BUSCH: JR Motorsports announces new VP of Licensing

Mattes Joins JR Motorsports Licensing Team

MOORESVILLE, N.C. -- Joe Mattes has been named Vice President of Licensing at JR Motorsports, and will oversee the managing and marketing of personally licensed products for Dale Earnhardt Jr., Vice President and General Manager Kelley Earnhardt Elledge announced today.

Mattes comes to JR Motorsports from Turner Sports, where has served as the Vice President of E-Commerce for NASCAR.com for the past seven years, managing the day-to-day activities for the widely popular NASCAR.com Superstore. Under Mattes' watch, the NASCAR.com Superstore was listed at 188 of 500 in the 2006 Internet Retail Top 500 Guide.

"Joe has been involved in the NASCAR licensing business for more than a decade, most recently with NASCAR.com," Earnhardt Elledge said. "He is extremely open minded and willing to think outside the box to maximize all opportunities. He has an extensive knowledge of the industry. He'll be a great asset to this company."

Mattes will officially begin his duties at JRM on July 1. He first worked with the Earnhardt family in 1995, helping Dale Earnhardt plan, build, and launch his first souvenir company, Sports Image. The company eventually sold to Action Performance, where Mattes served on the board of directors and helped acquisition plans for many of the top teams' souvenir rights.

In 1998, he led the initiative to create the apparel brand, Chase Authentics. As a managing partner, he continued in the development, implementation and marketing of the Chase Authentics brand of apparel. Overall, Mattes has more than 20 years of business and licensing experience.

"We added the role of VP of Licensing to maximize our opportunities with licensed products and services," Earnhardt Elledge said. "Our licensing business with the Dale Jr. brand and the JR Motorsports brands warrants a dedicated manager as well as a dedicated staff to strategize and implement a licensing plan that will provide our fans with quality products at the right price in the stores they like to shop."

JR Motorsports

Established in 1999, JR Motorsports is the management company and racing operation for professional stock car driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. JRM is based in Mooresville, N.C., and houses a full-time NASCAR Busch Series team, USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series team, and three late model developmental programs that compete at tracks across the Southeast. In 2007, JR Motorsports celebrated the grand opening of its new 66,000-square foot shop and office building, part of which includes the JR Nation retail store and Dale Jr. Fan Experience. For more information on JR Motorsports, visit www.jrmotorsport.com.

-credit: jrm