NHRA NEWS: NHRA AND AUTO CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
ANNOUNCE MULTI-YEAR SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: NHRA Communications Dept., (626) 914-4761
NHRA AND AUTOMOBILE CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ANNOUNCE MULTI-YEAR
RELATIONSHIP DEEPLY ROOTED IN ALL ASPECTS OF NHRA
AUTO CLUB SECURES NAMING RIGHTS TO POMONA RACEWAY AND PRESENTING
SPONSORSHIP OF NHRA'S SAFETY SAFARI AND NHRA STREET LEGAL PROGRAM
POMONA, Calif. (Nov. 3, 2005) - In a landmark announcement
encompassing many facets of NHRA, the Automobile Club of Southern
California and NHRA announced a multi-year relationship, beginning in
2006, highlighted by naming rights to historic Pomona Raceway and
presenting sponsorship of the NHRA Safety Safari and NHRA Street Legal
Program.
"We are extremely proud of our association with the Automobile Club
of Southern California," said Tom Compton, president, NHRA. "The Auto
Club shares the values that NHRA stands for and, through this
relationship, has clearly demonstrated its commitment to NHRA Drag
Racing."
The Automobile Club of Southern California also extended its
entitlement rights of the Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA
Finals held at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona; sponsorship of the Auto Club
"Road to the Future" award annually recognizing the sport's professional
rookie of the year; presenting sponsorship of the Wally Parks NHRA
Motorsports Museum; and presenting sponsorship of the popular California
Hot Rod Reunion held at Auto Club Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield, Calif.
"Pomona is hallowed ground to all drag racing enthusiasts, and
through our expanded partnership with NHRA, we celebrate the track's
heritage while strengthening its reputation as one of the finest
motorsports facilities in the country," said Tom McKernan, Auto Club
president and CEO. "As the nation's largest AAA affiliate, the Auto
Club places a premium on safety and responsible driving. Accordingly,
we are pleased to link the AAA name to both the NHRA Safety Safari and
its Street Legal Program that encourages and motivates enthusiasts of
all ages to always race responsibly on organized drag strips and never
on the street."
Historic Auto Club Raceway at Pomona is one of the oldest standing
and active drag strips in the United States, and this agreement
represents the first time in its history that NHRA has sold track
entitlement to one of its owned and operated facilities. The track
sponsorship gives signage rights for the Automobile Club of Southern
California throughout the facility, as well as presenting sponsorship of
the Top Eliminator Club for each of the two national events that NHRA
conducts at the raceway. As part of the Auto Club Raceway at Pomona
agreement, the Automobile Club of Southern California will secure naming
rights of a second big screen display to be located near the starting
line grandstands for premium customers in the Top Eliminator Club
adjacent to the track.
Few could argue what seems a perfect marriage between the
Automobile Club of Southern California and NHRA in relationship to Auto
Club's presenting sponsorship of two legendary components of NHRA's
business: The NHRA Safety Safari presented by AAA and the NHRA Street
Legal Program presented by AAA. Both are well-suited given the mission
of the two organizations.
The NHRA Safety Safari presented by AAA, has been an icon of the
sport since its inception in the early 1950s. The NHRA Safety Safari
presented by AAA is the first and finest full-time team devoted to
safety and is recognized as one of the most sophisticated and efficient
safety crews in North American motorsports, coming to the aid of NHRA's
competitors at NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series national events across
the country.
The NHRA Street Legal program presented by AAA, is designed to
foster safe, responsible driving by encouraging people to race on the
drag strip and not on the street. NHRA founder Wally Parks began
working with law enforcement agencies in the early 1950s to attract
illegal street racers onto dry lakes and abandoned runways where more
organized competition could be staged. Today, the basic initiative
remains NHRA's primary mission. Given the scope of today's illegal
street racing problem, NHRA is even more committed to providing safer
racing alternatives through thousands of legal, sanctioned events that
take place at the 140 NHRA Member Tracks across the country.
In 1999, Automobile Club of Southern California took over title
rights of the final race of the season, one of the premier stops on the
NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series circuit, currently called the
Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals. The Automobile Club
of Southern California Road to the Future Award, which recognizes NHRA's
rookie-of-the-year, includes the names of some of the biggest stars of
the sport of drag racing.
The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, presented by the
Automobile Club of Southern California, long a dream of NHRA founder
Wally Parks, opened to the public April 4, 1998, In 2004, Automobile
Club of Southern California signed on as presenting sponsor of the
museum, housed in a 28,500-square-foot building on the edge of the Los
Angeles County Fairplex. The NHRA California Hot Rod Reunion, presented
by the Automobile Club of Southern California, celebrated its 15th
anniversary this past fall and features nostalgia drag racing, famous
cars and hot rod heroes.
The Automobile Club of Southern California, the largest affiliate
of the AAA, has been serving members since 1900. Today, the Auto Club's
members benefit by roadside assistance, insurance products and services,
travel agency, financial products, automotive pricing, buying and
financing programs, automotive testing and analysis, trip planning
services, highway and transportation safety programs. Information about
these products and services is available on the Auto Club's Web site at
www.aaa.com.
Headquartered in Glendora, Calif., the NHRA is the primary
sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. It
presents 23 national events through its NHRA POWERade Drag Racing
Series. The NHRA has 80,000 members and 140 member tracks. The
NHRA-sanctioned sportsman and bracket racing series' provide competition
opportunities for drivers of all levels. The NHRA develops the stars of
tomorrow by offering the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, NHRA Summit
Sport Compact Drag Racing Series, NHRA Summit Racing Equipment Series
and the NHRA Street Legal Program. The NHRA also offers the NHRA
O'Reilly Auto Parts Jr. Drag Racing League for youths ages 8 to 17.
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