Now it's an NHL owner joining NASCAR's ranks.

Last week, Montreal Canadiens owner George Gillett partnered with Ray Evernham to create Gillett Evernham Motorsports. The partnership is being billed as a business enterprise to take advantage of Evernham’s on-track success and Gillett’s business and marketing savvy. Gillett is also a co-owner of British soccer team Liverpool and other business holdings include Gillett Entertainment Group, which produces sports and entertainment events across North America; ski and golf resorts; and auto dealerships.

In February, Fenway Sports Group purchased 50 percent of Roush Racing to form Roush Fenway Racing. FSG is a subsidiary of New England Sports Ventures, which includes the Red Sox and Fenway Park. The Red Sox held a NASCAR night at Fenway Park in June in conjunction with the NASCAR race in New Hampshire.

And there’s been a long-standing connection between NASCAR and the NFL. Washington Redskins Coach Joe Gibbs began Joe Gibbs Racing in 1992. Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman own a NASCAR team. Former quarterbacks Jim Kelly and Terry Bradshaw co-own different Busch Series teams.

For some, the explanation is simply that they love racing and the competition. From a business standpoint, the partnerships offer ways to broaden the audience for the respective owners’ sports.

“I think in some ways it’s a unique form of sports marketing experimentation,” said Paul Swangard, managing director of the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center at the University of Oregon.

Even though NASCAR may have reached a plateau in its fan growth, the opportunities for cross-promotion are many, including team logos and sponsorships across both sports' venues.

Swangard said NASCAR’s “proven success in sponsorship activation” alone make it a good bet. “You’ve got to look at the core fundamentals of the business. Do they have a loyal fan base? Yes. Sponsors who think it’s a good value? Yes. I would say those are good fundamentals.”

But it remains to be seen if using NASCAR to promote the NHL will be successful.