Firestone To Present RRDC Evening With Roger Penske In Long Beach

HILLIARD, Feb. 24, 2011: For the second straight year, Firestone will be the presenting sponsor of the Road Racing Drivers Club's third annual West Coast banquet honoring auto racing's most influential leaders.

This year, on April 14, prior to the running of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, the RRDC Evening with Roger Penske presented by Firestone will highlight racing icon Roger Penske's early career as he formed Penske Racing into today's motorsports juggernaut.

“We had a great time last year as presenting sponsor, honoring Parnelli Jones, and we are very much looking forward to this year’s tribute to Roger Penske," said Al Speyer, Executive Director, Firestone Racing. "Like Firestone, Penske is a legend at the Indy 500! The RRDC Evening with Roger Penske at Long Beach is an enjoyable opportunity to share stories and reminisce about the past with people who share a passion for racing.”

"We at the RRDC are honored to have Firestone once again as the presenting sponsor of our third annual West Coast banquet," said Bobby Rahal, president of the RRDC. "Both Firestone and Roger Penske have enjoyed huge success in their racing endeavors throughout the years. It is a privilege for us to have Firestone’s support."

The dinner's proceeds will help support the Team USA Scholarship, which the RRDC has backed since 1997. Previous banquets have honored Dan Gurney and Parnelli Jones, drawing fans and luminaries from all forms of motorsports.

The RRDC Evening with Roger Penske will be held at the Hilton Hotel, 701 West Ocean Blvd, Long Beach, Calif., with cocktails at 6 p.m., and dinner at 7:15 p.m. Tickets are $150 per person and must be purchased in advance. Space is limited and tickets are selling out fast, so reservations should be made as soon as possible at rrdc2@cox.net.

About Firestone Racing: The Firestone brand has appeared in world-class motorsports events across the globe since its first documented victory in the inaugural Indianapolis 500-Mile RaceŽ in 1911. Since 2002, Firestone has served as the official tire of the IZOD IndyCarŽ Series, Firestone Indy Lights and the Indianapolis 500-Mile RaceŽ, which has been won by a Firestone-equipped driver 61 times in its 94-year history.

About the RRDC: The Road Racing Drivers Club was formed in 1952 as a way to give champion drivers a say in their sport, particularly in the areas of safety, and has evolved to serve the future of road racing by mentoring new drivers on both amateur and professional levels. The Club’s membership includes leading industry professionals, race officials and motorsports journalists, in addition to prominent racing names.

President Bobby Rahal is the 1986 Indy 500 winner and is co-owner, with David Letterman, of the 2004 Indianapolis 500 winning Rahal Letterman Racing team. Six-time SCCA National champion John Fergus is the Club’s Vice President/Treasurer, and five-time SCCA National champion Tom Davey is the Secretary.

In addition to RRDC members lending their expertise to up-and-coming drivers, the Club presents three annual awards: the Phil Hill Award for rendering outstanding service to road racing; the Mark Donohue Award for personal spirit and performance at the SCCA National Championship Runoffs; and the Bob Akin Award – the top award presented to amateur and semi-professional racers - for speed with style, passion, sportsmanship and contribution to motorsports.

The RRDC also supports the Team USA Scholarship, which has been assisting young Americans in the early stages of their careers since 1990.