Chrysler Canada:Support for NASCAR

[rickaren]

Chrysler Canada: Dodge and Mopar® Brands Enhance Support for NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Program

New Award Program to Help Dodge Avenger Racing Teams

Windsor, Ontario , Mar 24, 2010 - Chrysler Canada, on behalf of the Dodge and Mopar® brands, announced an enhanced 2010 program to support Dodge Avenger race cars in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series. The program will invest nearly $90,000 in contingency award money to eligible teams, and it will complement the already strong sponsorship to the race currently being offered by both brands in Canada.

The award program consists of the ‘Dodge-Mopar Fast Five’ and the ‘Mopar Top Dodge Cup’ awards.

The ‘Dodge-Mopar Fast Five’ award provides prize money to the top-five finishing eligible teams. The top-finishing eligible team will receive a $2,000 bonus, with the second through fifth highest-finishing eligible teams earning $1,500, $1,000, $750 and $500, respectively, regardless of their overall finish in the race. This award is in place for each of the 13 series events scheduled for the 2010 season across Canada, stretching from Nova Scotia to British Columbia.

''Dodge's firm commitment to stock car racing in Canada is demonstrated by our financial support of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series,'' said Ed Broadbear, Vice President - Marketing, Chrysler Canada. “Our Dodge racing teams share the same passion for performance as Dodge customers and the brand itself.”

The ‘Mopar Top Dodge Cup’ rewards the top-five eligible Dodge-Mopar race teams for superior performance over the course of the entire season. As determined by the official NASCAR Canadian Tire Series final championship driver point standings, the top-finishing eligible team will collect a $5,000 bonus, with the second through fifth highest-finishing teams receiving $4,000, $3,000, $2,000 and $1,000, respectively.

"Mopar is excited to continue our relationship with the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series and the Dodge-Mopar teams’’, said Jim Kiritsis, National Mopar and Service Senior Manager, Chrysler Canada. ‘’Mopar has been built from the grit and sweat of racers that bleed Mopar blue, and they represent all that is Mopar: Power, Passion, Performance.’’

Since NASCAR began sanctioning the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series in 2007, Dodge and Mopar have been industry leaders with their unparalleled support evidenced by the number of race teams utilizing Dodge brand bodies and components manufactured by Mopar.

"Both Dodge and Mopar have been integral parts of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 since its inception, in addition to their long history with NASCAR in the United States," said George Silbermann, Managing Director of Racing Operations for NASCAR. "The support they provide to the Dodge-Mopar teams, as well as their continuing effort with the series as a whole certainly has been a key ingredient to the rapid growth in popularity of this highly competitive series."

Mopar distributes approximately 280,000 components in more than 90 countries and is the source for all original equipment parts for Chrysler, Jeep®, Dodge and Ram Truck vehicles. Mopar parts are unique in that they are engineered with the same teams that create factory-authorized vehicle specifications for Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Ram Truck vehicles – a direct connection that no other aftermarket parts company can provide.

Dodge offers a full line-up of cars, SUVs and MPVs that are agile, daring, sensible and inventive. The Dodge product lineup includes the No. 1 selling Minivan in Canada for more than 26 years, the Dodge Grand Caravan; the No. 1 selling Crossover in Canada, the Dodge Journey; plus Dodge Caliber, Dodge Avenger, Dodge Challenger, Dodge Charger, Dodge Nitro and Dodge Viper SRT10®.