AAA to Be Primary Sponsor of Roush Racing's No. 6 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Ford and Driver Mark Martin in 2006

BURNSVILLE, Minn., Oct. 31, 2005 -- AAA will become the primary sponsor of Roush Racing's flagship No. 6 Ford Fusion in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series starting in 2006. In addition, veteran driver Mark Martin will extend his "Salute to You" Tour and return to pilot the car for one more year in 2006, with Todd Kluever set to take over the reins from Martin in 2007.

"This national sponsorship builds on the success The Auto Club Group (ACG) had this year with our motorsports partnership with Roush Racing," said Charles H. Podowski, ACG president/CEO. "We are proud of the success we achieved in our first NASCAR NEXTEL season. AAA's national involvement in NASCAR fits very nicely with our safety heritage and our ability to contribute to the success of a sport that has become one of the top national sports.

"NASCAR races will continue to be the proving ground for new safety equipment," Podowski noted, adding that many of the safety features taken for granted on today's passenger vehicles were introduced and perfected in racecars, including lap-and-shoulder safety belts and hydraulic brakes.

Under terms of the agreement, veteran driver Martin will pilot the No. 6 AAA car in 36 NASCAR Cup Series races in 2006, including two races at Michigan International Speedway on June 18 and August 20 and one race at Chicagoland Speedway on July 9. Additionally, AAA will sponsor the No. 6 AAA showcar and simulator racecar tour in the Midwest region.

The showcar and racecar tour, which proved to be a great attraction this year, will kick-off the new season at the Detroit International Auto Show on January 8, 2006. The vehicles will make stops at AAA locations and major public events across the Midwest in 2006.

Well-respected and beloved driver Martin has been the mainstay at Roush Racing since 1988. With 18 years on the circuit, Martin has run to 35 NEXTEL Cup victories, 41 poles, 356 top-10 finishes and 224 top fives.

"It's great to partner with AAA," Martin said. "AAA has a fantastic organization and a great reputation. My wife and I are AAA members. I am looking forward to working with AAA."

Owner Jack Roush added, "I think AAA can do a lot for the sport and be a cornerstone of our sponsorship group for years to come."

Attesting to Roush's success, all five Roush Racing teams are currently in the chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup championship, including Carl Edwards in the No. 99 AAA Ford, currently in fifth position, and Martin, who has finished second in the NEXTEL Cup standings on four occasions and is now in seventh position as one of 10 drivers eligible to win in "The Chase."

Under the agreement, in 2007 Kluever will replace Martin as AAA's driver. Kluever won Roush Racing's famed "Gong Show" in 2004. He is in his first year of racing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. He plans on racing full-time in the NASCAR Busch Series next season, before graduating to the NEXTEL Cup Series and the No. 6 AAA car.

The Auto Club Group, based in Dearborn, Mich., is the largest AAA affiliate in the Midwest and includes the Auto Club Insurance Association as well as six AAA clubs: AAA Chicago, AAA Michigan, AAA Minnesota/Iowa, AAA Nebraska; AAA North Dakota and AAA Wisconsin. It is part of the AAA federation, which has more than 48 million members in the United States and Canada. AAA is North America's largest motor club and membership organization. The not-for-profit association is best know for its legendary roadside assistance, comprehensive leisure travel and information services and its support of traffic safety and other consumer issues.

Roush Racing is a subsidiary of Livonia, Michigan, based Roush Industries that operates ten motorsports teams; five in NASCAR NEXTEL Cup with drivers Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch, Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards; three in the Busch Series with Martin, Kenseth and Edwards, and two in the Craftsman Truck Series with drivers Ricky Craven and Todd Kluever.