Canadian Tire revs up racing as title sponsor of ASN Canada FIA Canadian Karting Championship & Rotax Team Canada

TORONTO, Ontario (August 3, 2010) – Canadian Tire continued its tradition of supporting Canadian motorsport today announcing title sponsorship of the Canadian Tire ASN Canada FIA Canadian Karting Championship, to be held August 18 – 22, 2010, at Le Circuit, Mont Tremblant, Quebec. In addition, Canadian Tire will be a sponsor of the Canadian team entry at the Rotax World Finals taking place November 15 – 21, 2010, at Muro Leccese in Italy.

“As Canada’s largest automotive retailer, Canadian Tire has a long tradition of supporting auto racing and motor sports in Canada,” said Allan MacDonald, Senior Vice President, Automotive. “Sponsoring karting allows us to extend our support to Canadian driving up and comers, at home in Canada and at the “Olympics of Karting” in Italy. This is a natural fit for our business of helping Canadians be ready for driving with our unmatched assortment of automotive parts and accessories.”

Canadian Tire’s sponsorship of the ASN Canada FIA Canadian Karting Championship includes:

· Title sponsor of the ASN Canada FIA Canadian Karting Championship.

· Support for fourteen Canadian champions comprising “Team Canada”, participating in the Rotax World Finals in Italy in November against drivers from 58 countries.

“I’m thrilled that Canadian Tire is taking the lead on support for young developing race driving talent and am really looking forward to seeing the team develop at the Canadian Championship that will then go to Italy to represent Canada,” said Ron Fellows, Canadian Tire racing team member, whose race driving career started in kart racing.

“We are proud and excited to receive this level of support for our kart racing drivers from Canada’s leading automotive company, Canadian Tire, and from Canadian racing legend Ron Fellows. The prestige for the sport of kart racing that comes from this association is fantastic,” said Paul Cooke, Vice-President, ASN Canada FIA.

Visit one of Canadian Tire’s 480 Canadian Tire stores to check out the very latest in automotive parts and accessories; including innovations in car care and the new online tire locator, http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/4/Auto/1/TiresRims.jsp?locale=en .

About Canadian Tire: Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited (TSX: CTC.a, CTC), is one of Canada’s most shopped general retailers with 480 Canadian Tire stores across the country. Our core retail and automotive operation is strengthened by PartSource, an automotive parts specialty chain; Canadian Tire Petroleum, one of the country’s largest independent retailers of gasoline; Mark’s “Clothes That Work,” a leading retailer of men’s, women’s and work apparel; and, Canadian Tire Financial Services, which has issued over five million Canadian Tire MasterCard credit cards. More than 58,000 Canadians work across Canadian Tire’s organization from coast-to-coast in the enterprise’s retail, financial services and petroleum businesses.

About ASN Canada FIA: ASN Canada FIA is the sanctioning authority for motorsports in Canada appointed by the Federation Internationale de l’Automotible, and ensures safe and fair motorsport competition.

From Stephanie Bonk | Advisor, Automotive Communications | Canadian Tire Corporation, Ltd.

Canadian Tire Stage to be the focus of the Canadian Motorsports Expo

The Canadian Tire Stage will be the Centre of Attention at the Canadian Motorsports Expo

Forums featuring star racers, the motorsports media, the kick-off of celebrations heralding the start of Mosport’s 50th anniversary season, an alternative fuels forum and much more at the CME

Click Here to see the full Canadian Tire Stage and CME Racing Seminars schedule

(TORONTO, ON // JANUARY 19, 2010) While there will be many tracks, series, racing vehicles, suppliers and vendor displays all throughout Toronto’s International Centre this coming weekend at the Canadian Motorsports Expo, it will be tempting for showgoers to stick close to The Canadian Tire Stage. From Friday through Sunday (Jan. 22-24), it will be the CME’s focal point, offering race fans non-stop opportunities to interact with Canadian and international racing stars and motorsports personalities, like Matt Kenseth, Paul Tracy, Ron Fellows and the Duhamels.

“Canadian Tire is proud to present The Canadian Tire Stage at the Canadian Motorsports Expo,” said Susan Lute, Strategic Marketing Manager | Automotive, Canadian Tire Corporation. “The Canadian Tire Stage will be the centre of activity at the CME, playing host to the many forums, presentations and driver autograph sessions that will take place during the three-day show. Canadian race fans are Canadian Tire customers and we look forward to connecting with them at this year’s CME.”

“We’re honoured to welcome Canadian Tire as the presenting sponsor of The Canadian Tire Stage at the CME,” said David Weber, of the CME and Inside Track Communications. “From their support of grassroots racers across Canada to their title sponsorship of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, Canadian Tire has a great history of supporting Canadian motorsports. Their sponsorship of The Canadian Tire Stage is contributing to an incredible show for the fans.”

FRIDAY

Starting Friday evening (at 7 p.m.), The Canadian Tire Stage will – for the second year in a row – play host to Spencer Lewis’ Ontario Asphalt Short Track Power Rankings presentations. Lewis, an Inside Track Motorsport News contributor, will present awards to the province’s top asphalt oval racing stars. Last year, drivers like Steve Robblee, Jeff Hanley, Ron Sheridan, Stompin’ Tom Walters and others were honoured. Show up Friday to see who makes the list this year!

SATURDAY

Action on The Canadian Tire Stage heats up Saturday with several major events. The schedule kicks off at 10:45 a.m. when Canadian racing legend Ron Fellows hosts ‘Ron & Friends,’ a bench-racing forum featuring Bill Brack, Robin Buck, Daniel Morad, Bryan Muir, Robert Wickens and Ken Wilden. Join Ron and his panel of speedy friends in a wide-ranging motorsports discussion.

At noon, several industry experts will take part in the Alternative Fuels Forum. American Le Mans Series CEO Scott Atherton and Canadian MP Dan McTeague will be joined by others in a discussion about the current and future trends in racing fuels as they relate to ‘green’ initiatives.

The fourth-annual ‘Meet the Media’ forum kicks off at 1:15 p.m. on The Canadian Tire Stage. Featuring many of Canada’s top motorsports journalists, this interactive fan forum is a great opportunity to get a ‘behind the scenes’ perspective from experts like Norris McDonald (Toronto Star / Wheels), Dean McNulty (Sun Media), Erik Tomas (Raceline Radio), Jeff Pappone (Globe & Mail), Tim Miller (Hamilton Spectator), Hugh Burrill (City TV) and Russ Bond (Inside Track / CanadianRacers.com).

Once the ‘press’ forum wraps up, reigning Daytona 500 winner and former NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Matt Kenseth will take to The Canadian Tire Stage to participate in a Q&A session with the fans, before signing as many autographs as possible. The NASCAR veteran is scheduled to be on stage from 2:30 to 4 p.m.

A NASCAR Canadian Tire Series driver autograph session, featuring many of the top stars from Canada’s national stock car championship, takes place from 4:45 to 5:30 p.m. That will be followed by a Q&A / Autograph session starring Yvon, Miguel and Mario Duhamel; Canada’s First Family of Motorcycle Racing. Saturday’s action on The Canadian Tire Stage wraps up with the Inside Track Readers’ Choice Awards presentations. Many of Canada’s top and future racers – as voted by the readers of Inside Track Motorsport News – will be on hand (starting at 7 p.m.) to receive their awards, for excelling in stock cars, road racing, motorcycles, rallying, karting and drag racing.

SUNDAY

Sunday’s Canadian Tire Stage program opens, at 11 a.m., with another on-stage Q&A / Autograph session with the Duhamels. Next up, Canadian road racing star Paul Tracy will participate in a Fan Q&A and autograph session with CME showgoers. The former IndyCar champ, who is popular for his wide-open driving style and candid comments, will be on The Canadian Tire Stage from 1:30 to 2:45.

And then at 3 p.m., Tracy, Ron Fellows and several others, including Horst Kroll, Norris McDonald and Doctor Hugh Scully will take part in ceremonies and celebrations kicking off the upcoming 50th anniversary season of racing at the legendary Mosport International Raceway. Almost every famous Canadian racer and industry member has a personal story about how Mosport helped shape their careers. Be sure not to miss the many interesting tributes and tales about Canada’s Home of Motorsports.

ABOUT THE CME: The Canadian Motorsports Expo is a three-day celebration of Canadian racing that runs January 22 to 24 at the International Centre (6900 Airport Road in Mississauga). The show is powered by Inside Track Motorsport News and supported by companies like Lucas Oil Canada, NASCAR Canada, Mosport International Raceway and Canadian Tire. In addition to booths and racing vehicles representing the entire spectrum of Canadian motorsports, the show is loaded with seminars and forums to entertain and inform racers and fans alike. Star drivers Matt Kenseth, Paul Tracy, Ron Fellows, Derek Daly and Jessica Zemken will be at the CME to sign autographs and meet the fans. Please check the show’s website for updates and changes.

For more information about the Canadian Motorsports Expo, visit www.canadianmotorsportsexpo.com, call Glenn Butt at (905) 721-1762 or email him at glenn@canadianmotorsportsexpo.com. You can reach co-promoters Inside Track at (416) 962-7223 or email expo@insidetracknews.com.

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