RACING BUSINESS (MINNEAPOLIS, MN) - Lerner Publishing Group And NASCAR Announce Licensing Agreement

Lerner Publishing Group, one of the nation’s largest independent children’s book publishers, and NASCAR, the largest sanctioning body of motorsports in the United States, are pleased to announce a licensing agreement for a new series titled The Science of NASCAR®. The six-book series, available in January 2008, showcases the driving force behind auto-racing – science.

The Science of NASCAR® takes young readers into full-throttle NASCAR action while showing them the science and math concepts behind this thrilling sport. This new, high-energy series supports national science standards in upper elementary grades and will be sold primarily to schools and libraries. From examining the physics at work on the track, to showing how cars and engines are designed for speed, to revealing drivers’ strategies for winning, readers will witness how science and math accelerate the excitement in a race. Titles include NASCAR at the Track, NASCAR behind the Scenes, NASCAR Designed to Win, NASCAR in the Driver’s Seat, NASCAR in the Pits, and NASCAR Safety on the Track. With lively writing and hands-on science experiments in each book, The Science of NASCAR® blends fast-action entertainment with fact-filled education.

“Lerner Publishing Group is honored to have NASCAR as a partner in this exciting new series,” said Adam Lerner, President and Publisher, Lerner Publishing Group. “We’ve worked closely with NASCAR experts to deliver the most accurate and engaging information and best visual imagery to our readers. By focusing on the science that permeates every aspect of NASCAR, this series is truly unique in the marketplace.”

“This high-quality series offers young race fans an opportunity to understand how science and math truly make NASCAR run,” explained Paul Brooks, Senior Vice President of NASCAR. “The Science of NASCAR® shows how racing is a complex sport that hinges on how well everyone—from body fabricators and engine builders to spotters, crew chiefs and drivers —understands and applies fundamental science and math principles. We’re proud to have Lerner’s series as part of the NASCAR Library Collection.”

NASCAR’s broad appeal to youth can help draw more students to become immersed in science and math, Brooks added. NASCAR is the No. 2-rated regular season sport on television among 2-11 year olds, trailing only the NFL, according to Nielsen Media Research. Over half of 7-11 year olds are interested in NASCAR, according to the 2005 ESPN Kids Poll.

About Lerner Publishing Group Lerner Publishing Group creates high-quality fiction and nonfiction for children and young adults. Founded in 1959, Lerner Publishing Group is one of the nation’s largest independent children’s book publishers and currently has nine imprints and divisions: Lerner Publications, Carolrhoda Books, Millbrook Press, Twenty-First Century Books, Graphic Universe, ediciones Lerner (a Spanish-language imprint), First Avenue Editions, LernerClassroom, and Kar-Ben Publishing. For further information, visit Lerner Publishing Group’s Website at www.lernerbooks.com.

About NASCAR The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR), which began in 1948, is the sanctioning body for one of America's premier sports. NASCAR consists of three major national series (NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, NASCAR Busch Series and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series), as well as eight regional series and one local grassroots series. NASCAR sanctions 1,500 races at over 100 tracks in 38 states, Canada and Mexico. Based in Daytona Beach (Fla.), NASCAR has offices in Bentonville (Ark.), Charlotte (N.C.), Concord (N.C.), Conover (N.C.), Los Angeles, New York, Mexico City and Toronto.

About NASCAR Library Collection A division of NASCAR’s overall licensing operation in its Charlotte office, NASCAR Publishing oversees more than 40 licensed publishing partners. In 2004, NASCAR launched the NASCAR Library Collection which provides a level of authentication and quality to NASCAR licensed books. Representing a range of books as diverse and varied as the NASCAR fan base, the NASCAR Library Collection captures the NASCAR lifestyle from all angles. The NASCAR Library Collection includes books in a number of categories, including: drivers and personalities, cookbooks, history, children, fiction and romance, and statistics, facts and reference. NASCAR Library Collection titles can be found in an array of retail outlets including mass market, bookstores, specialty and more.