Valvoline sponsors JR Motorsports in NASCAR series

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 24, 2014) — Ashland Inc.'s Valvoline lubricant brand has entered into a multi-year sponsorship agreement with JR Motorsports.

The sponsorship deal kicked off at the 2014 NASCAR Nationwide Series season-opening race Feb. 22 at Daytona International Speedway.

Valvoline, the official lubricants supplier of JR Motorsports (JRM)—the management company and racing operation for Dale Earnhardt Jr.—will be featured as an associate sponsor of the team's Chevrolet Camaro race cars. The company's Nationwide Series driver team of Mr. Earnhardt, Regan Smith and Chase Elliott will promote Valvoline premium motor oil products and, according to Ashland, JRM will use a specially designed Valvoline racing formulation in its Chevrolet racing engines.

“The Valvoline team is thrilled to serve as the technology partner to JR Motorsports,” said Heidi Matheys, senior vice president of Valvoline's Do-It-Yourself channel. “This is a great opportunity to feature our innovative American brand of motor oil and extend our racing heritage and relationship with the Hendrick Motorsports family.”

Kelley Earnhardt Miller, JRM's general manager, said the team welcomes the partnership with Valvoline “because it is an innovative American brand that has a great racing heritage and a winning motor oil race history. The Valvoline brand fits well within the fabric of our company. We have a great respect for its history in our sport and its impact in the automotive industry.”

In addition to its commercial and industrial lubricants and appearance family of products, Valvoline also operates approximately 900 Valvoline Instant Oil Change service center locations throughout the U.S.

Mr. Earnhardt is NASCAR's 11-time “Most Popular Driver” and winner of more than 40 NASCAR-sanctioned races. JRM competes in multiple racing divisions including the NASCAR Nationwide Series, in which it has earned 12 victories since its inception in 2007.