NASCAR Day stock car auction open for online bid

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- This year, NASCAR Day 2008 provides a once in a lifetime opportunity for fans to capture the power and thrill of NASCAR competition by bringing home the heart of the sport -- a real NASCAR stock car. In celebration of "Five Years of Caring" for the fifth annual NASCAR Day, NASCAR's automotive team has proudly placed their NASCAR Performance show car up for bid in the NASCAR Day online auction through May 19. All proceeds raised from the show car auction will go to The NASCAR Foundation family of charities and the Universal Technical Institute Scholarship Fund.

The ultimate "Be Car Care Aware" mobile marketing machine, the NASCAR Performance show car has been a fixture within NASCAR's automotive division since 2004. It features the body and chassis of a 1999 Monte Carlo -- an actual stock car last driven on the NASCAR circuit by veteran driver Sterling Marlin for Chip Ganassi Racing. Featuring a 2008 silver, red and blue stripe paint scheme, the car is detailed with all NASCAR automotive partner logos, as well as the NASCAR Angels, NASCAR Day 2008 and "Be Car Care Aware" logos. It will also feature signatures of several NASCAR drivers and celebrities.

The "racecar turned show car" is street legal and has made appearances throughout the country including the annual AAPEX tradeshow, automotive customer and employee appreciation events, store grand openings, parades, and other promotions. From Charlotte, N.C. to Las Vegas, this original piece of NASCAR history has racked up mile after mile of excitement and has been a real crowd-pleaser.

"Our show car has a heritage and history as a real racecar competing on some of the most famous tracks on the NASCAR circuit," said Odis Lloyd, managing director for NASCAR's automotive licensing division. "It has served our partners and our car care awareness initiatives well, and now it'll make the perfect collectable for any NASCAR fan, while benefits from its auction will give aspiring technicians some financial assistance to further their education."

With the national shortage of automotive technicians estimated at 60,000 and climbing, financial support of automotive technology education and training through the show car auction couldn't come at a better time. Half of the proceeds from the auction will go towards the UTI Foundation Scholarship Fund which provides financial support for Universal Technical Institute students who wouldn't otherwise be able to receive post-secondary education. The UTI Foundation is the philanthropic arm of UTI with a mission to enable individuals to complete technical training leading to career success through scholarships, grants, public service education programs, life-long learning and the creation of a nationwide alumni support network.

"The Foundation's goal is to change the world one life at a time and that's just what NASCAR is helping us achieve," said Vern Meury, executive director of the UTI Foundation. "This donation will provide scholarship funds to allow students to pursue their dream of a quality technical education. We are very grateful for NASCAR's generosity."

Bidding for the NASCAR Performance show car is currently under way. Fans can visit http://auctions.nascar.com and type "NASCAR Performance show car" in the search window to place their bid. The auction ends May 19th and more information along with several photos of the car can be found on the auction Web site. Fans can also view a complete list of all NASCAR Day online auction items by visiting http://auctions.nascar.com, scrolling down to the "By Partner" category and selecting The NASCAR Foundation link. To learn more about NASCAR Day, click here.