Boris Said Watkins Glen sponsor announced

CHICAGO (July 26, 2004) -- USG Corporation announced that it will sponsor Boris Said in the Aug. 15 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup road race at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International to help promote its Durock Brand Cement Board, a high-strength ceramic tile backer that provides superior tile adhesion.

Said will drive the No. 36 USG Durock Brand Chevrolet as a third entry for MB2 Motorsports, which fields Joe Nemechek's No. 01 U.S. Army Chevrolet and Scott Riggs' No. 10 Valvoline Chevrolet.

"Durock brand cement board is the No. 1 selling tile backer in the market and it out performs all its competitors," said Julian Francis, vice president, marketing, USG Building Systems. "NASCAR is a great way to get that message to our customers. Furthermore, Boris is a road course specialist, just as Durock is the best product for ceramic tile. The right driver, or product, for the job always leads to better performance."

USG is also an associate sponsor on the No. 01 and No. 10 MB2 cars plus a primary sponsor on Nemechek's 01 car at four Nextel Cup races.

"USG has been a great partner of MB2 Motorsports," said team general manager Jay Frye. "The company has deep roots in racing and we sincerely appreciate the confidence and support it has given to our team. We are excited about this race -- with Boris' credentials as a road racer, it presents an excellent opportunity for both USG and MB2."

Said, of Carlsbad, Calif., has garnered three top-10 finishes in his last four Cup races, including a sixth-place result in June at the Infineon Raceway road course in Sonoma, Calif.

Said's other top 10s during this period were 10th in the February Bud Shootout at Daytona International Speedway 0x2022 his first Cup race on a superspeedway -- and sixth in last year's road race in Sonoma.

His only finish outside the top 10 in his last four Cup races was at last year's race in Watkins Glen. He qualified the USG/MB2 car 10th, but was wrecked in the race while running with the leaders. He finished 39th. "That was a real shame," recalled Said, "We had such a fast car. That was the first time I felt I had a legitimate shot at winning a Cup race."

Four of Said's 10 career point races in Cup competition have come at Watkins Glen, where his best finish on the 2.45-mile circuit was eighth in 2001.

"I want to thank USG and MB2 for this opportunity and look forward with great eagerness to drive with the new Durock paint scheme," offered Said. "This will be my third event with USG as a main sponsor and I hope it will be the charm race. We definitely have the talent to make it happen."

Said's 2004 highlights include two impressive international performances at the famed 15-mile Nurburgring Nordschleife road circuit in Germany. As a BMW Motorsports team driver, he became the first American to win the German 4-hour GT Endurance race and the first American to claim a podium finish (second) in the 24-hour German GT Endurance event.

Along with its MB2 team sponsorships, USG is a promotional partner of NASCAR. The Chicago-based company's involvement with NASCAR includes the USG Person of the Year, the USG Driver of the Race and the USG Night at the Races in the NASCAR/Dodge Weekly Racing Series.

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