Daytona Beach, FL (Best E Casino) - Effective January 1, 2008 the Nextel Cup Series will change names and become the Sprint Cup Series.

On Saturday, NASCAR executives announced the change, the second since R.J. Reynolds' decision to leave the sport at the end of 2003.

"Sprint is a premier brand that Americans have known for decades," said Brian France, CEO of NASCAR. "The company's new brand direction is focused on speed and that has always been our business. It makes perfect sense for the Sprint name to be attached to our premier series. Sprint Nextel has shown an incredible commitment to the sport and our fans in the first few years, and we are excited about the technology enhancements they are planning for the future."