Marathon Ashland Petroleum has begun a multi-year marketing partnership with Competitive Edge Motorsports (CEM), which starts this weekend at the Batman Begins 400. Stuart Kirby will be driving the Marathon #51 Chevy. Joe Auer, owner of CEM, said, “A number of people have been working on this deal for quite some time, and it’s finally finished. This partnership with a major company like Marathon will bring our race team to a new level. We are very grateful that Marathon has agreed to become our primary sponsor. They are truly a great organization to work with.” “We want to build this relationship with Marathon and build our race team one step at a time” Auer said. The partnership consists of a 12-race package throughout the rest of the 2005 season. Starting in 2006, CEM plans on being a regular in the Nextel Cup Series. CEM has been involved in one of NASCAR’s top-tier divisions for the last three years. CEM is also unveiling their new driver, Stuart Kirby, a talented young driver out of Bowling Green, Kentucky. “Stuart is the type of guy we can build a long term marketing plan around,” CEM team owner, Joe Auer, commented. Fox sportscasters, Darrell Waltrip and Mike Joy have both called Kirby one of the most phenomenal young drivers they have seen in years. More information about CEM at www.cemotosports.net.(6-17-2005)
