2 Brothers, Batali to unveil barbecue sauces

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- 2 Brothers, NASCAR's officially licensed barbeque sauce, and world-renowned chef Mario Batali, are set to launch the first of several NASCAR co-branded grilling products at the Talladega Superspeedway.

The duo plans to unveil their newest sauces, 2 Brothers Mario Batali Sweet and Tangy Barbeque Sauce and Hot and Spicy Barbeque Sauce, at the Talladega Superspeedway this weekend. Also during Talladega weekend, which is highlighted by the Aaron's 499, 2 Brothers will announce that its original NASCAR-licensed barbeque sauce will be sold at select Wal-Mart stores beginning May 13.

Earlier this month, Batali released his newest NASCAR-licensed cookbook, "Mario Tailgates NASCAR Style," at the Texas Motor Speedway. Featuring a variety of recipes for any NASCAR tailgate, this cookbook includes several that feature 2 Brothers' original NASCAR-licensed barbeque sauce. The book's first print run sold out within nine days, and there are now 225,000 copies of the book in print.

"When 2 Brothers launched their NASCAR barbeque sauce last year we felt like it was the perfect fit for our fans, known in the sports world as tailgate experts," said Blake Davidson, NASCAR's managing director of licensed products. "By partnering with one of the world's premier chefs in Mario Batali, 2 Brothers will provide fans with new products that will make their tailgating and grilling even more enjoyable."

After its first year on the shelves, 2 Brothers became the officially-licensed barbeque sauce of NASCAR. With the creation of two new flavors, Sweet and Tangy Barbeque Sauce and Hot and Spicy Barbeque Sauce, 2 Brothers and Batali will continue to carry on the Bryan Family tradition of creating great tasting food.

"By combining my favorite taste with the Bryan Family's old fashioned know-how of barbeque, 2 Brothers and I have developed an entire line of barbeque products for the NASCAR fan," said Mario Batali. "They have turned an Italian boy like me into a barbequing fool."