Interstate Batteries Dealer Stepping Into NASCAR Spotlight

Dallas, Texas (Sept. 28, 2004) - Chalk one up for the little guys.

When Bobby Labonte competes at the Talledaga 500 Oct. 3, the hood of his No. 18 Interstate Batteries’ Nextel Cup racer will carry the name of Camus Auto, an Interstate Batteries dealer from Derby, N.Y. Another name making the hood will be IBS of Greater Buffalo, the Interstate Batteries distributorship that services Camus Auto.

They both were winners of Interstate’s 500 Miles of Fame promotion, an effort to increase sales and give their dealers and distributors a chance to run for a weekend with the multi-million dollar corporation names usually found painted on race cars.

Winners receive a paid trip to the race and will get to meet Labonte.

“It’s fantastic,” said Dave Camus of Camus Auto. “I just can’t believe it. You always read about somebody else winning.”

Todd Winder of IBS of Greater Buffalo is attending the race and said the recognition for his distributorship is a “pretty big deal.”

Dennis Brown, Interstate’s Vice-President of Marketing, said it’s a significant opportunity for a business.

“Sponsorship deals in racing are very expensive and out of reach for most,” he said. “Although we would love to recognize all of our partners, we felt it was a great way to recognize the hard work that all of our dealers and distributors do at their businesses every day.”

Camus expects the exposure to help his well-respected business he took over from his dad who operated it for more than 30 years. Word of his impending fame is already getting around Derby, a town of fewer than 7,000 in Western New York near Lake Erie. Derby, home to New Era Hat Co. whose products are worn by every Major League Baseball player and has employed Camus’ wife for 17 years, will now have another claim to hang its hat on.

And Camus is ready to help them celebrate. He gets to keep the actual hood and he plans to take it on a tour of area businesses, much like winners of the National Hockey League’s Stanley Cup do.

“I imagine it’s going to end up in a few places with us,” he said.

Interstate is one of the longest-running major sponsors in NEXTEL Cup racing being associated with Joe Gibbs Racing since 1991.

Founded in 1952 and based in Dallas, Texas, Interstate Batteries is a privately held group of corporations, which includes a company with 310 distributors that service more than 200,000 locations throughout the United States, Canada and select international locations. The group of corporations also includes the All Battery Center retails stores and an e-commerce web site: www.interstatebatteries.com.