Catchfence

Sales of die cast cars to help raise funds for U.S. Olympians

ST. LOUIS (October 16, 2009) – Budweiser announced today that it will celebrate U.S. Olympians with a special paint scheme at next season’s Daytona 500. Driver Kasey Kahne will pilot the No. 9 Budweiser Team USA Ford in the 52nd running of “The Great American Race” at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 14, 2010 and the Auto Club 500 in Fontana, Calif. on Feb. 21, 2010, both which coincide with the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games (Feb. 12-28).

Budweiser Team USA Olympic Paint Scheme die cast cars will be available for purchase beginning October 23 and can be ordered through BudShop.com, Nascar.com and at the tracks. Proceeds from the die cast car sales will be donated to the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) to assist athletes’ training and travel costs for the Olympic Winter Games.

“The Great American Lager has been involved with NASCAR and the U.S. Olympic Movement for more than 25 years,” said Gregg Billmeyer, vice president of trademark brands, Anheuser-Busch. “This is a unique opportunity to involve Kasey Kahne, the No. 9 Budweiser car and our official beer sponsorship of the Daytona 500 to help our country’s Olympic athletes achieve their dreams in Vancouver.”

Budweiser has been associated with the Olympic Games since the Los Angeles 1984 Games. Budweiser first sponsored a team on the NASCAR Winston Cup Series circuit in 1983.

“The Olympic paint scheme is another example of the many ways Budweiser steps up to support the community,” Kasey Kahne said of the program. “I’m a lifelong fan of winter sports, especially skiing, and have a lot of respect for the hard work our Olympians put into their events. The team and I are proud to race with Team USA on our hood and we’ll be cheering with the entire country as our Olympians go for the gold.”

“Anheuser-Busch has been a tremendous supporter of the U.S. Olympic Team and the Olympic Movement for a quarter of a century,” said USOC Chief Marketing Officer Lisa Baird. “That long-term commitment benefits America’s athletes, helping them to train hard, pursue their dreams and represent our country with pride at the Olympic Games. It is innovative activations from sponsors – like Budweiser’s direct donations from die cast car proceeds – that continue to feed the heart and spirit of the Olympic Movement.”

Budweiser has been a supporter of the U.S. Olympic Team since 1984. Sponsorship of the U.S. Olympic Team provides Budweiser with an opportunity to reach adult beer drinkers across the country and bring fans closer to once-in-a-lifetime sports experiences.

Budweiser also is the title sponsor of the annual Budweiser Shootout at Daytona, the exclusive beer and malt beverage advertiser of the Daytona 500, and the “Official Beer Sponsor” of Daytona International Speedway, the Daytona 500 and the Coke Zero 400. Throughout its history in NASCAR, the iconic Budweiser car has been driven by Terry Labonte, Darrell Waltrip, Bill Elliott, Ken Schrader, Ricky Craven, Wally Dallenbach and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Based in St. Louis, Anheuser‑Busch is the leading American brewer, holding a 49.2 percent share of U.S. beer sales. The company brews the world’s largest-selling beers, Budweiser and Bud Light. Anheuser‑Busch also owns a 50 percent share in Grupo Modelo, Mexico’s leading brewer. Anheuser-Busch ranked No. 1 among beverage companies in FORTUNE Magazine’s Most Admired Global Companies list in 2009. Anheuser‑Busch is a major manufacturer of aluminum cans and one of the world’s largest recyclers of aluminum cans. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev, the leading global brewer, and continues to operate under the Anheuser-Busch name and logo. For more information, visit www.anheuser-busch.com.

- Elevation Group of Companies for Busweiser Racing, Press Release