...But, as the saying goes, all good things must end. RJR was forced to pull out of its nearly two-decade run as series sponsor in the National Hot Rod Association two years ago after the unprecedented lawsuit against the tobacco industry forced companies like RJR to start paring their involvement with the sports world bit by bit.
While many thought RJR would continue ad infinitum with NASCAR through Winston Cup (which the outcome of the tobacco industry suit did allow), it's fairly obvious why the marriage must end after 33 years. RJR utilized NASCAR to market its Winston brand of cigarettes. With fewer people smoking these days, wider brand variety and the billions of dollars in settlement money that RJR and other cigarette makers have been and will continue to be forced to pay to settle litigation, it's no surprise that RJR has to split from NASCAR.