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[/media-credit]WELCOME, N.C. (January 24, 2012) – Richard Childress Racing announced today the extension of its longtime partnership with BB&T Corporation (NYSE: BBT) for the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. The full-service financial institution will serve as primary sponsor for five races on the No. 31 Chevrolet and driver Jeff Burton, retaining its status as official bank of the 43-year-old Welcome, N.C.-based organization.
“BB&T has been a great partner of RCR over the years so we’re very pleased to renew our program with them,” said Richard Childress, president and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. “It’s always beneficial working with a partner like BB&T that has strong ties to the area.”
BB&T’s primary race sponsorship occurs within the corporation’s branch footprint, which covers 12 states and Washington D.C. The No. 31 BB&T Chevrolet will debut in March at Bristol Motor Speedway with other appearances coming in April at Martinsville Speedway and Richmond International Raceway and in May at Darlington Raceway along with a special edition co-branded paint scheme with Caterpillar at the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. The newly designed burgundy and gray paint scheme will also adorn the No. 31 entry at Dover International Speedway in June.
“The fact that we are entering the sixth year of our partnership is a testament to RCR’s ability to exceed our expectations year after year,” said Steve Wiggs, chief marketing officer at BB&T. “We have been friends with Jeff since we started with RCR in 2007. He is a terrific driver and representative for BB&T, RCR and NASCAR.”
The RCR partnership with BB&T has enjoyed great success both on and off the track in the past five years, including the 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series driver’s championship with Clint Bowyer and multiple trips to victory lane in NASCAR’s premiere division at Richmond and Talladega Superspeedway. The relationship began at the start of the 2007 Nationwide Series season and moved up to Sprint Cup Series action in 2009.
“The move to Jeff Burton and the No. 31 Chevrolet team will be a new piece of the puzzle, but I’m sure the strong effort the folks at BB&T put into their program will make it a great success for us and them,” added Childress.
For more information on today’s announcement, and all that’s happening at RCR, please visit http://www.rcrracing.com.
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About BB&T
BB&T Corporation (NYSE: BBT) is one of the largest financial services holding companies in the U.S. with $174.6 billion in assets and market capitalization of $14.9 billion, as of Dec. 31, 2011. Based in Winston-Salem, N.C., the company operates approximately 1,800 financial centers in 12 states and Washington, D.C., and offers a full range of consumer and commercial banking, securities brokerage, asset management, mortgage and insurance products and services. A Fortune 500 company, BB&T is consistently recognized for outstanding client satisfaction by J.D. Power and Associates, the U.S. Small Business Administration, Greenwich Associates and others. More information about BB&T and its full line of products and services is available at www.BBT.com.
About Richard Childress Racing
Richard Childress Racing (www.rcrracing.com) has earned more than 200 victories and 14 championships, including six in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with the legendary Dale Earnhardt. RCR was the first organization to win championships in the Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series. Its current Sprint Cup Series lineup includes Paul Menard (No. 27 Menards Chevrolet), Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Budweiser/Rheem/Jimmy John’s Chevrolet) and Jeff Burton (No. 31 Caterpillar/Wheaties/BB&T Chevrolet). Its Nationwide Series program includes Elliott Sadler (No. 2 One Main Financial Chevrolet), 2011 Camping World Truck Series champion Austin Dillon (No. 3 Advocare/Bass Pro Shops/American Ethanol Chevrolet) and Kevin Harvick/Brendan Gaughan/Paul Menard (No. 33 South Point Hotel & Casino/Menards/Hunt Brothers Pizza/Armour/Fast Fixin’/ Chevrolet). Tim George Jr. and Brendan Gaughan (No. 2 Potomac Family Dining Group/South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet), Joey Coulter (No. 22 RCR/Armour Chevrolet) and 2011 ARCA Racing Series champion Ty Dillon (No.3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet) compete in the 2012 Camping World Truck Series season.
