Car 40 in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, driven by rookie Dario Franchitti, has run out of gas. Not even a "Guitar Hero" sponsorship could save it.

Just two weeks ago, retailer Target and Activision announced a co-sponsorship of number 40 to celebrate the release of "Guitar Hero: Aerosmith." Ironically, NASCAR.com reports the car was cut due to a "lack of sponsorship funding."

“I love video games and actually have versions of 'Guitar Hero' that I play on my bus and at home," said Franchitti in a press release last month. "To have Target, Activision and Aerosmith on my car for the New Hampshire race is pretty cool.”

Maybe we have a new "Madden" curse on our hands. Or maybe "Guitar Hero"'s sponsorship money just came too late in the game for Franchitti. Honestly, I don't know much anything about NASCAR.

MTV Multiplayer NASCAR fans (if you exist!), what do make of this news?

[Image Courtesy of NASCAR.com]

So you're a big-shot marketing man (or woman). You've decided that product placement is a good way to sell "Guitar Hero: Mobile." You get on the horn with Marvel Comics and you arrange a deal that not-so-subtly plants a promotion for the game on page four of issue 18 of "Punisher: War Journal."

Question for Multiplayer readers: Does it likely help or hurt sales that your product is featured in a scene that depicts torture, eye-gouging, and -- oh yeah -- takes place in a guitar store?

(Click the image to see the full page four from "Punisher War Journal" #18)