Search engine Ask.com has seen online PR associated with the NASCAR racing series drive its penetration higher in recent months, it has emerged.

According to Street & Smith’s Sports Business Journal, NASCAR fans have begun to use Ask.com more regularly to perform searches since the portal began sponsoring the series.

Driving forces behind this include online PR relating to the partnership, along with television and track-side advertising.

Ask.com president Scott Garell tells the sports news provider: "We’ve seen very strong results – it shows the activation is working."

Within the NASCAR fan base, recognition of the Ask.com brand has increased by 43 per cent since the sponsorship began.

Usage among fans is up by 12 per cent, with positive impressions of the search engine increasing by 14 per cent, according to a brand image analysis of the deal cited by Street & Smith’s Sports Business Journal.

In February, Ask.com linked with NASCAR driver Bobby Labonte to draw parallels between driving safely on the racetrack and maintaining safety levels for children when they are using the internet.

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