NHL and the IRL

Watched the Rexall Edmonton IndyCar race today.
Unfortunately to watch it I had to discontinue my ESPN boycott, but I only watched it while the race was on. So that's good. What's not good is I went just 11 days on my latest ESPN boycott.
While watching I discovered the NHL's Edmonton Oilers sponsored one of the cars, Graham Rahal's.

Bob Jenkins and Scott Goodyear announced the race, and Rahal had some trouble early. When that happened, they mentioned the Oilers sponsorship - on ESPN! Amazing! I was very surprised. The NHL and one of its team mentioned on the four-letter.
So Rahal was able to come back, and toward the end of the race he was in another collision. Again Jenkins mentioned, no emphasized, the sponsorship.
"See the engine cowling there that's the Oilers of the NHL logo!"
That might not be an exact quote, but it's close.
Leave it to a Hoosier - Jenkins is from Liberty, Ind. - to do that right thing. It helps he's not a full-time employee of the four-letter network.

Another NHL and IRL connection, of which I'm aware, happened two weeks ago at the Nashville race. Predator goalie Dan Ellis was the race's grand marshal. I heard his interview prior to the race. He and the interviewer made a comparision between auto racing and ice hockey. I don't know what was said exactly has it was hard to hear the PA system.

As a fan of the NHL and IRL, which I am, it's great to see this cross promotion.

Links:
http://www.sportsline.com/autoracing/story/10910461
http://oilers.nhl.com/team/app?articleid=368936&page=NewsPage&service=page
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Jenkins
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Goodyear
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Ellis
http://www.nashvillesuperspeedway.com/track/press/article.php?dir=200807&id=2078