Wed, 4 Dec 2002, 02:43 PM Lucas Oil Named Title Sponsor of NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Event at

Courtesy of NHRA Communications

GLENDORA, Calif. -- Route 66 Raceway Lucas Oil Products, an industry leader in lubricants and fuel treatments, has signed an agreement to become the title sponsor of one of two NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series events at Route 66 Raceway, it was announced today by National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) officials.

The Lucas Oil NHRA Route 66 Nationals will be held May 29-June 1 at the state-of-the-art quarter-mile facility located just southwest of Chicago in Joliet, Ill. The $1.9 million race, which will be televised by ESPN2, is the 10th of 23 events in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series for 2003.

"Lucas Oil Products is pleased to have the opportunity to return to the spectacular Route 66 Raceway as title sponsor of one of its NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series events," said Forrest Lucas, president and CEO of Lucas Oil Products "This was the site of our first NHRA event sponsorship and since then we've enjoyed our relationship with the NHRA. We certainly welcome continued opportunities to expose our customers to the excitement of NHRA Drag Racing by playing an integral role in the production of these great events."

It is the first of two NHRA event sponsorships for Lucas Oil Products for the 2003 season. The company also is the title sponsor for the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals, Sept. 11-14 at Maple Grove Raceway in Mohnton, Pa. The partnership also marks a return for Lucas Oil as sponsor of this event, site of the company's first NHRA event sponsorship in 2001.

"We're pleased that Lucas Oil Products has maintained its presence in NHRA by becoming the title sponsor of this very important event in our NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, in one of our most significant markets, Chicago," said Bob Wagner, NHRA vice president of sales and business development. "Lucas Oil Products has certainly demonstrated an ability to utilize NHRA sponsorships as an integral part of its overall marketing strategy. They have been one of the leading supporters of race teams in a variety of categories, from Top Fuel to Super Comp. Now, with their sponsorship of our sportsman series and several key events within our series, Lucas Oil has become a major player within the NHRA drag racing arena. The Lucas Oil NHRA Route 66 Nationals, the final stop of a critical three-week stretch of races on the East Coast, will be an important event for NHRA teams chasing valuable NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series points."

In addition, Lucas Oil Products is the series sponsor for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series for sportsman competitors and provides primary sponsorship to several teams in that series, including Morgan Lucas in Top Alcohol Dragster, Jason Rupert in Alcohol Funny Car and Tom Bayer in Super Comp. Lucas Oil Products is an associate sponsor for several professional category teams, including defending Top Fuel champion Larry Dixon and 2003 Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future rookie candidate Brandon Bernstein.

The Lucas Oil NHRA Route 66 Nationals is one of two NHRA POWERade Drag Racing series events hosted by Route 66 Raceway in 2003. The track also hosts an event Sept. 25-28.

Based in Corona, Calif., Lucas Oil Products is one of the fastest growing additive lines in the consumer automotive industry featuring a premium line of oils, greases and problem solving additives. Through innovative product research and development, along with aggressive marketing programs, Lucas Oil Products has established itself as the top selling additive line in the American truck stop industry.

Dubbed the first true "Stadium of Drag Racing," Route 66 Raceway provides top-notch entertainment for all types of racing fans. Route 66 Raceway is a multimillion-dollar complex including a 1/4 mile, 30,000 seat, stadium-style drag strip with 27 luxury suites and a 1/2 mile dirt oval track. The multipurpose facility hosts a wide variety of entertaining events, including two NHRA POWERade Drag Racing National events featuring Top Fuel, Funny Cars, Pro Stocks and motorcycle racing. Route 66 Raceway also features World of Outlaws, USAC Sprint and Midgets, demolition derby's, monster truck shows, Jr. Dragsters, car shows, bracket racing, music venues, an NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing event, and much more. Route 66 Raceway is located 30 miles southwest of downtown Chicago on Old Historic Route 66 in Joliet, Illinois, three miles south of I-80 on Route 53.

Headquartered in Glendora, Calif., the NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. It presents 23 national events through its NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. The NHRA has more than 80,000 members nationwide and more than 130 member tracks. The NHRA-sanctioned sportsman and bracket racing series' provide competition opportunities for drivers of all levels. The NHRA develops the stars of tomorrow by offering the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, NHRA Summit Racing Series, NHRA Summit Sport Compact Drag Racing Series and the NHRA Street Legal Program. The NHRA also offers the NHRA Castrol GTX Jr. Drag Racing League for youths ages 8 to 17.