Richard Petty Motorsports

Annett, a native of Des Moines, Iowa, comes to Richard Petty Motorsports after spending last season at Rusty Wallace, Inc. He has posted 13 top-10 finishes in 105 Nationwide Series starts and drove to a ninth-place finish in the championship points standings last season.

“They say that when one door closes, another door opens, and that is most definitely true,” said Annett. “We were left scrambling a bit because of the situation with RWI and were unsure what the future held, but I couldn’t be happier with the way things have turned out. To have the chance to race for Richard Petty and to be under the RPM umbrella is amazing. It has all come together really quickly, but together with Pilot Flying J and Ford, this is the best opportunity I have ever had to race a Nationwide Series car. There’s a lot to be done before we get to Daytona in a few weeks and I can’t wait to dive in and get started.”

“It’s exciting to have the opportunity to partner with a brand as prestigious as Pilot Flying J,” said team Co-owner Richard Petty. “We are happy to welcome them to the Richard Petty Motorsports family and to our partner family as well.

“This has been an exciting couple of months for Richard Petty Motorsports,” continued Petty. “We are looking forward to getting back into the Nationwide Series full time and seeing what Michael Annett can do in an RPM Ford Mustang. Michael has improved every season he has raced in the Nationwide Series and has the dedication and drive to be a success.”

“Pilot Flying J is excited for Michael and our new partnership with Richard Petty Motorsports,” stated Mark Hazelwood, Executive Vice President, Pilot Flying J. “PFJ has had a longstanding relationship with both Michael and the Petty family. Richard Petty is a NASCAR legend and this opportunity further extends our commitment to Michael and the sport. We look forward to a great partnership.”

Born into a family with a rich racing heritage, Annett began his own racing career in 2007 competing in the ARCA Series. In only his fourth start, Annett drove his Pilot Travel Centers machine to victory lane at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. He drove to victory once again in the ARCA Series the next season at Daytona International Speedway and also piloted an entry in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in eight events that season. In 2009, he moved to the Nationwide Series with Germain Racing and posted four top-10 finishes en route to a 10th-place effort in the point standings. He remained at Germain through 2010 and in 2011 competed for RWI.

About Pilot Flying J

Pilot Flying J, the driver driven company, is headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, and has more than 550 retail locations across North America. Pilot Flying J is also one of the nation’s largest wholesale fuel providers, delivering over 500 million gallons of fuel to thousands of customers in 47 states and eight Canadian provinces. The company employs approximately 18,000 people and is the largest operator of travel centers and travel plazas in North America. Visit www.pilotflyingj.com for more information.

About Richard Petty Motorsports

Richard Petty Motorsports (www.richardpettymotorsports.com), co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty, Andrew Murstein and Douglas Bergeron, fields two teams in competition in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Aric Almirola pilots the famous No. 43 Ford Fusion and Marcos Ambrose drives the No. 9 machine with sponsorship from Stanley and DEWALT. In addition, Michael Annett wheels the No. 43 Pilot Flying J Ford Mustang full time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. The team is headquartered in Concord, N.C.

- Richard Petty Motorsports Press Release

Dale Inman - 2012 NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductee

Richard Petty’s Cousin Had Uncanny Ability To Communicate With ‘The King’

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 12, 2012) – Within the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series garage, among crew chiefs and mechanics, the most popular addition to the NASCAR Hall of Fame is one of their own – Dale Inman.

Inman, according to his first cousin Richard Petty, invented the position we now call the crew chief.

“Dale was a racing benchmark,” said Petty. “He was the sport’s first official crew chief and people modeled themselves after him. He knew what, when and where — and when he made a mistake he wasn’t afraid to admit it. Everyone respected him for that. Nobody even comes close to the number of wins that Dale has recorded.”

He’ll be inducted Jan. 20 as a member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s third class that includes Richie Evans, Darrell Waltrip, Glen Wood and Cale Yarborough.

Inman’s numbers between 1958 and 1992 indeed support “The King’s” belief: eight NASCAR Sprint Cup championships, 193 victories and 129 poles.

The 75-year-old Inman won seven titles with Petty and another with Terry Labonte.

Inman began working in the Petty Enterprises Level Cross, N.C. shop for Lee Petty when he was too young to go to the track and be the team’s chief mechanic.

Inman’s stand-out year was 1967. That season, Inman and Petty won a NASCAR-record, 27 races – 10 of them consecutively. All 27 victories were in the same car they built a year earlier.

“Maurice was in the engine room and we had six employees,” said Inman, when asked if he and the team were aware of what they were accomplishing. “We were so busy we didn’t have time to think about what we were doing.”

In the current era, a crew chief can puzzle over a dozen or more cars before selecting which one to take to a specific race. That was hardly the case for Inman.

Richard Petty frequently had only two or three cars for Inman to supervise, perhaps an even more difficult task considering a 50-race schedule that featured multiple dates during a given week on both dirt and asphalt surfaces.

“Somebody asked me if I was nervous,” Inman said, discussing his feelings before the NASCAR Hall of Fame announcement was made. “And I said, ‘not as much as I was in some of those races.’”

While Inman was The King’s cousin, it seemed as if the pair could be twin brothers. The two worked in the shop on Lee Petty’s race cars but also had played football together at Randleman High School. Inman was the team’s halfback; Petty was a guard on the offensive line.

“It was scary sometimes how we came up with the same answers,” Inman said.

Inman didn’t set out to be a crew chief; it just came with the evolution of the sport. “There had to be a leadership role,” he said. “I picked that up.”

Unlike his cousin, Inman never had a desire to drive race cars. “I just didn’t see me tearing up somebody else’s equipment,” he said. “I always was pretty well content to work on the race cars and make them better.”

He also was a gifted teacher. Many of the sport’s top crew chiefs matriculated at what became Dale Inman University, among them Mike Beam, Barry Dodson, Jake Elder, Tony Glover, Steve Hmiel, Robbie Loomis, Todd Parrott, Robin Pemberton and Wade Thronburg.

“The things that you learned were not always about being or trying to be the best race car mechanic or your win-loss record; they were also about how you represented your team on and off the track,” said Pemberton, a winning crew chief for Mark Martin, Kyle Petty and Rusty Wallace and now NASCAR’s Vice President, Competition and Racing Development, recalled of his time working under Inman. “Dale was very good at a lot of things but I really think he was one of the best race strategist I have ever seen week in and week out. The vast majority of the time Dale made the right call to get the most out of the day.”

Inman didn’t disagree but put it this way: “I kept up with who we we had to beat and what their weaknesses were,” he said. “We also surrounded ourselves with good people.”

Inman left the team shortly after Petty’s 1981 Daytona 500 victory. The decision to move on was incredibly emotional – for both Inman and Petty.

“After I told him I was leaving the team in ’81, he looked at me like he was going to cry,” Inman said in a feature published later in “Stock Car Illustrated.” “’Dale,’ he said, ‘when I go off down into one of those turns at 170 mph, who am I going to depend on so I know that all the bolts are tight?’ I went home and cried.”

Inman later worked for Rod Osterlund, J.D. Stacy and Billy Hagan – the latter owner of Labonte’s championship-winning team – before returning to Petty Enterprises to manage the organization’s business affairs in 1986. He helped mold the careers of John Andretti and Bobby Hamilton, both race winners.

Inman retired from NASCAR in 1998 but remained close to the sport. He helped Kyle Petty complete the Victory Junction camp. When the NASCAR Hall of Fame was opened, Inman brought in its first artifact, the restored Plymouth Belvedere in which Petty set the records in 1967.

In 2006 a national motorsports’ journalism organization proclaimed Inman NASCAR’s second greatest crew chief. Always humble, Inman responded, “I’m not sure I should even be ranked.” He called Leonard Wood of the Wood Brothers – fellow NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Glen Wood’s brother – the best crew chief he’d ever seen.

Source: NASCAR, Press Release

The local law enforcement officer spent two days this past fall in NASCAR country and is getting a chance to chase his dream of becoming a professional NASCAR driver.

On Sept. 26, Johnson spent two days testing an ARCA car at the historic Hickory Motor Speedway where the likes of Richard Petty, Junior Johnson and Ned Jarrett once raced. This opportunity was given to him by Chris Lafferty, owner of Lafferty Motorsports. Lafferty Motorsports is well-known in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and ARCA Racing Series and also has ties to late model and street stock divisions.

As a kid, Johnson always wanted to get into stock car racing and one day race in NASCAR. He raced in motocross for several years and loved competing with the other riders, but wanted to go elsewhere with his racing career. His passion has always been in NASCAR with hopes of one day racing in the Sprint Cup Series. But with stock car racing being such an expensive sport, he never thought that dream would become a reality. That is until he met with Lafferty.

On the first day at Hickory, Lafferty familiarized Johnson with the track and discussed his expectations of consistency, drive, dedication and a positive attitude. Johnson soon began running laps around the historic speedway.

- Gaston Gazette

A Chance to Win Driving Lessons for Richard "The King" Petty and Marcos Ambrose Poster

The Raybestos “Reward Fit for a King” rebate and sweepstakes offer runs September 15, 2011through November 30, 2011. Participating installers can offer their customers a rebate up to $40 with a qualifying purchase of Raybestos^® Advanced Technology^® and Professional Grade^® brake pads and rotors. Each redeemed rebate card serves as an entry to win the grand prize.

During that time, technicians can earn a reward up to $50 for installing Raybestos^® Advanced Technology^® and Professional Grade^® brake pads, rotors, loaded calipers, friction ready calipers, master cylinders and wheel hub assemblies. A tally card is provided to track rewards, and that tally card also serves as an entry into the grand prize drawing.

To help promote the rebate and sweepstakes, participating installers will receive a “Reward Fit for a King” promotional kit. The kit is FREEto Raybestos^™ Rewards members and includes: a promotional window poster, a counter card with 25 rebate cards and a tally sheet to track their eligible sales. Raybestos Rewards members automatically receive the rebate program kit, but any installer who sells Raybestos brake parts can receive theirFREE kit by enrolling in the Raybestos Rewards program. They can also contact their local Raybestos sales rep or WD.

A total of three installers and one consumer will win the grand prize, which will be awarded in 2012. Along with one guest each, the lucky winners receive:

• Racing lessons with Richard Petty and Marcos Ambrose
• A single day on-track event
• Airfare and two-night hotel stay (round trip/coach/two people)

For more information on Raybestos brand brake parts or the “Reward Fit for a King” rebate and sweepstakes, visit www.raybestos.com or call 800-323-0354.

Raybestos^® brand brake parts are produced by affiliated companies in Affinia’s Global Brake & Chassis Group, the leading manufacturer of braking systems in the transportation industry. The Raybestos brakes product line includes everything from brake drums to rotors, pads, shoes, calipers and hydraulic parts. Raybestos brand racing brakes are used by premier teams such as Joe Gibbs Racing, Roush Fenway Racing and Richard Petty Motorsports in NASCAR^® competition. In addition, the Raybestos brand is the preferred racing brake pad of IZOD^® IndyCar^® Series and Firestone^® Indy Lights road and street course competition. For more information about Raybestos brakes, visit Raybestos.com. 

Affinia Group Inc. is an innovative global leader in the design, manufacture, distribution and marketing of industrial grade products and services, including extensive offerings of aftermarket parts for automotive and heavy-duty vehicles. With approximately $2.0 billion in annual revenue, Affinia has operations in North and South America, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit www.affiniagroup.com.

- Raybestos, Press Release

No. 18 Dollar General Toyota Tundra

Last August, the Las Vegas native made NASCAR history when he became the first driver to sweep an entire race weekend, winning the NCWTS, NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Bristol. This March, the 26-year introduced fans to the abbreviated version of the Bristol Sweep, winning the NNS race on Saturday and the Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday. Not only has Busch won the last five races at Bristol, he has led over half of the total laps (936 of 1,756) during those races.

Kyle Busch - Photo Credit: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images for NASCAR

What was it like to sweep all three races in the same weekend last year at Bristol?

“It was pretty cool because, when you come so close and then don’t get it, it’s pretty frustrating. In 2009, we won the Truck race and we were leading the Nationwide race and we got crashed out, and then we ended up winning the Cup race. So, it was probably a year delayed. There have been some other times we’ve come close to getting it done at other places, too. It was pretty special. It was cool to be able to put it all together in a complete weekend, with the truck, with the Nationwide car and with the Cup car.”

What makes racing at Bristol so exciting?

“Bristol Motor Speedway is one of the best racetracks on the circuit. All the fans love it because of the excitement, the run-ins, and the close-quarter action with all the cars being packed on top of one another at a half-mile racetrack with us 43 lunatics running around in a tight circle – or in this case, with the trucks thirty-something lunatics. With the fans, the atmosphere there always makes for a good time. It’s a fun place that you go to that you like going to. You enjoy the race around there. We grew up at the (Las Vegas Motor Speedway) Bullring and stuff like that. Maybe not as banked as Bristol is, but I love going and racing at Winchester (Ind.), Slinger (Wisc.), and Salem (Ind.), where I’ve raced before. Those are all really high-banked racetracks that are a half-mile in distance, or a quarter. They’re really fun to race around and you kind of get a great feel for racing in a bowl. You go down the straightaway and you slam it into the corners and you mash the gas and you kind of sling right back out of the corners. It’s a lot of fun to do that. It’s kind of an art. Some guys are really good at it, and some find a knack that makes them really good at it and make it seem easy.”

Eric Phillips, Crew Chief of the No. 18 Dollar General NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Toyota Tundra:

Has the new surface at Bristol changed how you setup your truck for the race?

“As far as the setup on the truck, you still battle some of the same issues as you did with the old surface. You fight being free into the corners, tight in the center and loose off. To have a fast truck, you need to try and put together a package that is stable into the corners but still allows your driver to turn in the center and put down the power off of the corners.”

Does the new points system add a level of excitement to the battle for the owners’ championship over the last 10 races?

“The new points system definitely adds a level of excitement to the battle for the championship. This system is a lot simpler, so you understand exactly how far ahead – or behind – you are in the standings. It seems to be really hard to gain any points. You can have some really good weeks and you might only gain three or four points, but when you have a bad week – like we did in Michigan- you lose 20 or 25 points. It’s hard to make up points with the new system, so we’re going to have to be really good over these last 10 races.”

Kyle Busch’s No. 18 Dollar General Toyota Tundra

KBM Chassis No. 128: This chassis has two previous starts, both at Dover International Speedway. The last time No. 128 was on the track, Busch led 128 laps en route to victory in the Lucas Oil 200 at “The Monster Mile” in May. Last year at Dover, Busch led 172 of the 204 laps, but did not finish the race due to an issue with the fuel pump during a green-white-checkered finish.

Notes of Interest:

Kyle Busch @ Bristol:

- Ranks first in career NCWTS wins (3) and is tied with four other drivers for most top-fives (4)

- Has won the last three NCWTS O’Reilly Auto Parts 200′s, leading 343 of the 609 total laps (56%) during those races

- Ranks first over the last six NCWTS races at Bristol in laps led (343), fastest laps run (200), laps in the top 15 (1,105), speed in traffic (114.935 mph) and fastest speed late in a run (115.194 mph)

- Captured the pole for the 2010 NCWTS O’Reilly Auto Parts 200 and has started in the top 10 in each of his six career starts

- Has won four of the last five NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races and the last two NNS races

Kyle Busch 2011 Camping World Truck Series:

- In 10 starts this season, has won a series-leading five races (Phoenix, Nashville, Dover, Charlotte, Kentucky) and registered a series-leading eight top-five finishes

- Ranks first among NCWTS drivers in driver rating (124.5), average finish (4.5), laps led (514), miles led (571.2), fastest laps run (234), fastest early in a run (3.67 rank), fastest late in a run (3.33 rank) and green flag speed (2.67 rank)

Kyle Busch Camping World Truck Series Career:

- Has won 30.5% of the NCWTS races he has entered and finished first or second in 49.5%

- 101 All-Time Combined NASCAR National Series wins rank third all-time (Petty 200, Pearson 106)

- Ranks second in NCWTS history with 29 wins (Hornaday Jr. 48)

- Ranks fourth in NCWTS history in laps led (4,021), tied for sixth in poles (11) and 10th in top-fives (56)

- One of 10 drivers in NASCAR history to lead over 20,000 laps among the top three series

- Reached 25th win in NCWTS faster than any driver in the history of NASCAR’s top three series, attaining the milestone in just his 87th career start

- Youngest driver (20 years, 18 days) in NCWTS history to win a race (Quaker Steak & Lube 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on 5/20/05)

- Has at least one NCWTS victory in each of the last seven seasons and multiple victories in each of the last five

- 119.6 career driver rating entering the 2011 season is the highest accumulated by a NCWTS driver since the stat was introduced in 2005

- Average career finish of 7.1 ranks first among active drivers with 10 or more career starts in the NCWTS

Kyle Busch Motorsports and the No. 18 Toyota Tundra:

- Lead the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) Owners’ Point Standings – tied with KHI’s No. 2 with 583 points, but with six wins rank first via the tie-breaker by three wins

- Aiming to become the first team to win back-to-back owners’ titles since 2003 (No. 16 Steve Coulter 2002 and 2003)

- Rank first in the NCWTS in wins (6), laps led (609) and fastest laps run (295) and are tied with KHI’s No. 2 for most top 5s (10)

- Crew chief Eric Phillips ranks first among active crew chiefs with 24 career NCWTS wins and General Manager Rick Ren’s 27 wins as a crew chief are the most in the history of the NCWTS

- In 2010 became the first team since the NCWTS originated in 1995 to win the owners’ championship in its inaugural season

12-Year-Old David Owens Jr. Riding Shotgun with Kyle Busch Motorsports at Bristol:

David Owens Jr. from Nashville, Tenn. has been selected as the winner of the “Riding Shotgun with Kyle Busch Motorsports” essay contest for Bristol Motor Speedway. Owens Jr.’s name and picture will adorn the area above the passenger side window of Kyle Busch’s No. 18 Dollar General Tundra for Wednesday night’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 200. Owens Jr., a student at DuPont Hadley Middle School in Old Hickory, Tenn., had his essay selected as the winner among submissions from children age 5-12 for the Bristol race.

In his essay, he described how due to a heart defect called Tetralogy of Fallot he was unable to race quarter midget cars like he had always dreamed of. To fulfill his racing fix, he turned to racing radio-controlled (R/C) vehicles. After winning his first R/C race on March 5, he described how happy he was to finally experience victory, even though it was not in a quarter midget. In the closing sentence of his essay he declared, “Even though I have a heart disease, I can still be a winner.”

- Kyle Busch Motorsports Press Release

Richard Petty lets Bruton Smith try the hat on for size. - Photo Credit: CMS/Harold Hinson Photography (HHP)

Charlotte, NC (August 16, 2011) —

Dining in the Dark is a distinctive sensory awareness experience in which guests participate in an unforgettable dining adventure, in complete darkness. For 30 minutes, attendees will enjoy their entrée using only their senses of smell, sound, taste, and touch, to get a glimpse into the lives of the blind. Visually impaired servers, who are trained specifically for the dinner to use a system of ropes and stanchions, will help guests navigate through this new culinary journey. The NASCAR community will come together at Dining in the Dark to honor two visionary industry leaders for their accomplishments and dedication to advancing blindness research.

Dining in the Dark will benefit the Foundation Fighting Blindness, whose urgent mission is to drive the research that will lead to preventions, treatments and cures for the more than 10 million Americans affected with retinitis pigmentosa, macular degeneration, Usher syndrome and the entire spectrum of retinal degenerative diseases.

What: North Carolina Dining in the Dark

Where: Ritz-Carlton

201 East Trade St.

Charlotte, NC 28202

When: Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2011

6-7 p.m. Reception

7-9:30 p.m. Dinner & Awards

Cost: $350 per ticket

For more event information, sponsorship opportunities, or to buy tickets, visit www.FightBlindness.org/DiningInTheDark or contact Events Director Jennifer Assaff at JAssaff@FightBlindness.org or 919-781-8014.

- Foundation Fighting Blindness, Press Release

No. 32 Champion Brands Toyota Camry

Wilson, the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series (NWAAS) superstar made his debut with the potent Win-Tron Racing last week at Lucas Oil Raceway. Not originally scheduled to drive in this event, the team phoned Wilson earlier in the week and asked him to wheel the No. 32 Champion Brands Toyota Camry. With humbleness, Wilson accepted the invitation and rightfully became excited for his speedway debut.

Arriving at the track on Friday, Wilson was eager to climb into the seat and take to the track. A lone practice session Friday afternoon allowed the rookie to impressively nail the seventh quickest time. The team led by wizard crew chief Mike Chaffee consulted with his driver where they both agreed to make some slight changes to their Japanese nameplate in time for qualifying.

After drawing the final qualifying spot earlier in the day, Wilson maneuvered a lap of 54.290 seconds at 163.144 miles per hour. The one-lap effort was nearly a second faster than his practice results. Wilson’s impressive lap would land him in the fifth position, a career-best for Wilson in his Pocono (Pa.) Raceway debut.

Pleased with his No. 32 Champion Brands Toyota Camry, the team returned to the racetrack on Saturday ready to do battle. Unfortunately, Mother Nature would have alternative plans as rain soaked the Long Pond racetrack ultimately forcing officials to postpone the race until Sunday morning following the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series shootout.

Sunday greeted the teams with overcast skies when the engines fired shortly after 10:00 a.m. Wilson wouldn’t have a chance to bolt towards the leaders as the caution flag quickly waived just after the completion of lap one when several racecars tangled entering turn one.

A lengthy caution period kept Wilson antsy, as he was ready to resume racing. Green flag racing resumed on lap 13 with Wilson hovering comfortably in the top-seven.

As the race pressed on, Wilson’s machine developed a tight condition but the pilot wasn’t complaining as he was just focused on learning and keeping his automobile solidly in the top-10.

The caution waived again near the halfway point of the 50-lap shootout which allowed Chaffee to bring the Late Model ace to pit road for four tires, fuel and a chassis adjustment to loosen up his machine.

Restarting ninth, Wilson would slip back on the ensuing restart, losing a couple positions before the caution waived again for an incident involving the No. 08. With advice and coaching from his team, Wilson was determined to re-enter his No. 32 Champion Brands Toyota Camry into the top-10.

With just under 20 laps remaining when the field returned to racing, Wilson quietly began picking off his competitors. Quickly making work of Will Kimmel, Wilson moved into 11th and eyed ninth and 10th held by Sean Corr and Frank Kimmel. Wilson was easily able to make work of them and found himself hoisting ninth with the laps dwindling down.

Ryan Wilson

“I’m happy, but yet disappointed at the same time,” offered Wilson after the race. “The Win-Tron Racing team gave me another good racecar. I thought for my first time here, we did well all things considered. The biggest thing I am going to work on between now and my next race is my restarts. I think that hurt us a little, but I was still satisfied to bring home a top-10 finish for Win-Tron Racing, Champion Brands and the Trinity Children’s Foundation.”

Nate Thiesse co-car owner offered his sentiments on Wilson’s outing. “We could not have asked for anything more out of Ryan this weekend, especially at a place he’s never been too. His feedback for Pocono was incredible and his strength in qualifying surprised us all. We’re exceptionally pleased overall with how he performed in the race. It really was a good weekend for us. We’re looking forward to having Ryan back in the seat real soon.”

Next up for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards is the first of two dirt races of the season. The 14th race of the year steers the teams to Illinois before landing at the Illinois State Fairgrounds (Springfield) for the running of the Allen Crowe 100 set for Sunday, August 21.

Further information including driver opportunities with Win-Tron Racing is available by visiting win-tronracing.com or contacting Nate Thiesse at 612.306.1641

For more on Champion Brands LLC and their extensive line of products, please log on to championbrands.com or championsusechampion.com.

Additional input on Ryan Wilson is available by logging on the web at RyanWilsonMotorsports.com.

- Win-Tron Racing Press Release

BC and Goody’s ‘Pick A Powder’ campaign with Trace Adkins and Richard Petty

Starting the first week of August, fans will be able to go to BC Powder’s and Goody’s Powder’s Facebook pages and view the new videos which include Adkins evaluating Petty’s dancing and wardrobe choices, Petty teaching Adkins about resistance training and trying anything and everything to remove a racing helmet from Adkins’ head. The ‘Pick A Powder’ campaign started as a friendly “rivalry” to determine who experiences the toughest pain and plays off the fierce and generational loyalty users have to either Goody’s or BC.

Later in the year, fans will be able to once again support raising funds for Wounded Warrior Project on behalf of BC and Adkins and Victory Junction Camp on behalf of Goody’s and Petty. Last year, BC and Goody’s collectively gave $100,000 to the charities in a check presentation at the Goody’s Fast Relief 500 in Martinsville, Va., and they hope to get the public’s help in raising that much again. Also, participants who “like”, share or download a coupon for their favorite headache powders on Facebook will be able to participate in a sweepstakes that will include an all-expense paid VIP trip for four to the Goody’s Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway (race tickets, air and hotel) courtesy of Goody’s, or an all-expense paid VIP trip for four to a Trace Adkins concert stop (concert tickets, air and hotel) in early 2012 (location TBD) courtesy of BC.

“In working with both men, I can say one of the things Trace and Richard both agree on is that whether it is tough body pain or a droning headache, powders go to work fast and loyalties to each brand run deep,” said Traci Plate, Brand Manager, BC and Goody’s Powders. “That’s why we created the ‘Pick A Powder’ campaign and have taken the ‘painful moments’ to Facebook where many of our loyal users are.”

To view the rivalry’s new “painful moments” videos visit BC Powder and Goody’s Powder on Facebook, To view last year’s videos, visit www.pickapowder.com.

ABOUT GLAXOSMITHKLINE

GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare is one of the world’s largest over-the-counter consumer healthcare products companies. Its more than 30 well-known brands include the leading smoking cessation products, Nicorette^® and NicoDerm^®CQ^® as well as many medicine cabinet staples – allii^®, Aquafresh^®, Sensodyne^®, and TUMS^® – which are trademarks owned by and/or licensed to GlaxoSmithKline Group of Companies.

ABOUT RICHARD PETTY

Known to many simply as “The King,” Richard Petty is the most decorated driver in the history of NASCAR racing, winning a record number 200 races and seven NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships in his illustrious career. His place was forever sealed in racing history in May 2010 as Petty was a member of the inaugural class inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Today Petty is as busy as ever overseeing the operation of Richard Petty Motorsports, a multi-car NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team. The legend is also involved with the Richard Petty Driving Experience. Away from the track, Petty and his family strongly believe in giving back to the community. The King was instrumental in the development of the Victory Junction Camp, a special camp for chronically ill children, after donating acres of his land that the camp sits on today.

ABOUT TRACE ADKINS

Trace Adkins is one of Country music’s most versatile and accomplished entertainers. His instantly recognizable baritone has earned 30 charted singles and 15 Top Ten hits gold, platinum, and multi-platinum albums with total sales surpassing 10 million. He is a sought-after television personality, an accomplished actor, a world-class voiceover narrator and commercial spokesman and successful author. Since 2010, he has served as the official face and voice of BC Headache Powder.

Literally an entertainment mega-star (he’s 6′ 6″), Adkin’s stint on The Celebrity Apprentice earned him recognition beyond Country music and his recent supporting role in The Lincoln Lawyer (Lionsgate) has carried that even further.

A member of the Grand Ole Opry, Adkins was raised on Country and Gospel and is known as a traditionalist who speaks his mind and honors the past. Hits such as “Every Light In The House Is On,” “This Ain’t No Thinkin’ Thing,” and “You’re Gonna Miss This,” feature the heart-felt sentiment that Country music is known for. However, as his fans know, his range also extends to the rowdy side. Having played his fair share of honky tonks on his way up, it was obvious from the start that the rowdy barroom anthem, “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk,” would become an across-the-board phenomenon, while his “All I Ask For Anymore,” is a moving modern masterpiece that earned Grammy nominations for Best Male Country Performance and Best Country Song.

Trace’s rapidly-charting new single, “Just Fishin’” his the first single on his upcoming album, PROUD TO BE HERE, which will be released August 2, 2011 on Show Dog – Universal Music as he continues to criss-cross the U.S. on tour.

- BLH Consulting, Inc., for GlaxoSmithKline, Press Release

Kyle Busch

Good Sam Emergency Road Service 125 Preview

TRACK:Pocono Raceway (2.5-mile tri-oval)
PRIMARY SPONSOR: CocoaVia™
ASSOCIATE SPONSORS: Toyota of Scranton, Dollar General, Flexco
MANUFACTURER: Toyota
PRIMARY CHASSIS: KBM-4
BACKUP CHASSIS: X-128
MOTORS: Triad Racing Technologies
BROADCAST: Saturday, August 6 – 1:00 p.m. ET SPEED/MRN/Sirius XM NASCAR 90

KBM BRINGING TOP TUNDRA TO THE “TRICKY TRIANGLE”

Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) is bringing its top Tundra to the “Tricky Triangle” for Saturday’s Good Sam Emergency Road Service 125. Chassis KBM-4 has been to victory lane seven times in ten starts, including six times in eight starts with Kyle Busch behind the wheel. Kasey Kahne drove the same chassis to a runner-up finish in last year’s inaugural NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) event at the 2.5-mile tri-oval and this year Kahne became first driver other than Busch to win a race for KBM when he drove the Tundra to a victory at Darlington Raceway. Busch is two-for-two driving KBM-4 this season, winning in his last series start at Kentucky Speedway on July 7 as well as the April Nashville race.

CocoaVia™, cocoa extract dietary supplements made by Mars Botanical™, will be the primary sponsor on Busch’s Tundra for Saturday’s 50-lap race. Located just 30 miles from Pocono Raceway, Toyota of Scranton — one of Pennsylvania’s newest Toyota showrooms — returns as an associate sponsor of the No. 18 at their hometown track.

KYLE BUSCH @ POCONO RACEWAY

- Despite qualifying 34th, finished third in the 2011 5-Hour Energy 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race (NSCS) (6/12/11)

- Captured the pole, led 32 laps and finished second in the 2010 Gillette Fusion Pro Glide 500 NSCS race (6/6/10)

- Has registered three top-five and four top-10 finishes in 13 career NSCS starts

- In lone ARCA Racing Series start, captured the pole for the 2003 Pennsylvania 200 and led 33 laps before an incident on lap 56 relegated him to a 25th-place finish (7/20/03)

KYLE BUSCH 2011 NCWTS

- Ranks first in the NCWTS in wins (6), driver rating (128.4), average finish (2.3), laps led (507), miles led (557.2), fastest laps run (222), fastest early in run (3.37), fastest late in run (3.63), green flag speed (2.75) and is tied with Ron Hornaday Jr. for most top 5s (7)
Has won five races (Phoenix, Nashville, Dover, Charlotte, Kentucky) in eight starts, including four of the last five he has entered, and registered eight top-five finishes.

- Has recorded top-10 finishes in each of the last 20 NCWTS races he has entered, collecting 12 wins, four runner-up finishes and has an average finish of 2.05 over that span

KYLE BUSCH MOTORSPORTS NO. 18 TOYOTA TUNDRA

- Leads the 2011 NCWTS Owner Point Standings by 33 points over KHI’s No. 2

- Aiming to become the first team to win back-to-back owners’ titles since 2003 (No. 16 Steve Coulter 2002 and 2003)

- Ranks first in the NCWTS in wins (6), top 5s (9), laps led (541) and fastest laps run (283)

- Kasey Kahne started second, led 17 laps, and finished second in the 2010 Pocono Mountains 125 at Pocono Raceway

- Crew chief Eric Phillips ranks first among active crew chiefs with 24 career NCWTS wins and General Manager Rick Ren’s 27 wins as a crew chief are the most in the history of the NCWTS

- In 2010 became the first team since the NCWTS originated in 1995 to win the owners’ championship in its inaugural season

KYLE BUSCH NCWTS CAREER

- Has won 31.1% of the NCWTS races he has entered and finished first or second in 49.5%

- 100 All-Time Combined NASCAR National Series rank third all-time (Petty 200, Pearson 106)

- Ranks second in NCWTS history with 29 wins (Hornaday Jr. 48)

- Ranks eighth in NCWTS history in poles (11), 11th in top 5s (55) and 15th in top 10s (73)

- One of 10 drivers in NASCAR history to lead over 20,000 laps among the top-three series

- Reached 25th win in NCWTS faster than any driver in the history of NASCAR’s top three divisions, attaining the milestone in just his 87th career start

- Youngest driver (20 years, 18 days) in NCWTS history to win a race (Quaker Steak & Lube 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on 5/20/05)

- Has at least one NCWTS victory in each of the last seven seasons and multiple victories in each of the last five

- 119.6 career driver rating entering the 2011 season is the highest accumulated by a NCWTS driver since the stat was introduced in 2005
Average career finish of 7.0 ranks first among active drivers with 10 or more career starts

KYLE BUSCH ON MAKING HIS FIRST TRUCK SERIES START AT POCONO

“Mars has been a big supporter of mine — not only on the Cup side at Joe Gibbs Racing, but here on our trucks at KBM as well — and this weekend I’m excited to have one of their newest brands, CocoaVia, on my No. 18 Tundra. I didn’t run the truck race at Pocono last year, but I did participate in a Goodyear tire test and learned quite a bit. Kasey (Kahne) did a real nice job for us in the race last year and just missed out on the win. We’re bringing the same truck that he drove last year, so I expect that Eric and all the guys at KBM will provide me with a fast CocoaVia Tundra right off the hauler. Being fast from the time you unload is especially important this weekend because we only have one practice session. You don’t really have time to make any major adjustments during practice and with the race only being 50 laps you’re probably only going to make one pit stop — so you’ve only got one shot to make your truck better for the end of the race. I’ve had a lot better results in the M&M’s Camry the last couple years at Pocono and I’m really looking forward to making my first start there in the trucks Saturday.”

KYLE BUSCH BREAKS DOWN THE “TRICKY TRIANGLE”

“The hardest part of the track, for me, is probably turn one, and then turn two is the second-hardest, and then turn three is the third-hardest. Turn three, last year in the Cup cars, because of the patch they laid down, we couldn’t go down low and get underneath somebody and get a run on them because, when you come off the corner, you’re 8 to 10 mph slower than the guy on your outside, and they’re just going to blow right by you going down the straightaway.”

ERIC PHILLIPS ON HOW EXPERIENCE CAN HELP OVERCOME A LACK OF NOTES

“Last year was the first time the trucks raced at Pocono, so we don’t have a binder full of notes to work off like we do at most tracks. Between Rick (Ren) and I, we have a lot of experience in this series and I think that helps in a situation like this weekend because if you need to change something, you need to make an educated decision and get the truck dialed in rather quickly. Having an experienced driver like Kyle, who has ran a lot of races at Pocono in the Cup cars, providing qualify feedback helps as well. We participated in the tire test last year with Kyle driving and I think we learned a lot from the tire test as a team and it seems like Kyle learned something as well because he’s had better results in his Cup car since that test.”

- Kyle Busch Motorsports Press Release

Randy Hill Racing (RHR)

The Abilene businessman, 43, who has interests in agriculture, trucking and real estate, will realize his dream next month when his No. 08 Ford Mustang, with 18-year-old Casey Roderick behind the wheel, takes the track at Watkins Glen International for the Nationwide Series race.

The race will put Hill one step closer to his goal of running a car in the Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR’s highest level.

Along the way, Hill, an Abilene Christian University alum, said he has encountered nothing but helpful people in his dealings with NASCAR: From racing legend Richard Petty, who was happy to offer Hill advice and support, to Sprint Cup Series driver David Ragan, who helped secure parts and equipment, to the Roush Racing Team, which sold Hill the car that Carl Edwards ran in last week’s Nationwide race in Iowa and which Hill’s team will race at Watkins Glen.

- ReporterNews.com

Richard Petty - (Photo Credit: Getty Images)

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (May 26, 2011) –

“As our partnership with STP developed we became excited at the many opportunities it presented. STP’s return to the sport and longtime relationship with Richard lends an element of our sport’s history to Kansas Speedway.” said Pat Warren, president of Kansas Speedway.

Petty, winner of a record 200 races, seven NASCAR Cup championships and inaugural inductee into NASCAR’s Hall of Fame, will have a busy weekend at Kansas Speedway. On Friday morning at 9 AM, “The King” will be available to the media in the track’s infield media center. From 9-9:30 AM Saturday, he will conduct a question and answer session in the Sprint Fan Walk located between the Sprint Cup and Camping World Truck Series garages. Fans can participate in Saturday morning’s Q & A by purchasing Sprint Fan Walk tickets online at www.kansasspeedway.com or by calling 866.460.RACE.

Kansas Speedway will host the STP 400, the first of two Sprint Cup races this year on Sunday, June 5th. The series will be joined by the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series on June 4th for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250. The Nationwide Series will be in action on Saturday, October 8th for the running of the Kansas Lottery 300, followed by the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway Cup event on Sunday, October 9th.

Tickets for all Kansas Speedway events are on sale now and are available by calling 866.460.RACE or by visiting www.kansasspeedway.com. As always, parking is free and race fans are welcome to bring a 14x14x14-inch soft-sided cooler into the grandstands with their favorite food and beverages.

- Kansas Speedway, Press Release

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation

In honor of President Reagan’s relationship and fascination with auto racing, The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation presents Start Your Engines: American Race Cars at the Reagan Library, on view from May 27 through October 23, 2011. The exhibit features a wide array of storied vehicles from the history of American auto racing from the 1930s to today, including those from NASCAR and IndyCar. Visitors will view historic cars driven by legends such as Dale Earnhardt, Sr. and Richard Petty, as well as cars by current racers Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Austin Dillon, who will make his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut later this year.

“Ronald Reagan’s connection to American car racing dates back to the 1930s, where, as a young radio announcer, he was calling races,” said John Heubusch, executive director for the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation. “That love stayed with him, and as President of the United States he spent the fourth of July at the Daytona Firecracker 400, where he became the first sitting president to call a race.”

A few exhibit highlights include:

• Richard Petty’s winning Firecracker 400 Pontiac from the race Ronald Reagan officially started in 1984

• Dale Earnhardt, Sr.’s #2 Chevy – the car in which he won the 1980 Winston Cup Championship

• Kurt Busch’s 2011 #22 Auto Club Dodge Charger (show car) which he recently raced in the Auto Club 400 in California, March 2011

• Lyn St. James’ 1989 Ford Thunderbird Super Coupe, in which she set 31 national and international speed records on a closed course at Talladega Speedway

• Jimmie Johnson’s 2007 #48 Lowe’s Chevrolet that he drove at Homestead to clinch his 2^nd Championship

• Dale Earnhardt, Jr.’s 2010 #88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet Impala

• Austin Dillon’s 2011 #98 Chevrolet Impala, co-sponsored by the Ronald Reagan Centennial, which will be raced later this year

• Dan Wheldon’s 2011 #98 INDY car, which will be raced later this year

In addition to the cars, personal items from drivers like trophies, fire suits, helmets and other artifacts, photos and video will also be on display. The exhibit is sponsored by the Auto Club of Southern California, with special thanks to Mike Curb and Mike Curb Racing.

The Reagan Library is located at 40 Presidential Drive in Simi Valley, California. Public hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The Museum admission fees are $12.00 for general admission, $9.00 for seniors 62 and over, $6 for children 11-17 and free for children 10 years of age and under. For more information, call (800) 410.8354 or visit www.reaganlibrary.com.

- The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation/Auto Club Speedway, Press Release

Wheaties Fuel Most Popular Driver

The annual award is granted to the driver who earns the most fan votes over the course of the NASCAR season. Petty earned the award nine times (1962, 1964, 1968, 1970, 1974-78), Allison six times (1971-73, 1981-83), Pearson twice (1979-80), Johnson once (1959) and Earnhardt once, in the year of his death (2001).

“That’s really the bottom line for any driver,” Allison once said of the Most Popular Driver honor. “To go out there and to do well, that’s the first urge. But to be appreciated by the fans and to really get that great feeling – that happiness that you get to share with the fans – is really the benefit of all the effort that you put out.”

In current-day voting, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is on an eight-year run in winning the Most Popular Driver award. The 2011 campaign kicked off in February, allowing fans to vote once a day for their favorite NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver at www.WheatiesFuelMostPopularDriver.com.

Following the race event at Richmond International Raceway, voting for the full field of 36 eligible drivers will end on September 10 at 11:59 PM CT. At that point, the 10 drivers with the most votes will be announced as finalists and the vote count will reset to zero. Fans will then have 10 race weeks to cast their vote once a day to determine the 2011 NASCAR Wheaties FUEL Most Popular Driver winner from the final field of 10 drivers. Voting will conclude November 20 at 11:59 PM CT. The winner will be announced at the NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Luncheon in December.

By Champions. For Champions. Wheaties FUEL was developed in 2009 with the help of Peyton Manning, triathlete Hunter Kemper, Kevin Garnett, gold medal-winning decathlete Bryan Clay, Albert Pujols and sports nutritionist Dr. John Ivy. After a year-long development process, the result is a delicious honey cinnamon crunch that helps meet the nutritional needs of today’s champion athletes and delivers long-lasting energy from complex carbohydrates, B vitamins to help your body release energy provided by food, and provides an excellent source of fiber to help you feel full.

For more information and to vote on the NASCAR NMPA Wheaties FUEL Most Popular Driver Award, fans should log on to www.WheatiesFuelMostPopularDriver.com.

- Breaking Limits Marketing for General Mills, Press Release

NASCAR Hall of Fame

In addition to four floors of exhibits and interactive games, the venue also will offer multiple days of guest appearances, special exhibits, Induction activities and extended hours for the thousands of race fans in town for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

“May is a signature month for us,” said Winston Kelley, executive director of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. “Induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame is a life-changing moment for the legends of our sport and that includes multiple days of special events to get everyone excited for the ceremony. The Inductee Fan Day will be particularly special. Everyone at the Hall on May 22 will get to visit with Richard Petty, Junior Johnson, David Pearson, Bud Moore, Bobby Allison and Ned Jarrett. When I was a child, that would have been a dream come true, and I still pinch myself today having the opportunity to work with these NASCAR legends and sports icons.”

For visitors wanting to attend multiple activities, a NASCAR Hall of Fame membership is the best value. Unlimited admission for one year starts at $25 for children or $50 for adults. One-day general admission tickets are $12.95 for children and $19.95 for adults. Discounts are available for military and seniors.

In addition to the special events, the NASCAR Hall of Fame operating schedule will be extended on select days in May:
May 1-15 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
May 16-20 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
May 21-22 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
May 23-25 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
May 26-27 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
May 28-31 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.

May Special Events:

Wednesday, May 11 First Birthday Celebration – Great Hall
10 a.m. Executive Remarks; 10:15 a.m. Cake Served to Metro School students
10 a.m. – 6 p.m. $5.11 admission; $1 goes to American Red Cross

Monday, May 16 NASCAR Performance Taping – Great Hall
Approx. 2-5 p.m. See Chad Knaus, Larry McReynolds, Bootie Barker and a chance to be on SPEED
Free with NASCAR Hall of Fame general admission or membership

Wednesday, May 18 Induction Dinner  – Crown Ballroom
6 p.m. reception; 7 p.m. dinner featuring the 2011 Inductees
$500 per person; Table packages also available – Tickets sales end May 13

Wednesday, May 18 NASCAR Rev’d Up – Outdoor Plaza
4 p.m. festival begins; 7:15 p.m. Josh Kelley performs; 8:45 p.m. Gary Allan performs
Concert is free to the general public

Thursday, May 19 Bobby Labonte Appearance – Great Hall
11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Q&A and autograph session with 2000 NASCAR Winston Cup Champion Bobby Labonte
Free with NASCAR Hall of Fame general admission or membership

Sunday, May 22 Inductee Fan Day  – NASCAR Hall of Fame
10-10:45 a.m. 2010 Class Q&A featuring Junior Johnson & Richard Petty
11 a.m. – Noon Junior Johnson autograph session for NASCAR Hall of Fame Members*
11-1 p.m. Legends Member Reception featuring the 2011 Class and Junior Johnson, Reservation Required
12:30 – 1:30 p.m. 2011 Class Q&A featuring Bobby Allison, Ned Jarrett, Bud Moore, David Pearson and Maurice Petty, representing Lee Petty
1:30 – 2:30 p.m. 2011 Class autograph session for NASCAR Hall of Fame Members*
*guests can upgrade to a membership on site for as little as $30 for adults and $12 for children

Monday, May 23 2011 Induction Ceremony – Crown Ballroom
5:30 p.m. doors open; 7 p.m. Ceremony begins (Televised on SPEED at 8 p.m. EDT)
Tickets will remain on sale through the day of the event.

Monday, May 23 NASCAR Now Live Show – Great Hall
5-6 p.m. Watch a live edition of ESPN’s NASCAR Now with Allen Bestwick, Marty Smith, Dale Jarrett and special guests.
Free with NASCAR Hall of Fame general admission or membership

Tuesday, May 24 2011 Inductee Exhibit Opens  – Hall of Honor
9:30 a.m. VIP First Look (reservation required); 10 a.m. Exhibit opens to general public
Free with NASCAR Hall of Fame general admission or membership

Wednesday, May 25 Stars of Tomorrow Appearance – Great Hall
10 a.m. – Noon Q&A and autograph session with drivers from the NASCAR Nationwide Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and NASCAR Touring Series
Free with NASCAR Hall of Game general admission or membership

Thursday, May 26 Coca-Cola Main Stage  – Food Lion Speed Street/Outdoor Plaza Noon Festival Opens; 9 p.m. Rose Royce; 9:45 p.m. Midnight Star
Free to general public

Friday, May 27 Coca-Cola Main Stage – Food Lion Speed Street/Outdoor Plaza Noon Festival Opens; 9:30 p.m. Josh Turner
Free to general public

Saturday, May 28 Coca-Cola Main Stage – Food Lion Speed Street/Outdoor Plaza Noon Festival Opens; 7:15 p.m. Joey Logano, Tony Stewart, Ryan Newman, Jeff Burton; 8:15 p.m. Starship; 9:45 p.m. Eddie Money
Free to general public

About NASCAR Hall of Fame

Conveniently located in uptown Charlotte, N.C., the 150,000-square-foot NASCAR Hall of Fame is an interactive, entertainment attraction honoring the history and heritage of NASCAR. It was the second highest attended sports hall of fame in American its opening year. The high-tech venue, designed to educate and entertain race fans and non-fans alike, opened May 11, 2010 and includes artifacts, interactive exhibits, 278-person state-of-the-art theater, Hall of Honor, Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant, NASCAR Hall of Fame Gear Shop and NASCAR Media Group-operated broadcast studio. The venue is open 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. seven days a week and has an attached parking garage on Brevard Street. The five-acre site also includes a privately developed 19-story office tower and 102,000-square-foot expansion to the Charlotte Convention Center, highlighted by a 40,000 square-foot ballroom. The NASCAR Hall of Fame is owned by the City of Charlotte, licensed by NASCAR and operated by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority. www.NASCARHall.com.

- NASCAR, Press Release

STP Logo

STP’s racing portfolio includes:

• Multi-year title sponsorship of the Nationwide and Cup races at Chicagoland Speedway and Kansas Speedway, respectively. This year, the STP 300 Nationwide Series race will take place on June 4 and the STP 400 Cup race will run on June 5.

• The STP-branded No. 43 car will make its return to the track driven by Richard Petty Motorsports driver, AJ Allmendinger, during the STP 400. The No. 43 STP Ford Fusion will be a modern replica of the 1972 paint scheme featuring the original Petty Blue and STP Day-Glo Red.

• Primary sponsor of two-time NHRA Full Throttle Nitro Funny Car Champion Tony Pedregon for three races (Las Vegas, Houston and Infineon) and an associate sponsorship for the balance of the season.
• Multi-year track sponsorships with a number of ISC properties including Daytona, Talladega, Richmond, Darlington, Michigan, Chicagoland and Kansas.

• Multi-year track sponsorship of Infineon Raceway and title sponsor of Wednesday Night Drags and Bracket Drags.

• Continued sponsorship of Tony Stewart Racing and four-time World of Outlaws Champion Donny Schatz and the World of Outlaws Series.

“Since our initial sponsorship with Richard Petty almost 40 years ago, we’ve understood the power of racing and the ability to connect with our consumers through the sport,” said Dave Lundstedt, CEO of Armored AutoGroup Inc. “We are excited to be continuing that relationship with the fans and adding another chapter to our storied racing history with a diverse stable of sponsorships.”

Added Guy Andrysick, Armored AutoGroup EVP of Sales and Marketing, “Just like the teams, drivers and tracks that we are sponsoring, the STP brand stands for quality and performance. So as we look to grow the STP brand in a competitive marketplace and create new and exciting activation opportunities for our retail partners, a renewed presence in motorsports is an important part of our strategy.”

Part of what made STP an iconic brand within the sport was the No. 43 race car that dawned the classic Petty Blue and STP Day-Glo Red. Richard Petty proudly drove the No. 43 STP car for 200 wins during his racing career – 100 more than any other driver. STP’s winning relationship with Petty shows that STP truly has “The Racer’s Edge®” in the sport.

“Since `72, I’ve been an STP man, so I’m thrilled to see one of the RPM cars out on the track with the STP paint scheme,” said Richard Petty, team owner of Richard Petty Motorsports and legendary driver of the No. 43 STP car. “It’s exciting to see such an iconic brand build upon its heritage in the sport at this level.”

“We are extremely proud to announce this multi-year partnership with STP at several ISC tracks,” said Daryl Q. Wolfe, Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at ISC.  “It is always great to see iconic sponsors like STP take a renewed interest in the sport, especially given STP’s long and rich history in NASCAR and motorsports as a whole.  We take pride in developing strong promotional platforms for our partners and we look forward to working closely with STP in the future to meet and exceed their marketing objectives.”

Armored AutoGroup:

Armored AutoGroup Inc., headquartered in Danbury, Conn., is primarily comprised of the Armor All® and STP® brands. The current Armor All product line of protectants, wipes, tire and wheel care products, glass cleaners, leather care products and washes is designed to clean, shine and protect interior and exterior automobile surfaces. The STP product line of oil and fuel additives, functional fluids and automotive appearance products has a broad customer base ranging from professional racers to car enthusiasts and “Do-it-Yourselfers”.

Our company has a diversified geographic footprint with direct operations in the United States, Canada, Australia and the U.K. and distributor relationships in approximately 50 countries.

Richard Petty Motorsports:

Known to many simply as “The King,” Richard Petty is the most decorated driver in the history of NASCAR racing, winning a record 200 races and seven NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships during his illustrious career. In late 2010, Petty partnered with Medallion Financial and DBG Investments to purchase the assets of Richard Petty Motorsports. Richard Petty Motorsports fields two teams in competition in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. AJ Allmendinger wheels the famous No. 43 Ford Fusion and Marcos Ambrose drives the No. 9 machine with sponsorship from Stanley and DEWALT. For additional information about the Concord, N.C.-based race team, please visit richardpettymotorsports.com.

International Speedway Corporation:

International Speedway Corporation is a leading promoter of motorsports activities, currently promoting more than 100 racing events annually as well as numerous other motorsports-related activities.  The Company owns and/or operates 13 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities, including Daytona International Speedway® in Florida (home of the DAYTONA 500®); Talladega Superspeedway® in Alabama; Michigan International Speedway® located outside Detroit; Richmond International Raceway® in Virginia; Auto Club Speedway of Southern California^SM near Los Angeles; Kansas Speedway® in Kansas City, Kansas; Phoenix International Raceway® in Arizona; Chicagoland Speedway® and Route 66 Raceway^SM near Chicago, Illinois;  Homestead-Miami Speedway^SM in Florida; Martinsville Speedway® in Virginia; Darlington Raceway® in South Carolina; and Watkins Glen International® in New York.  In addition, ISC promotes major motorsports activities in Montreal, Quebec, through its subsidiary, Stock-Car Montreal.

The Company also owns and operates MRN® Radio, the nation’s largest independent sports radio network and Americrown Service Corporation^SM, a subsidiary that provides catering services, food and beverage concessions, and produces and markets motorsports-related merchandise.  For more information, visit the Company’s Web site at www.internationalspeedwaycorporation.com,

- MATTER/Edelman Sports & Entertainment Marketing For STP®, Press Release