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Allstate Enters NASCAR, Lays Foundation at Brickyard

NORTHBROOK, Ill.--April 28, 2005--

  -- Insurance company signs multi-year NASCAR sponsorship agreement with "Allstate 400 at the Brickyard" as cornerstone --  



Allstate, the largest publicly held personal lines insurance company in America, today announced two multi-year sponsorship agreements with racing icons.

Allstate has signed a multi-year race entitlement with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as the title sponsor for the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard - becoming the first company to title sponsor the annual NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race at the world-famous speedway. The Allstate 400 at the Brickyard airs Sunday, Aug. 7, 2005 at 2:30 p.m. EDT on NBC.

The creation of the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard is just one part of the company's foray into motorsports. Allstate also announced a multi-year deal with NASCAR, making the company the official insurance sponsor of NASCAR, which includes the auto, home and life insurance categories as well as an official sponsor for the categories of mutual funds and retirement products. Allstate becomes the first-ever insurance company to officially partner with NASCAR.

"Allstate is thrilled to partner with NASCAR - one of the fastest-growing and exciting sports today - where the right team and preparation are critical to winning the race," said Allstate Chief Marketing Officer Joe Tripodi. "Allstate's focus is to help our customers prepare for the road of life and protect their assets. The enthusiasm fans have for NASCAR and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway are unmatched - Allstate will draw on this loyalty to make the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard even better than before."

"This is a historic and exciting agreement for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway," said Indianapolis Motor Speedway President and Chief Operating Officer Joie Chitwood. "Allstate will be an ideal partner as the first title sponsor of the Brickyard 400 because it shares some of the same qualities as the Indianapolis Motor Speedway - leadership in its field and a customer-focused attitude. Allstate is a perfect fit with the Speedway for this unique and prestigious partnership."

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home to the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, is the largest spectator sporting facility in the world and host to the prestigious Indianapolis 500 as well as the United States Grand Prix. The Allstate 400 at the Brickyard is one of NASCAR's premier events on the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series.

"It's appropriate that a company of Allstate's magnitude and reputation has taken a position with one of the most historic stops on the NASCAR circuit," said NASCAR's Chief Operating Officer George Pyne. "We are thrilled to welcome Allstate as our partner and we look forward to its efforts to engage our fans and help the sport grow and expand further."

Allstate plans to complement its NASCAR partnership and the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard race with a number of local programming efforts, dedicated advertising and marketing initiatives.

The announcement of Allstate's NASCAR partnership and race entitlement of the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard continues the company's move toward event and sports sponsorship activities that resonate with consumers, which also includes sponsorship of college football's Bowl Championship Series and the U.S. Olympic Team.

About the Indianapolis Motor Speedway

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the world's largest spectator sporting facility and is the annual home of three of the world's most prestigious races: the Indianapolis 500, the United States Grand Prix and the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. The Speedway, with its 2.5-mile oval and 2.605-mile road course, is the only racing facility in the world that plays host to all three of the world's premier racing series - the Indy Racing League IndyCar(R) Series, the FIA Formula One World Championship and the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, cementing its reputation as the "Racing Capital of the World." The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corporation is the leader in worldwide motorsports entertainment through its annual schedule of world-class events and an aggressive plan of fan-friendly programs and facility improvements.

About NASCAR

NASCAR -- The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing -- has a broad reach 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 Charlotte, Concord, NC, Los Angeles, Mexico City, New York and Toronto. NASCAR has 75 million fans and is the second-highest rated regular season sport on network television. NASCAR fans are three times more likely to purchase the products of NASCAR sponsors than non-sponsors.