NHRA SELECTS EDELMAN TO SUPPORT ITS GROWING NATIONAL PUBLIC RELATIONS INITIATIVES

This announcement is the latest in a series of major strategic initiatives made by NHRA this year, including a two-year extension of the Series’ title sponsorship with the Coca-Cola Company and a strategic partnership with global sports and entertainment firm IMG to assist with sponsorship sales.

“This partnership further exemplifies our resolve to bring the quickest, fastest and most entertaining form of Motorsports to market in the mainstream community,” said Jerry Archambeault, NHRA vice president of public relations and communications. “We have a great story to tell and who better to help us communicate it than Edelman, which has a proven track record in motorsports.”

The NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series features the most unique and energizing form of racing on the planet: 7,000-horsepower cars that accelerate from 0-to-100 mph in less than a second and reach top speeds of more than 330 miles per hour. The Adrenaline Rush of Racing, featuring young stars like Ashley Force and Brandon Bernstein, Melanie Troxel and Antron Brown, has enjoyed rising TV ratings through the first quarter of 2008 and is looking forward to opening a brand-new, state-of-the-art drag strip in Charlotte, N.C. in September.

Edelman’s team will be led by Gregory Lee Hendricks, head of Edelman’s Motorsports division based in the company’s Chicago office. He will be supported by a team of motorsports and sports and entertainment experts around the company’s U.S. network including Edelman’s recent expansion into the key Motorsports hub of Charlotte.

“We are excited to partner with NHRA to help build on the league’s continued success,” said Edelman Motorsports Senior Vice President and Chicago Group Head Gregory Lee Hendricks. “The NHRA is a vibrant and exciting sport filled with a diverse group of drivers and personalities and we look forward to introducing this great sport to a wider audience.”

NHRA’s current, internal media relations team will continue to manage the race-to-race event management and promotion, while Edelman will be charged with increasing the sanctioning body’s national profile through the strategic placement of the NHRA brand at high-profile events and with influential media on a consistent, ongoing basis.

Edelman will be targeting predominantly non-endemic media in the lifestyle, health & fitness, fashion and general news categories in addition to building NHRA’s presence across multiple New Media platforms.

About Edelman

Edelman is the world’s leading independent public relations firm, with over 3,100 employees in 51 offices worldwide. Edelman was named PRWeek’s “2007 Large Agency of the Year,” Holmes Report’s “2008 Global Agency of the Year,” and listed as top-10 firm in Advertising Age’s “2007 Agency A-List,” the first and only PR firm to receive this recognition. In 2007, CEO Richard Edelman was honored as Agency Executive of the Year by Advertising Age and “Most Powerful PR Executive” by PRWeek. For more information, visit www.edelman.com.

About NHRA

Headquartered in Glendora, Calif., NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. It presents 24 national events through its NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. The NHRA has 80,000 members and 140 member tracks. The NHRA-sanctioned sportsman and bracket racing series’ provide competition opportunities for drivers of all levels. The NHRA develops the stars of tomorrow by offering the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, NHRA Summit Racing Series, and the NHRA Street Legal Drags presented by AAA. The NHRA also offers the O’Reilly Auto Parts Jr. Drag Racing League for youths ages 8 to 17.