Sony WEGA & Print By Sony to Sponsor Penske Racing and Ryan Newman in 2002
SONY WEGA AND PRINT BY SONY TO SPONSOR PENSKE RACING AND ROOKIE RYAN NEWMAN IN 2002 MOORESVILLE, NC, January 17, 2001 - Sony Electronics television marketing group and Penske Racing announced the continuation of their NASCAR Winston Cup sponsorship with the #12 Alltel Ford and rookie-of-the-year candidate Ryan Newman. Newman¹s new ride will carry the FD Trinitron® WEGA® television branding on its lower rear quarter panel, while another unit of Sony consumer digital photo printers, will join the fold and adorn the rear decklid with a Print By Sony logo. Entering the second year of this sponsorship, Sony¹s relationship with Penske Racing will once again include a special race during the 2002 season where the car will feature a paint scheme highlighting the Sony FD Trinitron WEGA and Print By Sony logos. "With the continuation of Sony¹s associate sponsor relationship with Penske Racing, both companies can further build on the business base established in 2001. We are excited about the expanding opportunity to aid Sony in promoting its WEGA and Print by Sony brands to the knowledgeable consumers who comprise the NASCAR Winston Cup audience," said Walt Czarnecki, executive vice president of Penske Corporation Worldwide. Ryan Newman, 24, is coming off a very successful season in 2001 where he split time between the Winston Cup, Busch, and ARCA Series¹ circuits. In 24 combined starts, Newman scored two wins, eight poles, five top-five, and 11 top-ten finishes. His best finish in Winston Cup competition last season was a second at the Kansas Speedway in September, while his best start came from the pole at Charlotte in May. "We're looking forward to a very memorable 2002, and the addition of Sony Wega and Print by Sony to ALLTEL and our Penske Racing South family adds to that excitement," Newman said. "As a young team, we depend on the support we receive from our sponsors and the addition of Sony will only add to our success as we look toward our first Winston Cup season and the Rookie of the Year campaign." WEGA (pronounced, "VAY-GA") televisions continue to lead the industry with its proprietary flat screen FD Trinitron technology and outstanding picture performance. Since Sony launched the WEGA TV¹s just over four years ago, the entire television industry has been revolutionized with Sony again leading the pack. "Winston Cup racing has provided a great platform for Sony to showcase its high-performance line of WEGA televisions," said Tim Alessi, television marketing director for Sony Electronics. "Our partnership with Penske has been very successful and we look forward to a thrilling 2002 season with Ryan behind the wheel." Using dye-sublimation technology for true photo lab-quality output, Sony¹s line of digital photo printers allows consumers to produce high-quality, long-lasting prints in 90 seconds within the convenience of the home or office. "The non-stop action of NASCAR racing provides the perfect opportunity for race fans to capture their favorite car or moment and then edit, archive and print those images with the use of a Sony digital photo printer," said Jeff Clark, marketing manager for Sony digital photo printers. "Our digital photo printers are an easy and quick solution for race fans everywhere with digital still cameras." For the third year in a row, Sony will continue the Sony TechPit, a 60-by-80-foot mobile road show designed to give fans a front-row seat for an interactive look at the latest products in home entertainment, digital imaging, car audio and personal computers. It features a fast-moving sensory experience, giving fans the opportunity to interact with Sony products and enjoy the thrills of WEGA televisions and home theater demonstrations in Dolby Digital surround sound. The exhibit will also include computer-simulated races, numerous digital photo printers that race fans can use to print their photos while at the race track, a Sony showcar and feature personal appearances by Ryan Newman at selected events. Associated websites: http://www.sony.com http://www.sel.sony.com/SEL/consumer/wega/ http://www.sonystyle.com http://www.wegaracing.com http://www.penskeracing.com http://www.co-pilott.com