AutoZone to Join Penske Racing in 2014
November 5, 2013
AutoZone and Penske Racing will embark on an extensive business-to-business relationship as the company's logo will be prominently featured on the C-post of the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Fusion driven by 2013 Chase driver Joey Logano beginning next season. AutoZone will also work with other Penske Racing partners to increase its presence in the racing community. In addition, the Memphis, Tenn.-based company will launch a marketing campaign focused around Penske Racing and Logano.
"We are very excited to welcome AutoZone to the Penske Racing family," said Roger Penske. "We take great pride in the companies like AutoZone that invest in our organization. This partnership will help us continue to grow at Penske Racing and provide an opportunity for the rest of our partners to work with yet another great company in Auto Zone."
AutoZone is the nation's leading retailer and a leading distributor of automotive replacement parts and accessories with more than 5,000 stores in the US, Puerto Rico, and Mexico. Each store carries an extensive line for cars, sport utility vehicles, vans and light trucks, including new and remanufactured hard parts, maintenance items and accessories. Since opening its first store in Forrest City, Ark. on July 4, 1979, the company has joined the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: AZO) and earned a position in the Fortune 500.
AutoZone has an extensive history in motorsports, including various sponsorships in NASCAR, powerboat racing and regional racing series around the country. This marks the automotive company's first sponsor relationship in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
"When you decide to enter into an agreement like this, you want to work with a company that everyone respects and that's what Penske Racing is, especially in the motorsports world," said Bill Rhodes, President and CEO of AutoZone. "We are all really excited to form this new partnership with Roger Penske and his first-class organization. Already from the beginning, they've made us feel very welcome. And to get to work with an up-and-coming driver and a car guy like Joey Logano is about as good as it gets."
Logano, who is in his first season driving the No. 22 Ford Fusion for Penske Racing, has posted career-high numbers in 2013 with one win, two poles, 11 top-five and 17 top-10 finishes. He qualified for his first Chase for the Sprint Cup this season in his fifth full-time year competing in the series. Logano has also won three races in the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2013, giving him a total of 21 wins in the series since 2008.
"It's pretty cool to see a new company come into our sport and to get involved at the level that AutoZone is planning to do next season," said the 23-year-old Logano, who won at Michigan International Speedway earlier this season. "To have a company come in and be really excited about working with you and your team, it really makes you feel good. Having Auto Zone on board starting next season is great for our sport and Penske Racing and it makes me want to go out there and win even more races for them."
About Penske Racing
Penske Racing is one of the most successful teams in the history of professional sports. Competing in a variety of disciplines, cars owned and prepared by Penske Racing have produced 383 major race wins, 436 pole positions and 24 National Championships, including the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title. The team has also earned 15 Indianapolis 500 victories in its storied history. For more information about Team Penske, please visit www.penskeracing.com.
About AutoZone
AutoZone is the leading retailer and a leading distributor of automotive replacement parts and accessories in the United States. Each store carries an extensive product line for cars, sport utility vehicles, vans and light trucks, including new and remanufactured automotive hard parts, maintenance items, accessories, and non-automotive products. Many stores also have a commercial sales program that provides commercial credit and prompt delivery of parts and other products to local, regional and national repair garages, dealers, service stations, and public sector accounts. AutoZone also sells the ALLDATA brand diagnostic and repair software through www.alldata.com. Additionally, we sell automotive hard parts, maintenance items, accessories, non-automotive products and subscriptions to the ALLDATAdiy product through www.autozone.com, accessories through www.autoanything.com and our commercial customers can make purchases through www.autozonepro.com. AutoZone does not derive revenue from automotive repair or installation.