Catchfence

Juno Beach, October 29, 2010 – TBC Retail Group (TBC Retail), sponsors of the 2011 NHRA Tire Kingdom Gatornationals, kicked off the NHRA Las Vegas Nationals with the announcement that it has renewed its sponsorship of S.K.I. Racing, Inc. two-car Pro Stock team and Paul Richards Racing Top Fuel Dragster. In 2011, the Pro Stock cars and Top Fuel Dragster will carry the colors of TBC Retail’s tire and automotive maintenance retail brands: Tire Kingdom®, National Tire and Battery® (NTB), Merchant’s Tire and Auto® (Merchant’s), Big O Tires® and Service Central®.

“This has been an exciting first season for our team. Not only did we qualify at least one car at every race while introducing a new engine program, we landed a sponsorship with an exceptional tire and automotive maintenance company,” said Johnny Gray, president, S.K.I. Racing. “We are proud to represent Tire Kingdom, NTB and Big O Tires for the TBC Retail Group. This is a fantastic organization committed to providing exceptional products and services at affordable prices, a value our fans understand.” Gray went on to highlight the team’s desire to end the season with a win. “We are pushing forward to land our first win of the season. It will be a great way to celebrate our continued relationship.”

This has been an outstanding first season as Johnny and son, rookie Shane Gray, both made the NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship playoffs ensuring them a spot in the top ten. Additionally, Shane is a strong contender for the coveted Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future Award. Johnny and Shane will be driving the NTB and Big O Tires Pro Stock cars in Las Vegas and Pomona.

“We are excited to continue our relationship with S.K.I. Racing. This has been a fun year with Johnny and Shane Gray. Not only are they aggressively positioning the NTB and Tire Kingdom Pro Stock cars as unstoppable competitors, they are excellent ambassadors for our family of stores,” said Bob Crostarosa, SVP Marketing and Advertising TBC Retail. “And, with the way these guys have been driving, we expect to be standing in the winner’s circle before the end of this season.”

TBC Retail is also pleased to announce that it is continuing its relationship with Paul Richards Racing as sponsors of its Top Fuel Dragster driven by Dom Lagana.

“Paul and his team are great representatives for Tire Kingdom, Big O Tires, NTB, Merchant’s Tire and Service Central on and off the track,” said Crostarosa. “These guys embody perseverance and dedication to this sport, their fans and their sponsor. You can count on them to show up on race day with a very competitive car that has the potential to win.”

“We are thrilled to continue our relationship with TBC Retail. Not only do we have the opportunity to represent great brands at the race, we are able to meet and greet customers face-to-face at store events,” said Paul Richards, president, Paul Richards Racing. “It feels great when NHRA fans come to our pit for autographs and we learn that they are loyal customers of Tire Kingdom, NTB, Big O Tires, or Merchant’s Tire. We instantly have something in common and those are the fans we want to perform for.”

About TBC Retail Group

Headquartered in Juno Beach, Florida, TBC Retail Group, Inc., a subsidiary of TBC Corporation, operates more than 800 tire and automotive service centers under the brands: Tire Kingdom®, NTB – National Tire and Battery®, and Merchant’s Tire and Auto Centers®, along with nearly 500 franchised Big O Tires® locations. The contingent of over 1200 stores has trained and certified ASE technicians who use state-of-the-art equipment to provide quality service on cars and trucks. The nationwide warranty provides peace of mind while it protects consumers and their investment in over 40 states. TBC Retail Group employs more than 300 associates at its Juno Beach, Florida headquarters and approximately 10,000 associates nationally. To locate a store near you, call 800-NEW-TIRE. TBC Corporation, headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, is one of the nation’s largest marketers of automotive replacement tires through a multi-channel retail and wholesale strategy.

About S.K.I. Racing, Inc.

S.K.I. Racing, Inc. and Gray Motorsports are headquartered in a 22,000 square-foot state-of-the-art facility in Denver, NC. The race team is housed in 7,200 square feet and the remaining 14,800 square feet is home to a Pro Stock engine development assembly and testing facility where Gray Motorsports operates their engine development program. For more information about S.K.I. Racing and Gray Motorsports, visit www.graymotorsports.com.

About Paul Richards Racing

Established in 2006 by Paul Richards, Paul Richards Racing follows the legacy of father Gary Richards’ 40-year career competing in both Nitro Funny Car and Top Fuel Dragster classes. Paul Richards Racing competes in various races throughout the year in both the Funny Car and Top Fuel Dragster classes. Both styles of cars are specifically built for drag racing. The engines are a supercharged Chrysler Hemi that runs on a combination of 90% nitromethane and 10% methanol fuel. They produce over 8,000 horsepower each and are known as the fastest piston driven machines on the planet. They score .7 on the Richter Scale during acceleration and -5 Gs when the parachute is deployed. On a run, they accelerate faster than a fighter jet and reach speeds over 300 mph in a quarter mile span. For more information about Paul Richards Racing, visit www.paulrichardsracing.com.