Be a 'Film Critic' & Choose Winners of $5,000 Grand Prize, NASCAR, Indy Race Packages in Drive Smarter Challenge Video Contest

-- http://DriveSmarterChallenge.org/contest --

WASHINGTON, Oct. 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Which of these wacky yet enlightening videos would you vote the best? The animated rapper, or the old-timey one with black and white images of vintage cars? Or maybe the 1950's Leave It to Beaver-style entry with a surprise ending? These are just a sampling of the 10 finalists competing for the top cash prize of $5,000 in the Drive Smarter Challenge video contest aimed at helping folks save money on gasoline while tickling their funny bones.

Public voting on the 10 finalist videos - all short in length but long on entertainment - begins today (October 5) and runs through Monday, October 19, 11:59 PM (EDT). So play "film critic" and determine who wins the top prize and three other exciting prizes, including VIP NASCAR and Indy race packages.

The entrants took highly creative approaches to illustrate driving and vehicle maintenance tips that save money and produce higher gas mileage (http://drivesmarterchallenge.org/money-saving-tips/Default.aspx). There's the smart, chatty GPS system that inspires flirting... a carpool with back-seat smooching... a broken-heartened, guitar-strumming, singing cowboy with his truck named Earl... a tale of two very different drivers who...

Well, you'll have to check that out for yourself!

To rate the videos from 1-5 stars, just go to the Drive Smarter Challenge video contest website (http://drivesmarterchallenge.org/contest). Videos are just two minutes or less, and you can return to the site if you don't finish rating all 10 in one sitting.

So in addition to getting some laughs and picking up some money-saving tips, you can help determine who wins the following prizes:

  --  Grand Prize: $5,000;
  --  Second Prize: Choice between one VIP NASCAR Race Package (two tickets
      and two garage/pit passes to a NASCAR race event) or one VIP Indy
      Racing League Package (two tickets and two garage/pit lane passes to
      an Indy race event, plus a test high-speed ride in an Indy-style, bio
      ethanol-fueled, two-seater race car with a pro-driver);
  --  Third Prize: Whichever prize package hasn't been selected by the
      second prize winner (either the VIP NASCAR Race Package or the VIP
      Indy Racing League Package);

  --  Fourth Prize:  Transportation Efficiency Package: A set of 4 Michelin
      Energy Saver All Season Tires (or comparable tires for the winner's
      vehicle), one-year AAA membership, and two Silver Spoke League of
      American Bicyclists memberships.

Prizes were contributed by ExxonMobil Lubricants and Specialties, NASCAR, Bryan Herta Autosport, the Rubber Manufacturers Association's Be Tire Smart, Michelin, the League of American Bicyclists, and the Car Care Council.

The online contest is a feature of the award-winning Drive Smarter Challenge fuel-efficiency campaign sponsored by the Alliance to Save Energy and 16 other diverse nonprofit, governmental, trade association, and for-profit partners. Following the voting and announcement of the four winners, all of the 65 videos that met the contest criteria will go on the Alliance's YouTube channel.

Along with encouraging consumers to exercise their creativity, the video contest furthers the fuel-efficiency campaign's goals of helping drivers save money at the gas pump by driving smarter, properly maintaining their vehicles, and driving fewer miles by combining errands, biking, telecommuting, walking, carpooling, or taking public transit.

In addition to the Alliance, the Drive Smarter Challenge campaign partners include American Petroleum Institute, American Public Transportation Association, Brian Herta Autosport, Car Care Council, Citizens for Affordable Energy, Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ExxonMobil, Green Solutions Magazine, League of American Bicyclists, NASCAR, National Association of Counties, National Association of State Energy Officials, National Independent Auto Dealers Association, National Fuel Funds Network, National Low Income Energy Consortium, and Rubber Manufacturers Association's Be Tire Smart.

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