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Tire Kingdom, Valvoline and Mark Martin Join in Lube-A-Thon

15 February 2000

Tire Kingdom, Valvoline and Mark Martin Join in 'Biggest Lube-A-Thon In America' to Benefit Florida Big Brothers Big Sisters

    RIVIERA BEACH, Fla., Feb. 14 -- Tire Kingdom, Valvoline and
Mark Martin will be out to raise $15,000 on Feb. 18-19 in "the biggest Caring
Hands lube-a-thon in America," with all money benefiting Big Brothers Big
Sisters of Florida.
    "We're very excited to join Valvoline in hosting a record lube-a-thon
event under their national Caring Hands program," said Tire Kingdom CEO
Jim Wright at a press conference today at Tire Kingdom headquarters.
    On Friday and Saturday, Feb. 18-19, customers at 126 Tire Kingdom stores
in Florida can participate by having their oil changed.  Valvoline and Tire
Kingdom will each donate $3 per oil change to Big Brothers Big Sisters of
Florida.  Consumers can also trace their handprints on a Caring Hands poster
in each store.
    Mark Martin, the national spokesperson for the Caring Hands program, is
the star of television and radio messages promoting the two-day event.
Martin, driver of the No. 6 Valvoline car on the NASCAR Winston Cup circuit,
is one of the favorites to win the Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 20.
    "This will be the biggest Caring Hands Lube-A-Thon we've ever done," said
Martin Kish, vice president of communications for Valvoline.  The previous
record was 100 stores.  This involves 126 stores, by far a new record."
    "We are very pleased that Tire Kingdom and Valvoline have decided to do
this lube-a-thon," said Mike Hancock, chair of the Florida association of Big
Brothers Big Sisters.  "The money we raise will help recruit new mentors for
kids on waiting lists throughout the state."
    Valvoline began the Caring Hands program in 1999 and raised over $200,000
towards a goal of $1 million for Big Brothers Big Sisters.
    Tire Kingdom, headquartered in Riviera Beach, was founded in 1972.  In
addition to its 126 Florida stores that perform oil changes, it operates an
additional 18 Florida stores that do not perform oil change services and four
other stores in North Carolina.  Besides being Florida's number one tire
retailer, Tire Kingdom performs other auto maintenance services, alignments,
brakes, shocks, struts and batteries.
    Valvoline is based in Lexington, Ky., and has sales in more than 140
countries.  Brands include Valvoline Motor Oils, Zerex Antifreeze, Pyroil
automotive chemicals and Eagle One premium appearance products.  Valvoline is
the No. 1 choice of America's top mechanics.

    CONTACT:  Chrissy Arnold of Tire Kingdom, 561-842-4290, or Martin A. Kish
of Valvoline, 606-357-7256.