Citing factors such as the economy, Mark Williams Enterprises has announced the immediate suspension of its NHRA Major Sponsor contingency program.

“It has been a difficult decision to make –and especially painful after being involved with NHRA’s sponsorship program for well over 30 years,” said Williams in a release issued by the company.

Mark Williams Enterprises has paid out nearly $2,000,000 in contingency awards over the years and earned a reputation for promptly paying racers. M-W will continue to do so, and honor all claims through the weekend of Feb. 26, which includes both the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals presented by Super Start Batteries and the NHRA Arizona Nationals as well as the Division 2 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series events in Orlando, Fla., and Gainesville, and the two Division 7 events at Firebird Int’l Raceway.

While the company’s display rig is parked, M-W will still provide factory support for all products and continue to offer the thirdmember exchange program that has proven popular with Pro Stock racers, albeit through UPS and other modes of shipment.

The release further affirms that the company remains committed to developing new products for drag racing, all manufactured in-house at the firm’s Colorado facility to the industry’s highest quality standards, that it will continue to support NHRA through its presence in National Dragster, and that a rebound in economic condition will enable Mark Williams Enterprises to reactivate the program.