2007 CitiFinancial Race Fan Rally presented by AAA Sets New Event Records Across the Board National Sponsors, Top Drivers and Fans Pack Downtown Area Joliet, IL—Over 45,000 avid race-hungry fans packed the downtown streets of Joliet, Illinois for the seventh annual Race Fan Rally on Thursday, July 12, 2007. The event is the kick-off to the NASCAR race weekend at Chicagoland Speedway and continues to be a community favorite event for motorsports fans. Currently in its seventh year, it is hard to believe that when the Race Fan Rally began, there were only 9,000 fans in attendance. This event is now known as one of the best motorsports fan festivals in the country, backed by the assistance of national companies and supported by a community that has shown growth for the sport itself. Up and coming drivers who want their name to grow in the Chicagoland area are proud to be associated with the Race Fan Rally. This year’s record crowd was treated to NASCAR on-stage Q&A driver appearances, autograph sessions, NASCAR show cars and simulators, as well as giveaways from local and national corporate sponsors. The 2007 CitiFinancial Race Fan Rally presented by AAA sponsors included: CitiFinancial as title sponsor, AAA as presenting sponsor, 3M, Great Clips, Best Buy, Comcast, The Army National Guard, Twisted Tea, Jim Beam, Paralyzed Veterans of America and the Nextel Racing Experience. Trackside Charities sponsored the entertainment stage where thousands of fans enjoyed the diverse sounds of Nashville, Tennessee band Jackson Hill. In between band sets and driver interviews, the Trackside Charities event announced to Race Fan Rally fans that their efforts were to raise funds for charities in the Joliet area. By the end of the evening, three Race Fan Rally fans walked away with great prizes, including an official NASCAR car hood compliments of Trackside Charities. The top-notch NASCAR drivers who made appearances at this year’s event included Elliott Sadler, Stephen Leicht, Casey Mears, David Ragan, Danny O’Quinn Jr. and Jason Green. The drivers wowed NASCAR fans of all ages with their question and answer interviews with NextMedia personalities, as well as autograph sessions at the CitiFinancial Autograph Zone. Jason Leffler was scheduled to appear but was unable to attend due to flight delays. The event kicked off with fans lined up in the entertainment staging area waiting for Evernham Motorsports driver Elliott Sadler to make his inaugural Race Fan Rally appearance. Sadler, driver of the Dodge DAW car, energized fans at his autograph and photo session at the CitiFinancial tent. Following the fun and excitement of the session, Sadler surprised fans with his on-stage interview with NextMedia’s Scott Slocum.
Also joining Sadler at the CitiFinancial tent was Busch series driver of the No. 90 CitiFinancial car, Stephen Leicht. Leicht, coming off his most recent win at the Kentucky Speedway, delighted fans with his on-stage presence and hidden master of ceremonies talent as he interviewed his crew and energized fans to sign up for this year’s CitiFinancial’s Crew Chief for a Day national contest. Presenting sponsor AAA gave fans the opportunity to register to win a trip for two to the Ford 400 Nextel Cup Race at Homestead Miami and a chance to meet David Ragan, driver of the No. 6 AAA car. Ragan had the streets of downtown Joliet lined up with fans who received autographs and their photograph taken with the No. 6 AAA show car. Ragan later drew fans to the Trackside Charities entertainment stage where fans listened to how Ragan plans to become this year’s Nextel Cup Rookie of the Year recipient. Hendrick Motorsports driver, and Coca Cola 600 winner, Casey Mears gave fans the interview of the evening. As motorsports fans piled into the Trackside Charities entertainment area to listen to Mears’s Q&A, driver of the No. 25 National Guard car. Mears then entertained more fans at the official Army National Guard zone where fans had their opportunity to take photos with the official show car as well as test their strength at the National Guard station. Other drivers who appeared at this year’s event were Best Buy driver,Jeff Green, and Dish Network’s newest driver, Danny O’ Quinn Jr. Both drivers continued their fan outreach by partaking in the fan autograph sessions after their on-stage interviews. Also sponsoring this year’s event was 3M, who provided every Race Fan Rally fan with free goodie bags. The bags were filled with 3M products from car samples to pet treats. Twisted Tea kept the streets filled with fans taking advantage of their newly brewed tea samples. Jim Beam energized race fans with their one of a kind cut-away showcar and interactive mobile unit. Inaugural Kidz Zone sponsor, Pepsi, had every ‘kid at games, rock climbing wall and many more activities for youth. Repeat sponsor Nextel had fans line for their simulators. NASCAR fans were given the chance to test a chance to win some cool Nextel sponsored prizes. heart’ with their interactive kids these up and coming NASCAR interactive mobile unit and car their NASCAR driving skills and
The day was full of excited NASCAR fans, interviews with the industry’s top drivers, local restaurants booths lined up and down Chicago Street, and the NASCAR sponsored trailers and show cars had a stronger presence than ever. The CitiFinancial Race Fan Rally presented by AAA closed the evening by lighting up the downtown Joliet sky filled with fireworks sponsored by the Joliet Center City Partnership.
CitiFinancial
AAA
Paralyzed Veterans of America
Comcast/Best Buy
GEICO
Trackside Charities
Paralyzed Veterans of America
Best Buy
Additional show cars not pictured: Miller Lite Brewing Company, National Guard, Jim Beam cut away car
Great Clips
GEICO show car
Interview with Elliott Sadler of Evernham Motorsports
Fan autograph with CitiFinancial Busch driver Stephen Leicht
Interview with Jeff Green, driver for Best Buy
CitiFinancial show car and fan photo
Fans gather at the CitiFinancial Tent to sign up for the Crew Chief for a Day sweepstakes
Danny O’Quinn Jr., driver for Dish Network, participates in fan autographs
Fans gather around the Trackside Charities entertainment stage for the interview with Casey Mears
Fan interview with National Guards’ Casey Mears
Twisted Tea consumer space
Trackside Charities sponsored entertainment stage
AAA Trailer
The Herald News Thursday, July 12
The Herald News Friday, July 13
The Herald News Cont’d. Friday, July 13
As seen on the following web site: http://www.citifinancialracing.com/racing_news.asp?id=119
As seen on the following web site: http://auto-racing-swicki.eurekster.com/Rally/
Artcile compliments of http://www.asamidwesttour.com/
As seen on the following web site: http://www.autoracingdaily.com/article/its_just_the_beginning/
As seen on the following web site: http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/heraldnews/sports/461816,4_1_JO10_FANFEST_S1.article
Fan rally set for Thursday
(http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/couriernews/sports/463385,3_2_EL11_B6RACING_S1.article) July 11, 2007 from staff and wire reports JOLIET -- The seventh annual Joliet Race Fan Rally will kick off at 5 p.m. Thursday in downtown Joliet. The NASCAR Nextel Series USG Sheetrock 400 is scheduled for Sunday at Chicagoland Speedway near Joliet. Thursday's event, to be held on Chicago Street, is free to the public and will feature appearances by NASCAR drivers, live music, food, thrilling NASCAR simulators and show cars on display. The event is scheduled from 5 to 11 p.m. Fans can enter into the national fan drawing of title sponsor CitiFinancial's "Crew Chief for a Day" sweepstakes. NASCAR drivers Elliott Sadler, Casey Mears, Stephen Leicht, Jason Leffler, David Ragan, Danny O'Quinn Jr., Jeff Green and more will be making appearances and signing autographs. The NASCAR Busch Series race will take place Saturday. • Tony Kanaan and Sam Hornish Jr. have been fined unspecified amounts and placed on probation for the rest of the year for their roles in a fight at Watkins Glen, N.Y., the Indy Racing League announced Tuesday. Kanaan's team, Andretti Green Racing, and Hornish's team, Team Penske, were fined $25,000 each for unsportsmanlike conduct on pit road as the cars returned after the checkered flag. The teams are also on probation until Dec. 31. The altercation at the Watkins Glen Grand Prix broke out when the drivers exited their cars. Hornish's father pushed Kanaan, then was knocked to the ground by members of Kanaan's crew. • Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Al Unser Jr. will plead no contest to a driving under the influence charge stemming from a January crash on a Nevada freeway, officials said Tuesday. Lesser charges, including misdemeanor hit-and-run, failure to render aid in an accident and failure to report an accident, will be dropped, according to the plea deal. Unser's blood-alcohol percentage was almost three times the legal limit when he was arrested Jan. 25. • NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Aaron Fike and his fiancee were released Tuesday after spending the weekend in jail on drug charges, Fike's attorney said. Fike and Cassandra Davidson, both of Cornelius, N.C., were arrested Saturday in the parking lot of Kings Island amusement park north of Cincinnati after security officers observed suspicious activity in Fike's sport utility vehicle and found syringes and a brown substance believed to be heroin.
The CitiFinancial Race Fan Rally presented by AAA advertised on the following radio stations and implemented the following promotions:
Star 96.7 FM
- Minimum of 50, :15 live mention promotional announcements - 163, :60 second commercials - 2 weeks of website exposure - Booth at the event - 12, :60 second live commercial breaks from the event
98.3 WCCQ
- Minimum of 50, :15 second live mention promotional announcements - 93, :60 second commercials - Interview NASCAR Jimmy Bauter promoting the event - 2 weeks exposure at WCCQ.com - Booth at the event - 12, :60 second live commercial break from the event - 1 week “Best Seat in the House” promotion on WCCQ including 35 commercials and 20, :15 promotional liners
Radio advertising cont’d. WRXQ - 100.7 FM
- Minimum of 50, :15 second live mention promotional announcements - 54, :60 second commercials - Interview NASCAR Jimmy Bauter promoting the event - 2 weeks exposure at WRXQ.com - Booth and RXQ “Rat Rod” parked at event - 6, :90 second live commercial break from the event
1340 WJOL
- Minimum of 50, :15 live mention promotional announcements - 103, :60 second commercials - 2 weeks of website exposure at WJOL.com - Booth at the event - 12, :60 second live commercial breaks from the event - 3-hour live show with Tony Ray regarding the event - 1 week “Best Seat in the House” promotion on WJOL including 35 commercials and 20, :15 promotional liners