NHRA, Automobile Club Of Southern California news 2010-03-29

NHRA AND AUTOMOBILE CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ANNOUNCE EXTENSION OF CURRENT MULTI-FACETED RELATIONSHIP

Adds title rights to NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event in St Louis; AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals

GLENDORA, Calif. (March 29, 2010) - NHRA and the Automobile Club of Southern California announced today that they have extended and added to their landmark relationship, encompassing many facets of NHRA's business, including museum, safety, race and track sponsorships. In addition to extending its current involvement, the Automobile Club of Southern California has expanded its sponsorship to include title rights of the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals at Gateway International Raceway outside St. Louis.

"Our association with the Automobile Club of Southern California is very special," said Tom Compton, president, NHRA. "Their deep involvement with the NHRA has an impact on nearly every part of our business from the grassroots level all the way to the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. Words simply can't describe our appreciation for their support and I want to personally thank Tom McKernan and his team for recognizing the value of association with NHRA."

"We're pleased to see this relationship grow the way it has over the past 16 years, especially now that we are expanding to include some of our other motor clubs, such as AAA Missouri, which serves the area around Gateway International Raceway," said Tom McKernan, Auto Club CEO. "There is a close alignment between the objectives of the Auto Club and AAA Missouri, and those of the NHRA. We each place a premium on quality service, and we leverage our brand and resources to promote automotive safety on the track and in the community."

The relationship also includes naming rights for Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, entitlement rights of the Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals held at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, sponsorship of the Auto Club "Road to the Future" award annually recognizing the sport's professional rookie of the year, presenting sponsorship of the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, and presenting sponsorship of the popular California Hot Rod Reunion held at Auto Club Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield, Calif. In addition, Automobile Club of Southern California is presenting sponsor of the NHRA Safety Safari and the NHRA Drags: Street Legal Style presented by AAA.

Its naming rights at the historic Auto Club Raceway at Pomona also affords Automobile Club of Southern California presenting sponsorship of the Top Eliminator Club for each of the two national events that NHRA conducts at the raceway.

The Automobile Club of Southern California involvement with NHRA spans 16 years, beginning in 1994 as sponsor of the National Junior Dragster competition, quickly followed in 1995 with presenting sponsorship of the California Hot Rod Reunion. A year later, in 1996, Auto Club began sponsoring the "Road to the Future" award, which first started to recognize future stars of the sport and later became the official award to recognize NHRA's top rookie performer.

The Automobile Club of Southern California has maintained title rights of the final race of the season, the Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals, since 1999. In 2004, the company became the presenting sponsor of the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum. Finally, in 2006, Auto Club added naming rights to Auto Club Raceway at Pomona and presenting sponsorship of the NHRA Safety Safari and NHRA Drags: Street Legal Style.

The Automobile Club of Southern California, the largest member of the AAA federation of motor clubs, has been serving members since 1900. Through its affiliates and subsidiaries the Auto Club serves more than 10 million AAA members by way of AAA Texas, AAA Missouri, AAA Alabama, AAA New Mexico, AAA Hawaii and AAA Northern New England. Today, the Auto Club's members benefit by roadside assistance, insurance products and services, travel agency, financial products, automotive pricing and buying programs, automotive testing and analysis, trip planning services and highway and transportation safety programs. Information about these products and services is available on the Auto Club's Web site at www.AAA.com.

Headquartered in Glendora, Calif., NHRA has 80,000 members and 140 member tracks nationwide. As 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 Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series. Two NHRA-sanctioned bracket racing series provide competition opportunities for drivers of all levels: 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; O'Reilly Raceway Park 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.

-source: nhra