SCOTTSDALE - Go Daddy Group Inc. has gone international.

The Scottsdale-based domain-name registrar opened an office in Ontario, Canada, this month, its first location outside the United States. And although the office has just one employee, by August Go Daddy aims to be registering ".ca" domain names, the top-level domain for Canada.

"We've done some market research, with customers and non-customers, that took us to Canada," said Barbara Rechterman, executive vice president of Go Daddy. "It's a good test market, it's close and it just seemed right."

Go Daddy will kick off its entry into the Canadian market by sponsoring the television broadcast of the NASCAR Napa Auto Parts 200 on Aug. 2 in Montreal. Canadian driver Ron Fellows will race the No. 5 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet.

Go Daddy is sponsoring the broadcast on Canada's TSN, a 24-hour, all-sports network.

The company says it already has some customers in Canada but wants more. It has been certified by the Canadian Internet Registration Authority, and Rechterman said it is in the final stages of developing the ".ca" registration process.

The company hopes to launch the service just before the NASCAR race, she said.

Go Daddy already offers more than 40 other top-level domains, including Germany's ".de," the United Kingdom's ".uk" and Japan's ".jp."

The Canada office houses a new subsidiary, Go Daddy Domains Canada. It has one employee who manages high-end customers, Rechterman said, although the company someday might add development staff.

She said she expects customer support would still be done in the United States.

Well this is great news.. I have been waiting for them to have .ca to register =)