NASCAR, Petty sign licensing agreement

Richard Petty Driving Experience Signs Licensing Agreement with NASCAR

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (March 10, 2007) - The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) and Richard Petty Driving Experience (RPDE) announced today that the two organizations have agreed to a multi-year licensing agreement, formalizing a relationship that began 15 years ago with the initial development of RPDE.

While Richard Petty and NASCAR remain synonymous, the agreement cements a relationship that began more than 50 years ago when the Petty family first joined the sport. This new licensing agreement will allow Richard Petty Driving Experience to better align its business with NASCAR, its sponsors, business partners and 75 million fans.

"We formed the Driving Experience to let race fans see what professional drivers see on the track every weekend and get a feel for what the guys go through every week behind the wheel. At the same time we also do a good job of recreating the sights and sounds that make NASCAR the most exciting sport in the world," said Richard Petty, the seven-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Champion. "By making our long relationship with NASCAR official we hope to reach more race fans while also exposing the sport to thousands of others in an attempt to help grow the sport for years to come."

Each year over 130,000 race fans and enthusiasts feel the power of NASCAR through RPDE when they drive or ride-along at their favorite race track. The relationship between the two organizations will continue to give fans the opportunity to touch and feel the sport in a way no other professional sports entity offers. Richard Petty Driving Experience, through its licensing agreement with NASCAR, will become a greater brand extension of the sport by continuing to provide authentic NASCAR riding and driving experiences.

"There are two great must-do experiences in our sport," said Mark Dyer, NASCAR's vice president of licensing and consumer products. "First, of course, is going to a NASCAR race. Second is experiencing what it's like to drive an authentic NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race car. The Richard Petty Driving Experience makes this unforgettable experience happen for thousands of people every year, and NASCAR is proud to be associated with this first-class organization."

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 is the No. 1 spectator sport - holding 17 of the top 20 attended sporting events in the U.S., the No. 2 rated regular-season sport on television with broadcasts in over 150 countries, and has 75 million fans. These fans are the most brand loyal in all of sports, and as a result more Fortune 500 companies participate in NASCAR than any other sport. NASCAR consists of three major national series (the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, NASCAR Busch Series, and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series), four regional series and one local grassroots series, as well as two international series. NASCAR sanctions 1,300 races at 100 tracks in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada and Mexico. Based in Daytona Beach (Fla.), NASCAR has offices in New York, Los Angeles, Charlotte (N.C.), Concord (N.C.), Conover (N.C.), Bentonville (Ark.), Mexico City and Toronto.

About Richard Petty Driving Experience

Richard Petty Driving Experience, a motorsports entertainment and automotive services company headquartered in Concord, N.C., produces and facilitates NASCAR-style stock car drive and ride-along experiences, auto manufacturer ride and drive programs, safe driving programs, mobile marketing events and production services to the film industry. The company has permanent facilities in Las Vegas, Atlanta, Walt Disney World, Concord and Chicago. Richard Petty Driving Experience will operate more than 3,000 event days at over 25 locations nationwide in 2007. For more information, call 1-800-BE-PETTY or visit www.1800bepetty.com.

-credit: rpde/nascar