9th April 2008 - Raybestos Named Preferred Brake For All IndyCar Series And Firestone Indy Lights Road and Street Course Races Through 2009

Indy Racing League officials have announced a two year promotional partnership with the Affinia Under Vehicle Group, manufacturers of Raybestos brand brakes.  The partnership designates Raybestos as the preferred competition brake friction of the IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights at all road and street course races through 2009. The announcement renews a relationship between Raybestos brand brakes and Indy-style open wheel racing that dates back decades.

As part of the partnership, Raybestos will become the preferred brake friction run by every IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights team for every road and street course race on the schedule. The Raybestos Road and Street Course Challenge will award a cash payout to all street or road course race winners throughout the season.  The payout will be $5,000 per race in the IndyCar Series and $2,500 per race in Firestone Indy Lights.  In addition to these individual race incentives, Raybestos brand brakes will award $25,000 to the IndyCar Series driver who achieves the best average finishing position across all 2008 road/street course events.  The season-long Firestone Indy Lights award is $10,000.

“The IndyCar Series is always looking to associate itself with respected brands that have earned the trust of the American consumer,” said Terry Angstadt, President of the Indy Racing League’s commercial division. “Raybestos is one of those brands. Not only are they a great fit to help us promote the IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights, but we’ll also be able to count on quality brakes for our race cars to help maintain our high safety standards.”

Raybestos brakes have a proven record of reliable on-track performance that will be depended on by IndyCar Series teams and drivers to help them stay safe and competitive on the brutally demanding road and street courses where they compete.

“We are thrilled to announce the return of Raybestos brakes to the highest levels of competition in open wheel racing,” said Josh Russell, VP of Marketing for the Affinia Under Vehicle Group. “Raybestos has an extraordinary legacy in motorsports, and a history of continuous technical development of its products through firsthand experience on both proving grounds and the world’s most demanding racetracks.”

Many Indianapolis 500 competitors and champions throughout the 1950s, 60s, and 70s raced on Raybestos brakes.  “It will be exciting to have Raybestos once again exceeding the braking needs of the world’s most demanding open wheel teams and drivers,” Russell continued.

In addition to its support of the series and its teams with ongoing technical assistance and development, there are plans to showcase the new IndyCar Series relationship, competition imagery, and the league’s premiere drivers in Raybestos® brand advertising, consumer promotions, and point-of-sale marketing materials.

More on the IndyCar Series

The IndyCar Series is the premier open-wheel series in the United States, competing on a challenging combination of superspeedways, short ovals, scenic road courses and temporary street circuits. All 2008 IndyCar Series races will be available worldwide through a comprehensive, long-term broadcast agreement with ABC Sports/ESPN. A leader in motorsports technology, the IndyCar Series is the first racing series to power its Honda engines on 100 percent fuel-grade ethanol, a renewable and environmentally-friendly fuel. The IndyCar Series continues to be the fastest and most competitive racing series, attracting a diverse lineup of drivers including Danica Patrick, Marco Andretti, Dan Wheldon, and Helio Castroneves.  For more information on the IndyCar Series, please visit www.indycar.com.

More on Raybestos

Raybestos® brand brakes are produced by the Affinia Under Vehicle Group, the leading manufacturer of braking systems and components for the transportation industry. The line includes everything from brake drums to rotors, pads, shoes and hydraulic parts. Affinia Under Vehicle Group is at the forefront of research and development in brake technology and operates manufacturing and distribution facilities throughout North America.

In addition to its new status as Preferred Competition Brake of the IndyCar® Series and Firestone Indy Lights, Raybestos® brand brakes are also the official brakes of NASCAR. The NASCAR relationship also includes annual sponsorship of the Raybestos Rookie of the Year Award, which is presented to the top rookie in each of the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Craftsman Truck racing series. For more information about Raybestos® brand brakes, visit www.raybestos.com.

Affinia Group Inc. is a global leader in the on- and off-highway replacement products and service industry. In North America the Affinia family of brands includes WIX® filters, Raybestos®, AIMCO® and BrakePro® brake products, and McQuay-Norris® and Spicer® chassis parts. South American and European brands include Nakata®, Filtron®, Urba® and Quinton Hazell®. For more information, visit www.affiniagroup.com

Source: Test