ROME, Georgia (November 20, 2024) - Craton Promotions closed out a successful 2024 season celebrating the leading motorsports merchandise retailer's 10th year as the Official Souvenir Merchandising Partner of Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta (MRRA). The decade-long partnership was in the spotlight at the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season-ending Motul Petit Le Mans last month on the 2.54 -mile road course North of Atlanta.

The MRRA and Craton relationship has grown stronger and more successful each year since it began in 2015. Craton has annually achieved for MRRA at their blockbuster Petit Le Mans event record-breaking sales and an enhanced merchandising experience year after year. 

“Our relationship with Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta has been a foundation of growth for Craton Promotions, and it’s a privilege to celebrate the last 10 years together,” said Thomas Craton, President and CEO of Craton Promotions. “Working with Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta has allowed us to expand our reach and improve the fan experience with high-quality and memorable merchandise. We look forward to a long and continuing mutually beneficial partnership for many years to come."

Craton's very involvement in motorsports has a deeply rooted connection to Road Atlanta. It began 25 years ago in 1999 when the late Dr. Don Panoz ran the first season of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) to bring the European-style sports car endurance racing showcased at the 24 Hours of Le Mans to North America.

Craton was active at the time in major collegiate football merchandise and souvenirs, and an ALMS representative attended the 1999 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and noticed the impressive gameday merchandising and retail display. Panoz Motorsports soon selected Craton to handle merchandising and souvenir sales for ALMS and its affiliated circuits at Road Atlanta, Sebring International Raceway and Mosport in Canada, which is now known as Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. The first race Craton ever worked was the 2000 Petit Le Mans (pictured in collage below).

The MRRA relationship paused a few years later when Craton's operation took a hiatus, but the partnership was rekindled in 2015 and came back stronger than ever. By that point, ALMS and the NASCAR-affiliated Grand American Road Racing sanctioning body had merged a few years earlier, which eventually led to the return the popular IMSA brand name at the top level of North American sports car racing. 

In the same time span, Thomas Craton, son of Craton Founder Charles Craton, was gaining hands-on experience in the family business, assisting at various racing and sports events each summer while completing high school and ultimately graduating from Auburn University in 2014. With his father's support, Thomas relaunched Craton Promotions and the renewed partnership with Road Atlanta has been hugely beneficial for both over the last decade. Thomas was named President and CEO earlier this year and now runs the day-to-day management and operations of the company. Charles continues to provide his expertise, input and consultation in a new role as Founder and Chairman of the Board. 

Despite a rain-soaked return in the 2015 Motul Petit Le Mans, which was run primarily in wet weather, Craton generated record sales out of the box, and the prosperous growth has not stopped. Annual sales at MRRA's Petit Le Mans now exceed the total year-long sales from that entire initial 2015 season.

Even better, what started as a singular relationship between Craton and Road Atlanta grew into additional partnerships and relationships with affiliated companies in the overall IMSA family and beyond. Craton became the Official Merchandise Retailer for IMSA in 2018 and also has partnership agreements with several of the circuit operators that annually host IMSA races, including Sebring, the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach and many more, in addition to Michelin Raceway at Road Atlanta.

Of course, it all began at MRRA, and the relationship with Craton has never been stronger. Track President Rick Humphrey is particularly proud of the mutual growth MRRA and Craton have built together in the rewarding partnership.

"Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta has enjoyed continued success across our major events over the years, and that success includes the record sales that Craton Promotions has achieved as our track merchandising partner," Humphrey said. "Michelin Raceway has quite a long and lucrative history with Craton Promotions, and we are looking forward to building on that in the years to come.” 

Humphrey's predecessor as track president, Geoff Lee, is also steeped in the mutual success of both organizations. Lee was at the helm of Road Atlanta when the contract was renewed in 2015, but he joined Craton in the summer of 2020 and begins his fifth year with the company next season as a key member of Craton's management and development team leading strategic alliances, partnerships and business affairs.

"Road Atlanta was not looking for a merchandise partner at the time in 2015, but after Thomas and Charles approached me about helping out, I quickly came to believe they could greatly improve our merchandise success," Lee said. "That turned out to be the case in what has grown into a very productive and profitable relationship. During our time working together, I was able to see that Craton offered a better option for many of our partner race circuit and series promoters who wanted to grow their merchandise revenues and brand. I was more than happy to be able to offer my assistance to Craton in that area when I joined them in 2020 after my retirement from Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta."

The track and sanctioning body partnerships within the greater IMSA family are a foundational part of Craton's annual business, which has now expanded to include IMSA's competing manufacturers and racing teams. Craton also has successful merchandising partnerships with a variety of other tracks and racing events nationwide, and this year alone has supported, in another banner year, over 80 (need confirmation) racing events nationwide, with Motul Petit Le Mans serving as the season’s grand finale.

ABOUT CRATON, INC.: A long-standing and high-volume merchandise and apparel company, Craton, Inc. has served major firms for 35 years. Since refining its focus in 2015 strictly to motorsports-associated clients and audiences, Craton has raised the bar for its partners in revenue, reach and customer satisfaction. Serving major racing series, track facilities and event promoters, Craton is the official merchandising partner for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, IMSA (International Motorsports Association), Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, Sebring International Raceway, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Green Savoree Racing Promotions, Lime Rock Park and many others. Learn more at www.shopcraton.com and visit Craton (#cratoninc) on its social channels at Facebook at www.facebook.com/attheevents and Instagram @cratoninc.