NASCAR Names National Series Prize Money & Decal Program Sponsors For 2011 Season

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Feb. 18, 2011) – As teams make final preparations to start the 2011 race season, the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) announced the lineup of 2011 NASCAR Prize Money & Decal Program sponsors for all three national series.

The NASCAR Prize Money & Decal Program, commonly referred to as the Contingency Program, is administered by the Charlotte, N.C.-based NASCAR Automotive Group. The program strives to build strong relationships with high-quality, performance-driven brands that are leaders in their respective categories, and award money to NASCAR teams via per-race and year-end awards. Competitors become eligible for prize money by displaying sponsor decals on the front fender of their race cars and trucks.

In some instances, use of a sponsor’s product is also required. Among the new partners for this program are Growth Energy/American Ethanol, Exide Batteries and Sunoco, who takes over the Rookie of the Year program in all three national series.

"We are thrilled to sponsor NASCAR's Rookie of the Year program,” said Bob Owens, Sunoco's senior vice president of marketing. “It supports rising young talent, promotes the future of a great sport, and makes for exciting racing as drivers compete for the title."

“We are very pleased to have a strong lineup of NASCAR Prize Money & Decal Program sponsors in the national series this year including new partners Growth Energy/American Ethanol, Exide and Sunoco,” said Todd Armstrong, managing director, NASCAR Automotive Group. “This program provides strong visibility in our sport and these companies provide valuable dollars to our teams and, in many cases, valuable products and services through their contingency relationships.”

Below is the 2011 national series sponsor lineup and special awards:

3M – NSCS, NNS
ARP Fasteners – NNS
Auto Meter Gauges – NSCS, NNS, NCWTS
Competition Cams – NSCS, NNS, NCWTS
Coors Light – NSCS*, NNS*, (Keystone Light – NCWTS*)

Pole Award

Craftsman – NSCS, NNS, NCWTS
DIRECTV – NSCS*

Crew Chief of the Race/Year

Edelbrock Intake Manifolds – NSCS, NNS, NCWTS
Exide – NCWTS*

Start Positive, Stay Positive Award

Featherlite – NNS*, NCWTS*

Most Improved Driver Award

Goodyear Gatorback Belts & Hoses – NSCS*

Fastest Lap Award

Goodyear Tires – NSCS*, NNS*, NCWTS*

Awarded to Series Champions

Growth Energy/American Ethanol – NSCS*, NNS*, NCWTS*

Green Flag Restart Award (NSCS)

Awarded to Series Champions (NNS, NCWTS)

Holley Carburetors – NSCS, NNS, NCWTS
JE Pistons – NNS, NCWTS
JEGS – NSCS, NNS
K&N Filters – NSCS, NNS, NCWTS
Lincoln Electric – NSCS, NCWTS
MAHLE Clevite – NSCS*, NNS*, NCWTS*

Engine Builder of the Race/Year Award

Mechanix Wear – NSCS*, NNS, NCWTS

Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew (Quarterly/Year-End)

Mobil 1 – NSCS*, NNS*, NCWTS*

Driver of the Race/Year

MOOG Chassis Parts – NSCS*, NNS, NCWTS

Problem Solver of the Race/Year

MSD Ignition – NNS, NCWTS
O’Reilly Auto Parts – NSCS*, NCWTS*

Position Improvement Award

Simpson Firesuits – NNS,NCWTS
Sunoco – NSCS*, NNS*, NCWTS*

Diamond Performance

Rookie of the Year

USG – NSCS

*Indicates Special Award sponsor with a year-end bonus.

About NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for one of North America's premier sports. NASCAR is the No. 1 spectator sport – with more of the top 20 highest attended sporting events in the U.S. than any other sport, and is the No. 2 rated regular-season sport on television. NASCAR races are broadcast in more than 150 countries and in 20 languages. NASCAR fans are the most brand loyal in all of sports, and as a result more Fortune 500 companies participate in NASCAR than any other sport. NASCAR consists of three national series (the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series), four regional series, and one local grassroots series, as well as two international series. Also part of NASCAR is Grand-Am Road Racing, known for its competition on road courses with multiple classes of cars. NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races at 100 tracks in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada and Mexico. Based in Daytona Beach (Fla.), NASCAR has offices in New York, Los Angeles, Charlotte (N.C.), Concord (N.C.), Conover (N.C.), Bentonville (Ark.), Mexico City, and Toronto.

About NASCAR Automotive

The NASCAR Automotive Group, based in the Charlotte, N.C. office, supports sponsorship and licensing partnerships of companies in the automotive category and the Prize Money & Decal Program. Under the NASCAR Performance brand, automotive partners build brand awareness and sales of their products and services via an integrated marketing program. The program includes: The NASCAR Technical Institute – a branch of Universal Technical Institute Inc. (UTI) that trains automotive technicians for the workforce; a weekly TV show on SPEED called “NASCAR Performance”; a national radio show called “NASCAR Performance Live” on MRN and NASCAR SIRIUS XM Radio; and print and online media programs with the BABCOX family of automotive magazines and NASCAR.COM. For more information, visit www.NASCAR.COM/auto.