Kelley Blue Book to sponsor Dale Earnhardt Jr.

IRVINE, Calif., and CONCORD, N.C. – Kelley Blue Book, the vehicle valuation and information source trusted and relied upon by both consumers and the automotive industry, has joined Hendrick Motorsports as a primary sponsor of the No. 88 Chevrolet SS NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team with driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2014 and 2015.

The two-year agreement includes full-season associate sponsorship, which provides Kelley Blue Book prominent brand placement on the No. 88 race cars throughout the Sprint Cup schedule, and primary sponsorship of Earnhardt in one event annually. The 2014 season will be the first as a NASCAR team sponsor for Kelley Blue Book, a subsidiary of AutoTrader Group.

“Kelley Blue Book’s sponsorship in NASCAR is the next step in communicating our brand strength and recognition as a vehicle valuation pioneer and leader for new-car shopping and research,” said Steve Lind, vice president of operations for Kelley Blue Book. “By supporting successful race car driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Hendrick Motorsports, coupled with NASCAR’s brand equity, we will reach even more consumers with our message -- providing helpful, transparent information on KBB.com to help car shoppers make the best decision possible.”

Earnhardt, 39, has posted 19 career victories in Sprint Cup Series competition, including the 2004 Daytona 500. The Kannapolis, N.C., native has earned three consecutive Chase for the Sprint Cup berths and is NASCAR’s 11-time most popular driver as voted by fans. He finished the 2013 season fifth in the championship standings with a career-best 22 top-10 finishes.

“I’m looking forward to our partnership with Kelley Blue Book,” said Earnhardt, who will drive the No. 88 Kelley Blue Book Chevrolet SS at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway on June 22. “As a car enthusiast and dealership owner, I’ve trusted them for years for vehicle valuation and information. It’s exciting to work with a partner that’s new to the sport, and I’m proud Kelley Blue Book will be on board with the No. 88 team for their debut season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.”

Through its website, KBB.com, Kelley Blue Book is changing the way people shop for a new car. It now offers the KBB.com® Price Advisor, which features a new range-based pricing layout, including the Kelley Blue Book® Fair Purchase Price, which shows the average price other customers in the same area paid for the same vehicle.  Other resources include 5-Year Cost to Own data, and consumer and expert reviews and ratings.

In addition to individual consumers, Kelley Blue Book’s various products and services are available to car dealers, auto manufacturers, finance and insurance companies, and governmental agencies. Partners include Hendrick Motorsports’ sister company, Hendrick Automotive Group, which operates more than 120 automotive retail franchises across the United States.

“On the dealership side, we’ve worked with Kelley Blue Book for many years,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports and chairman of Hendrick Automotive Group. “NASCAR is a terrific marketing platform for their products and services, and it presents new opportunities for our companies to work together. We’re excited to welcome a new partner and team them with an incredible spokesperson in Dale Jr. It’s a great combination with the potential to grow even more.”