Penelope Pitstop, the power-pink, ultra-feminine
(but ever gutsy) heroine of Hanna-Barbera's animated 1970's series Wacky
Races, will join NASCAR and NHRA powerhouse Racegirl Motorsports in an
exclusive partnership catering to female racing fans.
Burbank, CA – Penelope Pitstop, the power-pink, ultra-feminine
(but ever gutsy) heroine of Hanna-Barbera's animated 1970's series Wacky
Races, will join NASCAR and NHRA powerhouse Racegirl Motorsports in an
exclusive partnership catering to female racing fans. Penelope Pitstop: The
Original Racegirl is projected to be a huge co-branding hit for Warner Bros.
Consumer Products and Racegirl Motorsports, both on and off the racing
circuit.
Penelope was deemed a perfect match for Racegirl's expansion into licensed
character merchandise. "Women and girls are into motor sports, and we
continue to see the interest grow week-in and week-out trackside," said
Racegirl president Robert Chestnut. "Penelope Pitstop is the original racegirl,
so bringing her to the track on great merchandise was a perfect fit."
About 100 million race fans watch televised motor sports events annually,
and 40 percent of those fans are women. In less than four race seasons,
Racegirl Motorsports has become a fan favorite, with teams competing in 35
NASCAR Busch Series events and 23 NHRA Powerade events. And trackside,
the Racegirl trailer is one of the most frequented souvenir destination, its
sales topping almost all other souvenir trailers. Penelope Pitstop was a
natural character for the face of Racegirl.
Penelope first faced a checkered flag in Wacky Races, a series of outlandish
cross-country road competitions in supercharged speedsters, usually
outpacing the field of 11 daredevil drivers such as Dick Dastardly (and his
wheezily sinister dog, Muttley), Peter Perfect, and the Slag Brothers. Her
personality carried her into her own spin-off series The Perils of Penelope
Pitstop, in which her greedy uncle Sylvester Sneakly (a.k.a. The Hooded
Claw) relentlessly pursued the racing heiress. Both shows are now on best- selling DVD collections.
Racegirl was looking for a spokes-character for increased graphic appeal and
extension of their merchandise lines, and they were well aware of the appeal
of nostalgic cartoons characters who were not necessarily anchored to a
particular show or era. With its loyal fan following and well-established
lifestyle brand, Racegirl instantly "got" Penelope's enormous potential for their
lines. Penelope Pitstop—the Original Racegirl—was a co-branding
coup. "Judging from the reaction we've received, the fans have completely
taken Penelope as their own," Chestnut says.
2007 brings a new, more "girly" Racegirl/Penelope Pitstop trailer to most of
the year's racing events from February to November. Two Penelope look- alike actresses have already been cast for appearances at the events,
playing spokes-model for Racegirl promotion. Racegirl Motorsports has already
expanded Penelope's presence on its www.goracegirl.com website.
It is hoped that with Penelope pulling ahead of the licensed character pack
for women race fans, she will chalk up a victory as a popular off-track retail
phenomenon.