesmanship. Both of them were involved in a partnership that allowed Bluegreen to sell timeshares in their stores. Moreover, Bass Pro also accused Bluegreen of refusing to pay them $10 million from the commission. Well, the two settled their differences outside the court, with Bluegreen agreeing to pay somewhere around $40 million to Bass Pro. “I was at the Bass Pro in March of 2020 and got held hostage by Bluegreen people until I signed. They ran my card but it never went through. They gave me a BPS gift card though and I used it immediately.”

Is it necessary to have a title sponsor for qualifying events of a NASCAR Cup Series race? The duels is a historic event that started back in 1959, and it was only in 2007 that NASCAR opted for a sponsorship model, opening doors for the private companies to collaborate with them for the biggest race of the year. So, even if NASCAR doesn’t find a new sponsor, it wouldn’t be a big deal, at least for this fan. “The Duel At Daytona sounds way better anyways.”

What do you make of Bluegreen’s exit from their sponsorship role? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments.