Charities Benefit from Journalists' Auto Racing Skills in AAA Michigan Event

Charities Benefit from Journalists' Auto Racing Skills in AAA Michigan Event

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., June 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Pete Collins, a reporter for WYCD-FM, "Young Country," recorded the best speed today in the AAA MotorSports Charity Challenge Media-Cup, a simulated NASCAR-type race event sponsored by AAA Michigan at its Dearborn headquarters. By driving the AAA Car #99 Ford Taurus simulator at an average speed of 204.720 mph through four laps of a computerized replica of Daytona International Speedway, Collins took first place and earned a $2,000 donation from AAA Michigan to his favorite charity, Ronald McDonald House of Detroit.

Lee Thomas, a reporter for FOX 2 News, finished in second place with an average speed of 201.41 mph. He is donating his award of $1,000 to the United Negro College Fund.

Tom Greenwood, commuting columnist for The Detroit News, who finished third with a 190.557 mph average, is contributing his $500 award to the Penrickton Center for Blind Children in Taylor.

The Auto Club Group, an alliance of six AAA clubs including AAA Michigan, is sponsoring the Roush Racing Team's Car #99 and driver Carl Edwards in this year's NEXTEL Cup Series of NASCAR races. The Charity Challenge Media-Cup event was held to introduce Edwards to AAA Michigan employees in advance of this Sunday's Batman Begins 400 NEXTEL Series race at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan. AAA will be the principal sponsor of Edwards and the Car #99 in that race.

Edwards is one of NASCAR's young rising stars. He won the NEXTEL races in Atlanta in March and last week at the Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania. He currently ranks fourth in the overall NEXTEL Cup point standings for 2005. He will run in another NEXTEL Cup race, the GFS Marketplace 400, at the Michigan International Speedway August 21.

Throughout the summer and fall, The Auto Club Group is taking the #99 Car simulator to public events throughout Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and Wisconsin. At each event, people can sign up for a free race in the simulator. All scores will be added to a database, and at the conclusion of the NEXTEL Cup series in November, the holders of the 10 best scores will be awarded a 1/24 scale model of the #99 Car personally autographed by Edwards.

In addition to the two races at Michigan International Speedway, during the summer and fall months AAA Michigan will offer the public free opportunities to race the #99 Car simulator at locations throughout Michigan. In June, the simulator will be in Ann Arbor, Canton, Farmington, Southgate, Brighton, Big Rapids and Cadillac.

The July schedule includes appearances in Traverse City, Lansing, Alpena, Gaylord, West Branch, Saginaw, Flint, Macomb Township, Roseville and Utica. August will see the simulator at events in Coldwater, Escanaba and Marquette.

The simulator schedule will conclude in September at events in Birmingham, Birch Run, Frankenmuth, Bay City, Jackson, Battle Creek and Kalamazoo.

Participation in all the locations will be free, and each participant will receive a certificate from AAA recording the date, location and speed achieved.

To determine the exact date and location of an appearance in their area, people can access the AAA Michigan Web site, http://www.aaa.com/ , click on "AAA MotorSports" in the top margin, then click on "See the latest schedule."

Source: AAA Michigan

CONTACT: Nancy Cain of AAA Michigan, +1-313-336-1514

Web site: http://www.aaa.com/

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