MAPEI Corp. has thrown its cap into the NASCAR ring: the installation systems maker said it will co-sponsor the Robby Gordon Motorsports team (car #7) in the 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series.

Nick Di Tempora, MAPEI Americas president, said the move is a bid to reach out to NASCAR fans in the construction industry.

"There are over 75 million NASCAR fans, and the most common type of employment among NASCAR fans is in the construction industry -- our industry!" he noted. "The sport is also avidly followed by Canadian fans through NASCAR Canada, and MAPEI is heavily invested in Canada."

He added that he wanted to see consumers become "more aware of who we are and what we can do for them in the construction of their homes and buildings," and said that MAPEI is proud to sponsor Robby Gordon and his team.