Aug 23, 2008
BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY, Bristol, TN – For the second time
since 2006, Sharpie®, title sponsor of the Sharpie 500 at Bristol Motor
Speedway, will partner with Jamie McMurray in the race that fans
consistently vote their favorite in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
Sharpie is backing McMurray in a bold new Sharpie paint scheme. The
bright green and black design supports the launch of the new Sharpie®
Pen, the first Sharpie that doesn’t bleed through paper. Already a hit
at retail, Sharpie Pen is perfect for all everyday writing needs at
home, work and school. To support the Sharpie Pen launch, the 2008 race
is being tagged, “Sharpie 500 Presented by the NEW Sharpie Pen.”
McMurray, who will drive the No. 26 Sharpie Pen Ford Fusion for Roush
Fenway Racing, said, "I'm really excited about driving the Sharpie Pen
Ford Fusion in the Sharpie 500. I always tell fans that the Bristol
night race is one race they have to see in person. It's always an
exciting night, and this year will be no different. I'm looking forward
to the Sharpie 500, and am really proud to have the Sharpie Pen on our
Ford Fusion for one of the biggest races of the season."
“The Sharpie Pen paint scheme supports Sharpie’s ongoing commitment to
innovation,” said Howard Heckes, Sharpie Global Business Unit President.
“Like the Sharpie 500, Sharpie Pen is just another way we’re delivering
to our fans the bold experience and quality performance of the Sharpie
brand.”
The “Sharpie 500 Presented by the NEW Sharpie Pen” will include a bold
roster of drivers on a track known for its high banked turns and
bumper-to-bumper action, all under the bright lights of the “World’s
Fastest Half-Mile” where it’s “racin’ the way it ought’a be.”
In eleven career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, McMurray has tallied
one top-5 and four top-10 results, amassing over $1.1MM in earnings. He
boasts two career victories in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with wins at
Lowe’s Motor Speedway in 2002 and Daytona International Speedway in
2007. Sharpie was a sponsor of Roush Fenway’s Racing No. 97 (now No. 26)
Ford from 2002-2006, winning a championship with Kurt Busch in 2004. The
Sharpie car has won the Sharpie 500 once with Busch taking the checkered
flag in 2003.
In addition to the new Sharpie Pen, the Sharpie team of products
includes the Sharpie Retractable marker offering one-hand click
convenience, the Sharpie Retractable Ultra-Fine marker with its thin tip
for precise marking and writing on small spaces, and Sharpie MINI “go
anywhere” markers that can be easily attached to backpacks, key rings,
golf bags and more. Available in 39 colors and 18 tip sizes, Sharpie
products are available wherever office supplies are sold.
The “Sharpie 500 Presented by the NEW Sharpie Pen” is scheduled for
Saturday, August 23, at 8 p.m. ET. ESPN will broadcast the race. For
more information, go to sharpie.com.
About Sharpie®
For more than 40 years, Sharpie has been
the popular brand of permanent marker associated with the autograph
experience. Newell Rubbermaid’s Office Products Group, maker of Sharpie®
markers, is a worldwide leader in the manufacturing and marketing of
writing instruments, art products and office organization and technology
products, including such well known brands as Paper Mate®, Sharpie®,
DYMO®, Parker®, Waterman®, EXPO®, uni-ball®, and Rolodex®, among others.
Visit www.sharpie.com for more information.
About Roush Fenway Racing
Roush Fenway Racing is NASCAR’s
largest team operating 13 motorsports teams; five in the NASCAR Sprint
Cup Series with drivers Matt Kenseth, Jamie McMurray, Greg Biffle, Carl
Edwards and David Ragan; four in the Nationwide Series with Kenseth,
Biffle, Edwards, McMurray, Ragan, Erik Darnell and Colin Braun; and
three in the Craftsman Truck Series with Darnell, Braun and Joey
Clanton; and one in the ARCA RE/MAX Series with Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. For
more information on any of the Roush Fenway Racing teams, log onto
www.RoushFenway.com. For sponsorship inquiries, please contact Robin
Johnson at 704.720.4645.