Saturday July 15th, I had the privilege of attending and participating in a press conference in the Jack Ratta Media Center at New Hampshire International Speedway. Mike Helton, President of NASCAR, Bob Bahre, Chairman of NHIS and Charlie Jerabek, President and CEO of OSRAM SYLVANIA were seated at the front of the outer room. They were there together to make the announcement that OSRAM SYLVANIA had extended their agreement with NHIS to be the sponsor of the September NEXTEL Cup weekend for an additional five years.

Charlie Jerabek began, “Today we are proud to announce that SYLVANIA and NHIS have recently extended our five year agreement for five more years culminating in the 2012. And it’s the great working relationship we have with Bob and Gary Bahre and the entire NHIS family that has made this particular announcement a real pleasure on my behalf. The SYLVANIA 300 historically has been one of the highest rated NASCAR events on national television and draws over one hundred thousand people here to the speedway.

OSRAM SYLVANIA is excited to be involved with this fast paced sport of auto racing particularly as the sponsor of the first NASCAR NEXTEL Chase for the Cup countdown. Our involvement with NHIS underscores this commitment with the fast growing sport of NASCAR, with the fan-base and helps us cement relationships with many of our consumers as well as our business to business customers. NASCAR fans, as you well know, are particularly brand loyal and they are very receptive to OSRAM SYLVANIA’s innovative products and we think that goes a long way toward strengthening our brand position both nationally as well as internationally.

We’re also right at home here in New Hampshire because as a New England based company we have three manufacturing locations in New Hampshire producing automotive lighting, general street lighting and some precision materials that are important building blocks for our industry. So together with the two-thousand four-hundred SYLVANIA employees throughout New England we welcome you to Loudon and we look forward to seeing you in September here at NHIS for the SYLVANIA 300.”

After Jerabek made his statement, a question and answer session began. One reporter raised the question whether there was concern about the SYLVANIA 300 not being a sell-out. Bob Bahre said, “Our renewals are roughly ninety percent so you take ten percent as new sales always. We have the problem of people thinking that we are sold out. I’m not worrying about selling it out, we’ll sell it out.” The morning of this press conference there were fewer than two-thousand tickets available. Every NEXTEL Cup race at Loudon has been completely sold out.

Mike Helton also responded to those concerns. “I caution everyone because we go through cycles and we’re in a cycle now where there are some challenges with economics and fuel prices and different things. But today’s announcement where SYLVANIA says that they’re coming in advance of the conclusion of the agreement and wanting to re-up for five years down the road I think speaks to a big part of our business especially here in the New England area.

What we do here in New Hampshire with Bob and Sandy and Gary it’s not only a backbone in this area for the Cup Series it’s also a backbone for the Busch [East], Modifieds and racing in general. It’s a great place to come to and to be a part of. Like Bob said, “Today’s announcement is about 2012 business elements.” And our entire sport has been built on relationships, on long term relationships, and I think the significance today is about SYLVANIA and New Hampshire International Speedway joining in a relationship that takes us six years down the road. I think that’s the important announcement today.”

Jerabek was asked whether the fact that the SYLVANIA 300 has become the first race in the Chase for the Championship factor into the decision to extend the agreement. Charlie said, “Obviously we are pleased that timing fell that way but we would have re-upped either way. We really get a tremendous amount of good visibility customer wise, points that I have made, but that’s the icing on the cake.”

I asked the panel, “With SYLVANIA being a so much into illumination, would that perhaps lead to the Magic Mile being lit?” Jerabek said, “Well we’d love to participate in that but Bob has made major commitments and he is a man who stands with his word.” Bob Bahre said, “We told the town that we wouldn’t go nights so we’d have to go back to them and if you make a deal with somebody, just like Charlie and I have, you make a deal you keep a deal.”

Bob added, “They’re [SYLVANIA] under contract for this year and next year so they didn’t have to come in as soon as they did but what they did today shows how strong NASCAR is everywhere. They certainly aren’t fools with a company that big, they know what they’re doing. It’s good for us and for NASCAR and everyone concerned.”

Through this agreement, SYLVANIA is guaranteed the sponsorship of the next seven 300-lap NEXTEL Cup September events. SYLVANIA is an associate sponsor on all of Richard Childress Racing’s NEXTEL Cup racecars. SYLVANIA also serves as the primary sponsor for the #07 RCR Chevrolet, driven by Clint Bowyer, at selected events.