Lester teams up with Honey Nut Cheerios

DARLINGTON, S.C. -- Honey Nut Cheerios, a long-time NASCAR auto racing sponsor, announced today its first ever endorsement partnership involving truck racing with the signing of Bill Lester, one of the up and coming stars of NASCAR's Craftsman Truck Series.

	Bill Lester

"Bill Lester is a class guy on and off the track, and Honey Nut Cheerios is honored and thrilled to catch him on his way to the top," said Laurie Greeno, Vice President of Motorsports for General Mills.

The endorsement partnership was announced Thursday at Darlington Raceway.

"Don't you dare take away my Honey Nut Cheerios!" said Lester, who has been enjoying his favorite breakfast cereal since he was a kid. "Sure, Honey Nut Cheerios tastes good and is very nutritious, but it also stands for excellence, and that's the kind of product I personally want to be associated with."

Lester smiled and added, "That, and all the free Honey Nut Cheerios I can eat!"

Lester, an Oakland, Calif. native, is driver of the Bobby Hamilton-owned No. 8 Dodge Dealers Dodge Ram. Lester ran his first full season in NASCAR's Craftsman Truck Series last year finishing 17th in the final points standings.

Lester is also pioneering the way to make NASCAR a truly all-American sport since he is the only African-American driver in the truck racing series. Partnering with Honey Nut Cheerios will extend the reach of his pioneering efforts into the homes of millions of Americans.

Bill Lester drives the #8 Dodge Ram in the Craftsman Truck Series. Tongue in cheek, he added that destiny may have played a part in the relationship, "It may be fate, but if you stack two Honey Nut Cheerios on top of each other..."

"We want to welcome Bill Lester to the General Mills family," said Greeno. "When he becomes a household name among NASCAR fans, we will be very proud to say that we were with him from the beginning."