Sheetz, General Motors and VeraSun Energy to Educate Community About Benefits of E85 Ethanol-Based Fuel Now Available at Three Area Locations

Alternative Fuel Industry Experts to Address Consumer and Media Questions at Monroeville Sheetz, Monday, September 18, 1:30 p.m.

PITTSBURGH, Sept. 15 -- This Monday, September 18, 1:30 p.m., a panel of top experts from the automotive, energy and gas retail industries will hold an open forum discussion at the Sheetz Monroeville location, 3954 William Penn Highway, to help consumers learn more about E85 ethanol-based fuel.

The panel will consist of six experts from Sheetz, General Motors , VeraSun Energy , local GM dealerships and the Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory. Media and customers are invited to ask questions and listen to panelists explain what E85 is and how the corn-based, renewable, clean-burning fuel is used.

The panel discussion heralds Sheetz' announcement today that they will begin offering E85 ethanol-based fuel at two more of its Pittsburgh area locations, including the Monroeville location on William Penn Highway, as well as the Robinson Township store on Campbells Run Road. On July 10, Sheetz began selling VeraSun's branded E85, VE85(TM) at its Pleasant Hills store on Route 51 (Clairton Blvd.).

The fuel is a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. E85 is now available at the three Sheetz locations in the Pittsburgh area, thanks to a collaborative partnership with General Motors Corporation, VeraSun Energy Corporation, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

"Sheetz is excited to continue our partnership with GM and VeraSun Energy to expand sales of VE85(TM) here in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania," said Louie Sheetz, executive vice president of marketing, Sheetz. "We thank VeraSun Energy for helping us make this homegrown, renewable fuel available to our customers. We appreciate the support of GM and our partners in promoting E85's availability and working to increase consumer awareness."

VeraSun Energy, the nation's second largest ethanol producer, has partnered with GM and retail fuel providers in other states to make E85 more available and work through its branded fuel to bring awareness and credibility to this emerging, renewable alternative fuel.

"We'd like to congratulate Sheetz on the additional locations offering VE85(TM), and increasing the availability of this renewable fuel to Pennsylvania motorists. They are clearly leading the way by offering this biofuel as well as consumer education on its use and benefits," said Bill Honnef, VeraSun's senior vice president of sales and marketing.

"Our experience working with GM and Sheetz to promote VE85(TM) make us confident Pennsylvania consumers will quickly recognize and appreciate the benefits of using this ethanol-based renewable fuel," added Mr. Honnef. "E85 reduces our dependence on foreign oil, contributes to our domestic economy and burns cleaner than regular gasoline."

GM manufactures E85 flexible fuel vehicles, which can run on E85 ethanol or gasoline, and is committed to increasing the awareness and availability of E85 to consumers through marketing initiatives and dealer outreach. Since May 2005, GM has announced partnerships with states and fuel providers around the country and expects to help launch more than 160 new E85 fueling locations by the end of 2006.

"GM already has more than two million vehicles on the road today that are capable of using E85 fuel," said Elizabeth Lowery, GM vice president of environment and energy. "We appreciate VeraSun Energy and Sheetz for joining our efforts to make this great fuel alternative available to more people in Pittsburgh. We also appreciate the support of Gov. Rendell and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as we continue to promote the use of E85 ethanol and its many benefits for the environment, the economy and consumers."

Flexible fuel vehicles can run on any combination of gasoline and/or E85. E85 can contribute to energy independence because it diversifies the source of transportation fuels beyond petroleum, and it provides positive environmental benefits in the form of reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

About Sheetz:

Established in 1952 in Altoona, Pennsylvania, Sheetz, Inc. is one of America's fastest growing family-owned and operated convenience store chains, with more than $3.4 billion in revenue and more than 12,000 employees. The company operates 327 convenience locations throughout Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia, Ohio and North Carolina. Sheetz provides an award-winning menu of Made-to-Order subs, sandwiches and salads, which are ordered through unique touch-screen order point terminals. Sheetz currently ranks 87th on the Forbes list of largest private companies and has received awards in both Ohio and Pennsylvania for being named among their Best Places to Work in 2006. All Sheetz convenience stores are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. For more information, visit www.sheetz.com.

About GM:

General Motors Corp. , the world's largest automaker, has been the global industry sales leader for 75 years. Founded in 1908, GM today employs about 327,000 people around the world. With global headquarters in Detroit, GM manufactures its cars and trucks in 33 countries. In 2005, 9.17 million GM cars and trucks were sold globally under the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, HUMMER, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn and Vauxhall. More information on GM can be found at www.gm.com.

About VeraSun:

VeraSun Energy Corporation is the second-largest ethanol producer in the U.S., based on production. The company has two operating production facilities located in Aurora, South Dakota and Fort Dodge, Iowa, is constructing a third facility in Charles City, Iowa, and has two additional facilities under development in Welcome, Minnesota and Northwestern Iowa. Upon completion of the new facilities, VeraSun will have an annual production capacity of approximately 560 million gallons of ethanol per year.

VeraSun's branded E85 is currently available at more than 80 retail locations across the Midwest. The company markets VeraSun E85, a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline for flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs), directly to fuel retailers under the brand VE85(TM). For more information, please visit the VeraSun websites at www.verasun.com or www.VE85.com.