CARQUEST joins Kyle Busch #5 Nextel Cup team with multi-year pact

CHARLOTTE, NC - Hendrick Motorsports today announced a multi-year agreement that will feature CARQUEST Auto Parts as a major associate sponsor of the No. 5 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series team with driver Kyle Busch.

Along with associate-sponsorship status on the No. 5 Kellogg's Chevrolets throughout the schedule, the pact will showcase primary CARQUEST color-schemes on the car in 10 NEXTEL Cup events, divided equally between the 2005 and 2006 seasons.

"All of us at CARQUEST Auto Parts are proud to continue our association with Hendrick Motorsports as their Official Auto Parts Supplier," said Art Lottes III, president of CARQUEST. "Hendrick Motorsports is a world-class organization and we look forward in 2005 to continued success with Kyle Busch and our new relationship with the No. 5 team."

Raleigh-based CARQUEST, the Official Auto Parts Supplier of Hendrick Motorsports since 2002, began its association with Busch this past season as primary sponsor of Hendrick's No. 84 NEXTEL Cup effort. The six-race initiative marked the series debut of Busch at his hometown track of Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March, along with additional events at Lowe's Motor Speedway, California Speedway, Kansas Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway.

"I'm real excited to have CARQUEST back on the hood in 2005," said Busch, who will compete for the 2005 NEXTEL Cup Raybestos Rookie of the Year award. "They've been a great supporter of my racing career with Hendrick Motorsports and I look forward to continuing that relationship in my rookie year in the NEXTEL Cup Series with the No. 5 team."

In his first full season of NASCAR Busch Series competition, Busch earned top rookie honors en route to a second-place finish in the championship standings in 2004. At 19, he will once again be the youngest full-time competitor in any of NASCAR's three major touring series in 2005.

Merry Christmas

I hope everyone is having a great Christmas and a bit of a break.

There isn't a whole lot of news right now, but I have a few tidbits to pass along.

CASCAR West's Bob Ennis let people know that next year's Western finale at Sun Valley Motor Speedway will be televised by JRA Video (Jim & Joel Robinson), which is great news for the western circuit.

Ennis also noted that multi-time Western champ Wade Lee will campaign a Sun Valley-sponsored car for the entire Western Series season. That would be a big shot in the arm for the series to have Wade back in action. Let's hope it happens!

The only other news is that there will be a 'Canadian' team entered as part of the The Racer's Group juggernaut at the Rolex 24 at Daytona. The team's #61 entry will feature the father-and-son duo of Greg and Mark Wilkins (of Toronto) who will drive with Dave Lacey (Toronto) and David Shep (Caledon, ON).

The Wilkins and Lacey scored an SGS podium finish at Daytona in 2004 and The Racer's Group Porsche scored a stunning overall victory in 2003, so the #61 car could be fun to watch.