NASCAR, TEAM, MillerCoors promote responsibility

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- NASCAR announced Saturday that it has joined Techniques for Effective Alcohol Management Coalition, an alliance that promotes responsible drinking and positive fan behavior at sports facilities. NASCAR's membership launches with a promotion conducted in partnership with MillerCoors that will reward one responsible NASCAR fan with a grand prize trip to Las Vegas to attend the season-ending festivities that crown the 2011 Sprint Cup Series champion.

"NASCAR is committed to promoting responsible behavior and enhancing the overall fan experience," said Marcus Jadotte, NASCAR vice president of public affairs and multicultural development. "We are proud to join MillerCoors and the other members of TEAM Coalition in an effort to drive responsible alcohol consumption awareness to NASCAR partners and fans."

TEAM Coalition is an alliance of 20 organizations, including professional and collegiate sports, entertainment facilities, concessionaires, stadium service providers, the beer industry, broadcasters, governmental traffic safety experts and others. Its members are united by their mission to provide effective alcohol service training and promote responsible alcohol consumption to enhance the entertainment experience while reducing alcohol-related instances in facilities and on the road.

"At MillerCoors, we believe that with great beer comes great responsibility and we're thrilled to partner with NASCAR to help promote responsible alcohol consumption at the track," said Kim Marotta, vice president of corporate social responsibility at MillerCoors. "For many fans, enjoying a beer on race day is part of the NASCAR experience, and we want to encourage fans to enjoy the race responsibly and plan ahead for a safe ride home from the track."

Beginning Sunday at Chicagoland Speedway and later at four additional Chase races, NASCAR fans at least 21 years in age can pledge at designated driver booths to be a designated driver and help promote responsible alcohol consumption at the race track. Fans can also enter online at www.rhir.org.

The Responsibility Has Its Rewards pledge is to:

• Never drive drunk
• Always have a designated driver
• Never provide alcohol to minors
• Always buckle up - every trip, every time

Fans who pledge will be entered into a sweepstakes, and following each race, one responsible fan will be randomly selected as the "Designated Driver of the Race" and be eligible to win the grand prize. The grand prize winner will be randomly selected from the five at-track semi-finalists, plus one online semi-finalist. The grand prize is a trip for two to the 2011 Sprint Cup Series Champion's Week, held Nov. 30 to Dec. 2 in Las Vegas. The trip includes airfare, hotel, local transportation and access to exclusive events that week.

The five Cup Series races on the 2011 schedule that fans can pledge include:

• Sept. 18 at Chicagoland Speedway
• Sept. 25 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway
• Oct. 15 at Charlotte Motor Speedway
• Oct. 23 at Talladega Superspeedway
• Oct. 30 at Martinsville Speedway

"The success of the Responsibility Has Its Rewards campaign with NASCAR and MillerCoors is a direct result of the commitment from our members and all the designated-driver program partners, including the tracks, concessionaire companies and state offices of highway safety," said Jill Pepper, executive director of TEAM Coalition. "Teamwork is what this campaign is all about. We are demonstrating that when everyone -- including the fans -- takes responsibility, everyone wins."