Rahal To Carry National Tire And Battery Colors For Mid-Ohio

Indianapolis, July 29, 2010: company with a long history of getting cars started and keeping them rolling has stepped up to keep the 2010 IndyCar Series season of Graham Rahal moving forward, as National Tire and Battery® (NTB) will serve as the Ohio driver's sponsor at the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio presented by Westfield Insurance at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

"We are excited to add a second car to the Mid-Ohio race," stated Bob Crostarosa, SVP Marketing/Advertising, TBC Retail Group. "Presenting the NTB® brand on the track, and associating ourselves with a proven performer in this key market compliments our regional marketing efforts and adds additional value to our motorsports program. We are looking forward to watching the NTB® and Service Central Indy Cars compete at Mid-Ohio."

Newman/Haas Racing will field the #02 National Tire and Battery Dallara/Honda/Firestone for Graham at Mid-Ohio as the 21-year-old Rahal makes his second start of the year with the team. The NTB® sponsorship is in conjunction with Rahal Letterman Racing, with whom Graham competed in this year's Indianapolis 500, and Newman/Haas Racing. Mid-Ohio will be the second of six races that Rahal will run with NHR this year, with the other five carrying sponsorship from Quick Trim®.

"We had a positive result in our first race back together this year," said Rahal, about his fifth-place finish in Toronto with NHR. "And we are anticipating taking the National Tire and Battery® car to the front at Mid-Ohio! The track has a long history in my family and I am looking forward to climbing the podium that my dad stood on so many times during his career."

NTB® and its service arm Service Central will be carried on the Newman/Haas Racing Indy Car, marking the first time that NTB® has been featured on an IndyCar Series machine.