NASCAR and Wal-Mart Embark on Nationwide Fan Tour; NASCAR Sponsors Bring Stock Car Racing to Select Wal-Mart Parking Lots

    NEW YORK--June 16, 2003--The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) and Wal-Mart have teamed-up for a ten-market, nationwide fan tour in 2003 to offer NASCAR fans of all ages the chance to experience the thrills of NASCAR up-close.
    "NASCAR on Tour at Wal-Mart" is a mobile fan zone that visits major markets where the NASCAR Winston Cup series races throughout the year. In each participating city, NASCAR on Tour visits five major Wal-Mart stores - usually Supercenters within a 75 to 100-mile radius of the race track - one each day, from Tuesday through Saturday of race week. In 2003, the fan festival is visiting Charlotte, Daytona, Chicago, Indianapolis, Myrtle Beach, SC, Richmond, Birmingham, Kansas City, Atlanta and Raleigh, NC.
    NASCAR on Tour at Wal-Mart brings together a host of companies involved in NASCAR, including Energizer, Goodyear, Kingsford, Kodak, Nestle, Richard Petty Driving Experience, Stacker 2 and XM Satellite Radio. "We are providing to sponsors in our sport a unique vehicle to sell their goods and services in a very important distribution channel - the world's largest retailer," said Brett Yormark, vice president of corporate marketing for NASCAR.
    "The NASCAR Tour and fan festival is a perfect fit for our customers who follow NASCAR," said Julie Loder, Senior Marketing Manager for Wal-Mart. "This 'retail-tainment' event will appeal to customers of all ages and may even bring an awareness of NASCAR to some new fans along the tour."
    NASCAR on Tour at Wal-Mart allows Wal-Mart to utilize its parking lots to create an exciting experience for shoppers. The Tour covers more than 10,000 square feet of space in the Wal-Mart parking areas. Fans experience NASCAR show cars, simulators and interactive exhibits first-hand. Key attractions include: the #59 Kingsford Chevrolet Charcoal "Grill Car" simulator; the #10 Nesquik and Tollhouse Ford show cars and simulator; Goodyear's NASCAR Pit Crew Challenge and "NASCAR Class of 2003" Challenge; Energizer's Pit Stop Coloring Zone; XM Radio NASCAR Listening Center; the #4 Kodak Pontiac show car; the Richard Petty Diving Experience/Victory Junction Gang show car; the #23 Stacker 2 Dodge. Many events will also include exhibits, drivers and show cars from the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Race Series.
    "While NASCAR on Tour has the participation of large, nationally known brands, we are also personalizing each event with a local flavor," said Mark Dyer, vice president of licensing and consumer products for NASCAR. "Local drivers from the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series bring their race cars to the Wal-Mart parking lots, interact with fans, and promote the local race tracks. We are pleased to have NASCAR partners such as Kodak, Goodyear and XM Satellite Radio creating excitement and bonds with their customers right in Wal-Mart's parking lots."
    Through NASCAR on Tour at Wal-Mart, participating companies can gain incremental display space and connect with NASCAR fans. "Kodak is excited and proud to help support Wal-Mart's marketing initiatives that provide fun and 'retail-tainment' to its consumers and NASCAR fans," said Bud Denker, vice president of brand and market development for Kodak. "Kodak began this year with the 'NASCAR Fan Days' promotion and will continue with the NASCAR On-Tour Program throughout the year."
    NASCAR on Tour at Wal-Mart is supported with newspaper and radio advertising in all markets, radio remotes at events, point-of-sale in all participating stores and other promotional vehicles
    In the most recent survey of sports properties, conducted by Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal, NASCAR ranked No. 1 in the areas that sponsors rate as the most important in determining their marketing decisions: the sport's future prospects; responsiveness to customers; fan relationships; and value provided for the money. NASCAR internal research shows that its fans are three times as likely to try and purchase its sponsors' products compared to companies not involved in NASCAR.
    NASCAR reaches every corner of the country with 1,800 racing events in 36 states at more than 110 tracks. The sanctioning body for stock car racing is headquartered in Daytona Beach, Fla, with offices in New York City (Corporate Marketing), Los Angeles (Broadcasting Media and Entertainment), and Charlotte, N.C. (Licensing and Aftermarket).