Friendly Ice Cream Corporation will sponsor Quest Motor Racing and the #37 Chevy of driver Derrike Cope in 2003. The announcement was made today. Friendly’s, a family restaurant company serving signature sandwiches, entrees and ice cream desserts, will sponsor Cope for the majority of NASCAR Winston Cup races this season, continuing a sponsorship which began last season. The first race will be February’s Daytona 500. NASCAR and Friendlys demographics are similar, becoming a sponsor and getting involved with NASCAR is a great fit for Friendlys. This sponsorship fulfills a marketing objective for Friendlys of increasing brand awareness. We believe Friendlys and Quest Motor Racing make a formidable team and we look forward to a strong racing season, stated Peter E. Bell, Senior Director, Marketing for Friendlys. Cope is one of just eight active drivers to have won a Daytona 500, and one of just six since the start of the last decade. “A family sport needs family-type sponsors, and Friendly’s certainly is that,” Cope said. “No one in the sport is more cognizant of family than Friendly’s, and that is good for all of us in NASCAR racing.. Having a company like Friendly’s join us means a lot to me and to everyone at Quest Motor Racing,” said Cope, a native of Spanaway, Washington. “We are excited they are going to be part of our program in 2003, and we’re looking for a great year.” Additional information on Friendly Ice Cream Corporation can be found on the Companys website ( www.friendlys.com ).( Williams Company )(1-16-2003)
