Valvoline and Don Schumacher Racing announced on Saturday during the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals a contract extension through 2010. Under the agreement, Valvoline will appear at 13 races this season as primary sponsor on the Funny Car driven by Jack Beckman.

“We are thrilled to extend this relationship,” conveyed
Rob Clendening, Manager- Global Brands for Ashland. “We are like all sponsors in that we are watching every dollar we spend. We are very demanding in what we get back for the money we spend. We are picky about the sponsorships we choose.

“It is critical for Valvoline to partner with teams that can provide big wins even before the cars hit the track. DSR is that type of partner. The team’s on-track success is not just the icing on the cake, but it really pushes our research and development team to constantly deliver the next technical innovation.”

Valvoline and Don Schumacher Racing announced on Saturday during the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals a contract extension through 2010. Under the agreement, Valvoline will appear at 13 races this season as primary sponsor on the Funny Car driven by Jack Beckman.

“We are thrilled to extend this relationship,” conveyed
Rob Clendening, Manager- Global Brands for Ashland. “We are like all sponsors in that we are watching every dollar we spend. We are very demanding in what we get back for the money we spend. We are picky about the sponsorships we choose.

“It is critical for Valvoline to partner with teams that can provide big wins even before the cars hit the track. DSR is that type of partner. The team’s on-track success is not just the icing on the cake, but it really pushes our research and development team to constantly deliver the next technical innovation.”

Team owner Don Schumacher, whose team has won 128 NHRA national events and seven world championships since 1998, has been associated with Valvoline dating back to the 1960s. He ran Valvoline in his personal race cars throughout his driving career.

“Besides the monetary support they provide which allows us to come out here and race, they provide us a product that surpasses anything we’ve ever used,” Schumacher explained. “Their engineers work closely with our team if there’s ever any new hiccups we develop in the bearing or rear-end area in our race cars or the rigs that go down the road, they have jumped in there and helped us in resolving those issues.

“It’s a great relationship. I’m thrilled in these economic times to be able to announce a multi-year continuation of our relationship. We look to win world championships and that’s why we race.”

Beckman has represented Valvoline for as long as they have been a part of DSR in the modern era. That suits Beckman fine considering that he’s been a longtime Valvoline customer. Even when he was a paid endorser for another oil company, Beckman confided that he still purchased Valvoline.

“I think the proof of belief in a product is not how much you use when you get it for free,” Beckman explained. “I think it’s when you have to pay for something. When I was a sportsman racer, I used it in my race car and personal vehicles. I think it’s a matter of putting your money where your mouth is.” 

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