INDIANAPOLIS — A new first for CBD has come to Americans, this time to the tune of horsepower and the fumes of hot rubber on track.
The Indianapolis 500, one of the most important events in racing and a hallmark of American sport, recently announced its first ever CBD sponsorship, Craft 1861. CBD companies have never had such presence in major American sporting events, and this is just the latest development driving the industry forward. [1] [2]
Talk of CBD use in the Masters pro golf series made headlines recently, with Bubba Watson coming out in support of cannabidiol to keep him on top of his game. Likewise, there has recently been coverage in the pro-gaming scene, where CBD is now considered a performance enhancer.
At the Indianapolis 500, the non-psychoactive THC relative is getting a different treatment. Thousands of consumer seek out CBD products for pain, anxiety, insomnia and a slew of other symptoms including forms of epilepsy.
Now, Craft 1861 CBD is the first ever sponsor at the Indianapolis 500 Formula 1 race, working with the racing team Carlin IndyCar, according to Fox Business. [1]
All cars on the Carlin Indy 500 racing team will sport the Craft 1861 logo. The company’s hemp CBD products are primarily lotions and creams for athletes. The brand is based out of Albuquerque, New Mexico and started in 2017. [2]
“We saw an audience that aligned with our consumer profile and we knew we could deliver a product line and experience that IndyCar fans would love,” Eric Lujan, co-founder and principal at Craft 1861, told Fox Business. [1]
A lengthy internal approval process preceded the Indy 500’s approval of the CBD sponsor, largely because they were worried about regulatory confusion surrounding CBD.
The sponsorship with Carlin started with a trial run at the 2019 Circuit of the Americas in preparation for this years Indy 500, which will come in just a couple weeks. [2]
Acceptance at the Indy 500 may be a marker for a sea-change in how the mainstream sports scene views the products in question. In some sports organization, CBD’s use is banned for athletes, and the National Football League actually turned down a proposal to air a CBD advertisement at this year’s Super Bowl.
Even the Electronic Sports League, the eSports pro circuit organization, considers CBD to be a performance enhancing substance and only allows it in practice sessions. You can read more about that and other developments on the Nothing But Hemp blog. [4]
Sources
[1] https://www.foxbusiness.com/features/cbd-sports-sponsorships-indy-500-craft-1861
[4] https://www.nothingbuthemp.net/blog/cbd-for-gamers-how-cannabidiol-is-rising-among-pros
