WIX Filters Keep Kenseth, Hmiel, Sprague Out Front At California

Friday, 04 March 2005

Matt Kenseth, Shane Hmiel and Jack Sprague won the WIX Filters Lap Leader Awards during racing at California Speedway Feb. 25-27. The awards were won during the weekend that marked the first-ever visit by the top three NASCAR racing series to the Southern California track during February.
Kenseth led 57 laps in the NEXTEL Cup Series Auto Club 500 on Sunday, Feb. 27, Hmiel led 19 laps in the Busch Series Stater Bros. 300 on Saturday, Feb. 26 and Sprague led 31 laps in the Craftsman Truck Series American Racing Wheels 200 on Friday, Feb. 25 to win the awards.
For their consistent performances, Kenseth earned $5,000, Hmiel $2,000 and Sprague $1,500. The drivers also each earned one point toward the cumulative WIX Filters season-end prizes.
The WIX Filters Lap Leader Award is presented to the driver who leads the most laps during each race in NASCAR’s NEXTEL Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck racing series. The award includes a cash prize presented to the winning driver during a ceremony before the next race and an end-of-year payout and trophy for the driver who earns the most WIX Filters Lap Leader awards over the course of the entire season. Cash awards for the end-of-year honor are: $75,000 for the NEXTEL Cup Series; $20,000 for the Busch Series; and, $10,000 for the Craftsman Truck Series.
In order to be eligible for the WIX Filters Lap Leader Award for a single event, drivers and teams in each series must run the WIX Filters decal on the front fender and use WIX oil or air filters in their vehicles. Additionally, for any year-end payout, teams must run the decal on the front fender for every race they participate in, with an allowance for one race, and they must always use WIX oil or air filters.
New for 2005, WIX has introduced the WIX Filters Lap Leader Award contest, enabling fans to be a part of the action. The online contest encourages fans to pit their knowledge against one another and against celebrity prognosticator John Roberts, host of NASCAR This Morning and NASCAR Victory Lane, in a weekly competition to predict which drivers will win the WIX Filters Lap Leader Award in each race. Fans who participate in the online contest will compete for prizes including an all-expenses-paid trip to Las Vegas Speedway for the 2006 NEXTEL Cup race.
Fans can sign up for the contest, make picks and try to beat Roberts by visiting www.wixlapleader.com. Detailed contest rules and prize information will be provided on the Web site.
WIX’s relationships with professional motorsports organizations include product sponsorships for more than 40 teams in the three primary stock car racing circuits sanctioned by NASCAR. WIX is the official sponsor of the WIX Filters Lap Leader Award, which offers cash prizes for the leader of the most laps during each event within the top three NASCAR racing divisions and a year-end prize for the driver within each series who wins the most WIX Lap Leader Awards during the season.
In 2005 WIX again is an associate sponsor of Joe Gibbs Racing and the No. 18 car driven by 2000 Winston Cup Series champion Bobby Labonte and the No. 20 car driven by 2002 Series Champion Tony Stewart. Team owner and head coach of the NFL’s Washington Redskins Joe Gibbs is a high-profile company spokesman, offering the credibility racing fans associate with his proven reputation as leader of winning organizations.
Since 1939, WIX has been an innovator in filtration products. WIX designs, manufactures and distributes products for automotive, diesel, agricultural, industrial and specialty filter markets. Its product line includes oil, air, cabin interior, fuel, coolant, transmission and hydraulic filters for automobiles, trucks and off-road equipment. WIX is the number one filter in NASCAR and an exclusive NASCAR Performance Product. WIX Filters’ Internet address is www.wixfilters.com.