The Dial Corporation Announces The Armour Vienna Sausage-Eating World Championship; First Ever Armour Vienna Sausage-Eating World Championship
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.--May 27, 2005--The Dial Corporation, a subsidiary of the Henkel Group, based in Dusseldorf, Germany, will hold the first ever Armour(R) Vienna Sausage-Eating World Championship. The competition will be held on Saturday, May 28, 2005 at NASCAR's Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, NC.The person who devours the most Viennas in 10 minutes will receive $3,500. Additional prizes will be awarded to top placing contestants. Headlining the event will be the #1 ranked eater in America, 105 lb. Sonya Thomas of Alexandria, VA. Thomas is known for eating everything from oysters to cheesecake to tacos in a matter of minutes. She holds numerous world records, including 36 dozen Louisiana oysters in 10 minutes, 11 lbs. of cheesecake in nine minutes and 32 Nathan's Famous hot dogs and buns in 12 minutes. "Armour Vienna Sausage is extremely popular in the Southeast, which is the heart of NASCAR country," said Dode Simonson, Director of Marketing for the Armour brand. "Armour is thrilled to bring this unique and exciting event to local residents and NASCAR enthusiasts."
Fans at the NASCAR race will have an opportunity to watch or participate in the eating event, sample Armour products, enter their name in a free raffle for prizes of Richard Petty Driving Experiences, and pretend they are racing on the track with racecar simulator video games.
Dial has enlisted the services of The International Federation of Competitive Eating (IFOCE), the governing body of all stomach-centric sports, to sanction the event. IFOCE conducts more than 70 events annually. The competitive eating community numbers more than 3,000 veteran and rookie athletes who travel the nation in search of top titles and the glory that they provide.
Armour Vienna Sausage is a favorite in the American marketplace, and is produced and manufactured by The Dial Corporation. Henkel is also a sponsor of NASCAR, Greg Biffle and the Brewco Motorsports team.
The Dial Corporation, a subsidiary of the Henkel Group, is headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., and is one of America's leading manufacturers of consumer products, including Dial(R) soaps, Purex(R) laundry detergents, Renuzit(R) air fresheners and Armour(R) Star canned meats. Dial products have been in the American marketplace for more than 100 years. For more information about The Dial Corporation, visit the Company's Web site at www.dialcorp.com.
"Henkel - A Brand like a Friend." Henkel is a leader with brands and technologies that make people's lives easier, better, and more beautiful. The Henkel Group operates in three strategic business areas -- Home Care, Personal Care, and Adhesives, Sealants, and Surface Treatments. In fiscal 2004 the Henkel Group generated sales of 10.592 billion euros. More than 50,000 employees work for the Henkel Group worldwide. People in 125 countries around the world trust in brands and technologies from Henkel. For more information on Henkel, visit the Company's Web site at www.henkel.us.