Sprint Summer Showdown presented by HTC EVOT 3D to Fuel Competition on the Track
HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. – July 17, 2011 – Sprint (NYSE:S) announced today the biggest promotion in its history as the title sponsor of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: the Sprint Summer Showdown presented by HTC EVO 3D. The six-consecutive-race series runs from Indianapolis on July 31 to Atlanta on Sept. 4 and puts a $3 million purse on the line for a driver, a driver’s charity and one lucky race fan.
Any driver who wins one of the five NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events between the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway will become a finalist for the $3 million Sprint Summer Showdown payout on Labor Day Weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. If one of those five drivers wins the Advocare 500 at Atlanta, then the driver, the driver’s charity and one lucky race fan will each collect $1 million.
“The HTC EVO 3D, the first wireless device that can capture and play back 3D images and video without 3D glasses is changing the game in wireless, so we thought it was appropriate to get the word out with a competition-based NASCAR Sprint Cup Series promotion that changes the game for drivers and fans,” said Tim Considine, director of sports marketing for Sprint. “Giving these Sprint Cup drivers the opportunity to win a million for their charity, a million to change the life of a fan, and – oh, by the way – a million for their own wallet, will definitely ratchet up the on-track excitement. Add to that the hunt for those Chase for the Sprint Cup wild-card positions and race fans will not want to miss a lap of the action.”
Fans can enter each week for their chance at the million-dollar prize by picking which driver they believe will win that week’s race at sprint.com/speed or by visiting the Sprint Experience display at every NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event.
When they enter, fans will have access to expert picks, driver performance history at each track and more to give them the best chance of submitting a winning entry. After each week’s race, one race fan will be randomly chosen from those fans who correctly picked that week’s winning driver.
The lucky fan chosen after each race will enjoy an all-expenses paid trip to Atlanta Motor Speedway and be there in person to see whether his or her driver can win at Atlanta. If that driver claims the Sprint Summer Showdown presented by HTC EVO 3D, the fan will win $1 million. Fans can change their picks until the scheduled start time for each event.
“It’s always great to win, but to make a difference in the lives of other people by doing so is why I’m excited about the Sprint Summer Showdown,” said Carl Edwards, driver of the No. 99 Aflac Ford Fusion. “The fans are what make this sport, and helping charities accomplish their goals is extremely important to me. I’m hoping I’m the guy that gets to hand over $1 million to some lucky fan and to charity. I’ll do everything I can to make it happen.”
The six races that make the Sprint Summer Showdown presented by HTC EVO 3D will be contested on a variety of unique track designs, from the half-mile oval at Bristol Motor Speedway to the road course at Watkins Glen International, playing to different drivers’ strengths.
Sprint Summer Showdown presented by HTC EVO 3D Schedule
Date/Time (EDT)
Track
Course Design
July 31, 1 p.m.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
2.5-mile oval
Aug. 7, 1 p.m.
Pocono Raceway
2.5-mile triangle
Aug. 14, 1 p.m.
Watkins Glen International
2.45-mile road course
Aug. 21, 1 p.m.
Michigan International Speedway
2-mile oval
Aug. 27, 7:30 p.m.
Bristol Motor Speedway
0.533-mile oval
Sept. 4, 7:30 p.m.
Atlanta Motor Speedway
1.54-mile oval
For contest rules and additional information, visit sprint.com/speed.
About Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel served more than 51 million customers at the end of 1Q 2011 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. Newsweek ranked Sprint No. 6 in its 2010 Green Rankings, listing it as one of the nation’s greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications company. You can learn more and visit Sprint at http://www.sprint.com www.sprint.com or http://www.facebook.com/sprint www.facebook.com/sprint and http://www.twitter.com/sprint www.twitter.com/sprint.
