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NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION

RACING & TESTING

NEWS & NOTES

SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT TO SPONSOR NHRA KING OF THE TRACK RACING PROGRAM

GLENDORA, Calif. (Jan. 30, 2012) – NHRA officials announced today that Summit Racing Equipment has expanded its involvement with NHRA and will become the title sponsor of the Summit Racing NHRA King of the Track program.

The Summit Racing NHRA King of the Track is a special event that is offered to all NHRA Member Tracks across the country, Canada and Puerto Rico, as a special event for their bracket racers and their bracket racing programs. Each track will have the option to host one Summit Racing King of the Track event each year. The event will feature a run-off between individual class winners with the coveted NHRA Wally trophy being awarded to the Summit Racing King of the Track winner at each NHRA member track.

“The NHRA King of the Track program is a great opportunity to support bracket racers and tracks across the country in addition to our Summit Racing Series,” said Jim Greenleaf, Summit Racing’s Motorsports and Events manager. “The program allows the tracks to put together an exciting weekend of racing as racers compete for the title ‘King of the Track.’”

The program is just one of several specialty race programs offered to NHRA Member Tracks that also include the National DRAGSTER Challenge and the NHRA Jr. Drag Racing League Challenge.

The sponsorship extends Summit’s current involvement in NHRA where the company is the title sponsor of the NHRA Summit Racing Series, which culminates in the crowning of Summit Racing Series National Champions. Summit is also the title sponsor of NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series events in Las Vegas, Atlanta, and Norwalk, Ohio. Summit also is the primary team sponsor for the Ken Black Racing Pro Stock team, featuring drivers Greg Anderson and Jason Line.

RACING ELECTRONICS RENEWS AS OFFICIAL RADIO COMMUNICATIONS PROVIDER OF NHRA

GLENDORA, Calif. (Jan. 30, 2012) – NHRA announced today that RACING ELECTRONICS, the worldwide leader in providing radio communications products to the motorsports industry, has renewed its official sponsorship as the Official Radio Communications provider of NHRA.

For two decades, RACING ELECTRONICS has been the Official Radio Communications sponsor of the world’s largest motorsports sanctioning body, providing hand-held radios, headsets, mobile units, ancillary products, base radios, antennas, on-site setup and support for the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series events, the divisional NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series events, NHRA’s owned and operated facilities and broadcasting.

“Racing Electronics has been a long-standing official sponsor of NHRA, providing a much needed service to the league, the race teams and our fans,” said Gary Darcy, senior vice president of sales and marketing, NHRA. “This agreement ensures Racing Electronics will continue its involvement in the sport for years to come.”

In addition, RACING ELECTRONICS has a major presence at the NHRA Manufacturers Midway at NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series events, providing on-site sales, rentals and service for scanners, headsets and communication needs for NHRA race teams and fans.

“Since 2004, we have valued our official sponsorship with NHRA,” said Bruce Silver, president and CEO of RACING ELECTRONICS. “Because of our success in the sport, it was a logical decision to renew our agreement early. Moving forward, we intend to extend our relationship with the teams and the fans with our newly launched scanner rental program.”

RACING ELECTRONICS has been in the racing industry for 24 years. What began as a hobby in 1988 has grown to become the world leader in race communications. RACING ELECTRONICS is a manufacturer and supplier of a complete line of race communication products and accessories, providing its customers 2-way radios, scanners, headphones and headsets, as well as a complete selection of accessories and sportswear, and a guide listing the year’s races and scanner frequencies for specific events.

Headquartered in Glendora, Calif., NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 23 national events featuring the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series and NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by ProCare Rx. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and the NHRA Drags: Street Legal Style presented by AAA. NHRA also offers the Jr. Drag Racing League for youth ages 8 to 17. In addition, NHRA owns and operates five racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Atlanta Dragway in Georgia; National Trail Raceway in Ohio; Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis; and Auto Club Raceway at Pomona in Southern California. For more information, log on to NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

MARK LYLE NAMED OFFICIAL NHRA CHIEF STARTER

GLENDORA, Calif. (Feb. 1, 2012) — NHRA officials announced today that Mark Lyle, long-time starter in NHRA’s Division 6 and a certified team member of the NHRA Safety Safari presented by AAA, has been named the official NHRA Chief Starter, one of the most storied positions in all of NHRA Drag Racing. There have only been two chief starters in the sport’s 60-plus year history, Buster Couch (1955-1996) and Rick Stewart (1996-2011).

Beginning at the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals presented by Super Start Batteries at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, Feb. 9-12, Lyle will command the best view in the facility, standing alongside every kind of drag racing vehicle, most notably the 7,000-horsepower Top Fuel and Funny Car machines featured in NHRA’s marquee Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.

“It is simply the highest honor anyone in my position can have,” said Lyle, who resides in North Bend, Wash., with his family. “I really have to thank Kenworth Northwest for being flexible with my NHRA work schedule over the years and for allowing me to pursue my dream. To follow in the footsteps of two iconic and legendary figures in NHRA history is beyond words. I am looking forward to sending off the first pair in Pomona.”

Lyle has worked in the automotive industry his entire professional career, all the while spending countless weeknights and weekends perfecting his craft on the starting line, or working as a safety team member in the sport he has loved since his youth. He started as the official starter at Pacific Raceways in 2000, and since then has been a certified team member of NHRA’s Division 6. He was named the official starter of the division in 2005. Lyle worked alongside recently retired NHRA chief starter Stewart at many national events the last several years.

“Throughout his time as a starting line official, he has demonstrated the characteristics necessary to take on this very important position on the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series circuit,” said Graham Light, senior vice president of racing operations, NHRA. “He always has safety first and foremost in his mind and strives to be fair and just in his decision-making.”

NHRA FUNNY CARS ON DISPLAY AT KEY INDIANAPOLIS DESTINATIONS PRIOR TO SUPER BOWL XLVI

GLENDORA, Calif. (Feb. 1, 2012) – NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Funny Cars from Don Schumacher Racing and John Force Racing will be prominently displayed at two leading tourism destinations across central Indiana leading up to Super Bowl XLVI.

NFL fans that touchdown at the Indianapolis International Airport will be greeted by the Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford driven by John Force and the Auto Club Ford Mustang driven by Robert Hight. Both cars competed in the 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. One car will be on display at Concourse A and the other at Concourse B and both will be highly visible to those arriving into the city. The displays will feature custom welcome signage and information about the ‘Big Go,’ the prestigious Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, held at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis during Labor Day weekend.

DSR and JFR cars will also be on display at the Super Celebration Site at Metropolis Mall in Plainfield, Ind., located in Hendricks County. Both the NAPA Funny Car driven by Ron Capps and the 2010 John Force Castrol GTX 25th anniversary Ford Mustang will be a focal point of the 18,000 square foot Super Celebration Site display.

At the Super Celebration Site, fans will not only be able to see the Funny Cars but also be able to race an IndyCar simulator and test their football skills on the NFL Blitz video game. Metropolis Mall will also house a replica Izod Indy Car featuring the decals of the Baltimore Ravens as part of the Super Cars promotion. For more information on the Super Celebration Site, visit www.TourHendricksCounty.com/SuperSite.

“Having the Super Bowl in Indianapolis is an enormous thrill for all of us who live and work here,” said Mike Lewis, vice president of Don Schumacher Racing based in Brownsburg. “Considering the culture of auto racing in Indiana it only makes sense for industry leaders like Don Schumacher Racing to become involved in Super Bowl activities. We hope NFL fans will want to experience our brand of 320 MPH excitement at some of the 23 NHRA events around the country.”

"Having my hot rods on display as part of the Indianapolis Super Bowl events is great for the NHRA and my sponsors like Castrol, Ford, Auto Club, Traxxas, Mac Tools and BrandSource. I put the John Force Road Show together to spread the gospel of NHRA and you aren't going to get a bigger crowd than Indianapolis this week,” said 15 time Full Throttle Series Champion, John Force. “I played football growing up and to have my Castrol GTX HIGH MILEAGE Ford Mustang Funny Car, my 25th anniversary Castrol Funny Car and Robert Hight's Auto Club Ford Mustang on display at the airport and the Metropolis Mall is pretty cool."

“When we first heard we would be a Super Celebration Site and featuring a Super Car, we knew we had to showcase our own NHRA Super Cars as part of the festivities,” said Jaime Bohler Smith, associate director for the Hendricks County Convention and Visitors Bureau, the group overseeing the site. “Our hope is that guests coming to see the big game, will come back and join us for the Big Go (the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway) right here in the motorsports capitol of the world,” she added.

The cars at the airport will be continuously on display and those at Metropolis Mall will be on display from Feb. 2nd from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. through Feb. 5th from noon to 4 p.m. Metropolis Mall is located on the eastern edge of Hendricks County and just minutes from downtown Indianapolis.

DOLLAR GENERAL NAMED TITLE RIGHTS SPONSOR OF NHRA FULL THROTTLE DRAG RACING SERIES EVENT IN TOPEKA

GLENDORA, Calif. (Feb. 2, 2012) — NHRA announced today that Dollar General, the nation’s largest small-box discount retailer, will become the title rights sponsor of the annual NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event in Topeka, Kan. The Dollar General NHRA Summernationals will be held May 18-20 at Heartland Park Topeka. For tickets, go to www.NHRATIX.com.

Dollar General boasts more than 700 stores in and around the state of Kansas and intends to conduct in-market store activation programs for the event. In addition to promotional rights, Dollar General will receive broadcast elements, display space and signage on-site at the event, pre-event customer activities, and corporate hospitality. It represents Dollar General’s first involvement in NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing.

“Having Dollar General as title rights sponsor of the Dollar General NHRA Summernationals in Topeka affords NHRA and Heartland Park Topeka with a great opportunity to reach and expose NHRA to a broad audience,” said Gary Darcy, senior vice president of sales and marketing, NHRA. “To partner with a retail outlet like Dollar General is a great way to deliver the NHRA message to a broad audience and we look forward to activating the sponsorship in the marketplace.”

Goodlettsville, Tenn.-based Dollar General Corporation is the nation’s largest small-box discount retailer, making shopping for everyday needs simpler and hassle-free by offering a carefully-edited assortment of the most popular brands at low everyday prices in small, convenient locations. Dollar General ranks among the largest retailers of top-quality brands made by America’s most-trusted manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble, Kimberly Clark, Unilever, Kellogg’s, General Mills and Nabisco.

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