O'Reilly named title sponsor of NHRA Midwest Nationals

GLENDORA, Calif. - O'Reilly Auto Parts, one of the largest specialty retailers of automotive-aftermarket parts, has signed a multiyear agreement with NHRA to become the title sponsor of the NHRA Midwest Nationals at Gateway Int'l Raceway near St. Louis.

The $1.8 million O'Reilly NHRA Midwest Nationals, to be held June 23-25 at the state-ofthe-art quarter-mile track in Madison, will be televised by ESPN2.

"Through its continued support of several NHRA POWERade Series national events, O'Reilly Auto Parts maintains a vital presence as a key partner in the development and growth of our sport and our fan base," said NHRA Senior Vice President-Sales & Marketing Gary Darcy. "O'Reilly's sponsorship of the NHRA Midwest Nationals further demonstrates the importance of NHRA national event sponsorships as part of the company's overall marketing strategy."

O'Reilly Auto Parts is the primary sponsor of five other POWERade Series events: O'Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals in Houston, O'Reilly NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals in Bristol, O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals in Topeka, O'Reilly Mid-South Nationals in Memphis, and O'Reilly NHRA Fall Nationals in Dallas.

"We are excited to continue our great relationship with NHRA by becoming the title sponsor of the NHRA Midwest Nationals at Gateway Int'l Raceway," said Kevin Greven, director of motorsports marketing for O'Reilly Auto Parts. "As NHRA continues to build its profile and extend its reach in the motorsports community, we want to maintain our status as a major corporate presence. As our past marketing initiatives have demonstrated, NHRA is the perfect place for our company to do business."

O'Reilly Auto Parts is one of the largest specialty retailers of automotive aftermarket parts, tools, supplies, equipment, and accessories in the United States, serving both the do-ityourself and professional-installer markets. Founded in 1957 by the O'Reilly family, the company operates more than 730 stores within Texas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa, Arkansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, and Illinois.

Copyright National Hot Rod Association Jan 20, 2006
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