DuPont, Hendrick Motorsports and Jeff Gordon Extend Historic Sponsorship of #24 DuPont Chevrolet

WILMINGTON, Del., May 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- DuPont NYSE: DD, Hendrick Motorsports and Jeff Gordon, driver of the #24 DuPont Chevrolet, today announced that the current longest-running sponsor/driver/team combination in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will continue through the 2010 racing season. At that point, the sponsorship will have been in existence for 18 years.

The contract extension was announced by Gordon and David G. Bills, DuPont chief marketing and sales officer, on DuPont NASCAR Day, an employee appreciation event held annually at the company's headquarters here.

"DuPont has a long tradition of excellence in the automotive world and we're proud to be a part of it," Gordon said. "The fact that we're now in our 16th year together speaks volumes about the success of this partnership."

DuPont launched its NASCAR involvement in 1992, when it decided to sponsor Gordon, then a rookie 21-year-old driver from California, who had just been hired by Rick Hendrick, founder and CEO of Hendrick Motorsports. Gordon, now 36, is a four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion.

"This sponsorship is a perfect match for DuPont -- a company known for its science and innovation and longstanding commitment to the automotive industry," Bills said. "NASCAR's overall fan base and communications reach are impressive, but the DuPont brand enjoys even higher visibility because Jeff and the #24 DuPont Chevrolet figure so prominently in so many races."

"The relationship Hendrick Motorsports and Jeff Gordon have enjoyed with DuPont is not just one of the great success stories in NASCAR, but across all forms of sponsorship," Hendrick said. "We feel fortunate to have such a terrific, long-term partner, and our entire company looks forward to an exciting future with the #24 DuPont team."

A long roster of DuPont brands and company messages appear with varying frequency on the #24 DuPont Chevrolet. The list includes the DuPont Oval logo, DuPont(TM) Tyvek(R) Home Wrap, Pioneer(R) Hi-Bred Seed, DuPont Automotive Finishes, DuPont(TM) Corian(R) solid surfaces, DuPont(TM) Kevlar(R) high strength material and many others.

DuPont is a science-based products and services company. Founded in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by creating sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere. Operating in more than 70 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of innovative products and services for markets including agriculture and food; building and construction; communications; and transportation.

Photo:

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Caption: DuPont Chief Marketing and Sales Officer David Bills and Jeff Gordon, driver of the #24 DuPont Chevrolet, today announced the two-year extension of the DuPont sponsorship of the Hendrick Motorsports #24 team. The current longest-running sponsor-driver-owner relationship in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Racing Series will run through the 2010 season.

The DuPont Oval Logo, DuPont(TM), The miracles of science(TM), Tyvek(R), Pioneer(R), Corian(R) and Kevlar(R) are registered trademarks or trademarks of DuPont or its affiliates.