But despite the apparent happiness over the deal felt by NASCAR and FUBU officials, industry observers immediately proclaimed the partnership as a poor match. “What we have here is an organization that appeals primarily to lower class, Southern, white people, teamed with an apparel company created solely to provide clothing for young, black youth. It’s a sports marketing disaster of unparalleled proportions,” said Mickey Armstrong, editor of ‘The Sports Business Today.’

FUBU, which took its name from the phrase “For Us, By Us,” has created an urban apparel empire in just 11 years with clothes designed by African-Americans for African-Americans, as the company’s mission outlines.

The NASCAR sponsorship is FUBU’s first foray into the sports world. However, being that NASCAR began from white moonshine runners speeding along Southern highways in souped-up hot rods to avoid police, the company’s selection of the predominantly white-supported racing circuit for its sponsorship is raising eyebrows.

“I don’t see how it helps either side. It is a huge waste of money,” said Janice Jackson, a sports business reporter for the ‘L.A. Times.’ “Their audiences are totally different. With Winston it worked – cigarettes and lower-class Southern people driving loud cars, ‘yes.’ Rapper clothing and lower-class Southern people driving loud cars … I just don’t see it.”

FUBU agreed to pay $50 million a year for 20 years to NASCAR in order to place its name on the circuit and must outfit all of the drivers in FUBU wear. Despite the third party statements to the contrary, both FUBU and NASCAR officials say it is a perfect deal for both parties.

“This opens up NASCAR to untapped markets,” said Richie Winstott, NASCAR’s marketing director. “If we can convince young black men that NASCAR is cool, stock car racing will grow beyond everyone’s imagination.”

FUBU’s marketing director, Jayson Mitchell, said the FUBU-NASCAR deal will one day be seen as a stroke of genius.

“Not only does this make marketing sense and financial sense, but this signifies a major bridge between two races and classes in this country,” said Mitchell. “Most NASCAR fans probably hate people in FUBU gear, and most people in FUBU gear probably hate NASCAR fans, but we hope to change that by showing we can have something in common. And we hope we can make that commonality be stock car racing.”