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NorthernLight IRL: New national Indy Racing promotion to drive sales for team sponsor

27 August 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
SPARTA, Ky.-- Purex laundry detergent, primary sponsor of the #24 Team Purex Dreyer & Reinbold Racing team, has joined forces with Northern Light Technology and the Indy Racing Northern Light Series to form the series first nationwide on-package consumer promotion.

More than 3 million boxes of Purex, the number-one value detergent in America, will be delivered to grocery store shelves in September sporting both the offer for a free collectors edition, die-cast Indy Racing car and the chance to win a fantasy weekend for four to the 85th Indianapolis 500 in May 2001.

A half-page insert, scheduled to run Sept. 17, 2000, with a circulation of more than 40 million, will appear in newspapers from New England to California and is aimed to support the on-shelf promotion. The insert includes a discount coupon for Purex and information about the free die-cast Purex Indy Racing car and fantasy weekend sweepstakes.

The Purex/Northern Light promotion will run from Sept. 1, 2000, through February 2001 with an estimated 70 million impressions expected. "We are extremely excited about this promotion," said Bob Reif, Indy Racing League chief marketing officer and senior vice president of sales & marketing. "Our goal for next year is to have five programs like the one Purex and the Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Team has put together.

"This trend-setting relationship between Purex, Northern Light Technology, the Indy Racing Northern Light Series and Team Purex Dreyer & Reinbold looks to provide a turn-key program for other sponsors and potential sponsors in the league."

Consumers are encouraged to send in the race car order form to receive their free, 1:64-scale die-cast Purex Indy Racing Northern Light Series car and visit the Northern Light Web site (www.northernlight.com/fantasy) to enter the Indy 500 Fantasy Trip sweepstakes. The die-cast car also can be ordered from the Northern Light site.

The winner of the Indy 500 Fantasy Trip will earn airfare, accommodations and luxury seating for four at the 2001 Indianapolis 500.

"It is our goal to help all of the sponsors within the league," said David Seuss, president and chief executive officer of Northern Light Technology. "This is an ideal illustration of what it takes to make a program such as this a success. When we all work together, everyone wins."

Robbie Buhl drives the #24 Team Purex Dreyer & Reinbold Racing G Force/Infiniti/Firestone. Purex began sponsoring the team at the start of this season, and Buhl rewarded the company by winning the season-opening Delphi Indy 200 at Walt Disney World Speedway.

"It really helped drive incremental sales throughout this year," said Purex s Todd Gatzuliz about the brands sponsorship of Team Purex Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. "Were constantly getting e-mails from consumers stating that they are now trying Purex and buying Purex as a result of our relationship with Team Purex Dreyer & Reinbold Racing."

Text provided by Paul Kelly

Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit The Racing Photo Museum and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.