Subaru Exclusive Automotive Sponsor of ESPN X Games 14

Subaru Exclusive Automotive Sponsor of ESPN X Games 14

2009 Subaru Impreza WRX to be grand prize awarded by ESPN to the "Subaru Most Outstanding Athlete of the Games"

CHERRY HILL, N.J., June 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Subaru of America, Inc., and ESPN have announced that Subaru will be the exclusive automotive sponsor of X Games 14 to be held in Los Angeles, Calif. July 31 -- August 3. As part of the tie-in, Subaru will provide ESPN with a 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX for the "Subaru Most Outstanding Athlete of the Games" grand prize award.

(Logo:

http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080325/SUBARULOGO )

"We are excited to once again be an integral sponsor of X Games," said Tim Mahoney, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, Subaru of America, Inc. "The games are a perfect fit for our performance enthusiast customers who are always ready for action."

Subaru Rally Team USA drivers Ken Block and Travis Pastrana will be targeting this year's Gold medal after earning Silver and Bronze respectively, at the 2007 X Games competition. The team will be piloting all-new rally cars based on the 2008 Subaru WRX STI model. In 2007, Tanner Foust, driving for an independent team, took the Gold in a Subaru WRX STI.

New to X Games 14 will be Skateboard and BMX SuperPark, BMX Street and Women's Moto X Racing. The SuperPark discipline incorporates a variety of terrain and obstacles into one seamless course. Action sports fans can anticipate the world's best transition skaters and BMX riders highlighting their all-around abilities in these events. In addition, the Women's Moto X Racing competition will include the world's top 10 women motocross racers competing for the gold medal in the first-time event.

"As we welcome Rally Car Racing to X Games for a third year, we are also happy to have Subaru back as an event sponsor," said Rick Alessandri, Managing Director, X Games Franchise. "The two go together, and X Games is proud to have the partnership for a second year."

More than 150 of the world's best athletes annually participate in the premier action sports competition featuring BMX Freestyle, Moto X, Skateboard and Rally Car Racing. X Games Los Angeles-based venues include STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, Calif. and The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.

For a schedule of X Games 14 rally events and a complete event schedule visit www.expn.com.

About ESPN's X Games Franchise

ESPN, The Worldwide Leader in Action Sports, first developed its X Games franchise in 1995. Part of ESPN Original Entertainment, X Games, Winter X Games and All Access are just some of the original action sports programming currently shown on ESPN and ESPN2. In addition to the two U.S.-based events, ESPN has held X Games competitions and demonstration events around the world including Dubai, Thailand, Brazil, Mexico, Korea, Malaysia and Spain. The global franchise has also expanded its reach to EXPN.com, the definitive site for action sports fans, and to consumer products such as X Games bikes, protective gear, skateboards and DVDs.

About Subaru of America, Inc.

Subaru of America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of 600 dealers across the United States. Subaru makes the best-selling All-Wheel Drive car sold in America based on R.L. Polk & Co. new vehicle retail registration statistics. For additional information visit www.subaru.com.

Contacts: Heather Ward
Subaru of America, Inc.
(856) 488-5093
hward@subaru.com

Michael McHale
Subaru of America, Inc.
(856) 488-3326
mmchale@subaru.com

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080325/SUBARULOGO
AP Archive:

http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Subaru of America, Inc.

CONTACT: Heather Ward, +1-856-488-5093, hward@subaru.com, or Michael
McHale, +1-856-488-3326, mmchale@subaru.com, both of Subaru of America, Inc.

Web site:

http://www.subaru.com/
http://www.expn.com/

-------
Profile: intent