Dollar General and Charlotte Motor Speedway Partner to Fight Breast Cancer with Dollar General 300 Miles of Courage

Race on Oct. 14 Will Turn Pink to Support Susan G. Komen for the Cure® and Speedway Children’s Charities

DALLAS – October 13, 2011 – Dollar General and Charlotte Motor Speedway are putting some serious horsepower behind the fight against breast cancer this October.  On October 14, the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway will be renamed the “Dollar General 300 Miles of Courage.” The race will sport a pink theme and offer a number of ways for fans to engage with Susan G. Komen for the Cure®.

“Breast cancer is a devastating disease that affects millions of our customers and friends,” said Rick Dreiling, Dollar General’s chairman and CEO. “As a longtime supporter of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Dollar General is pleased to bring this disease to light on the race track through the Dollar General 300 Miles of Courage, while recognizing those who have fought the disease and won.”

Pink will be seen everywhere at the track this weekend, from cars to fans to tickets to the track itself. The special pink race logo can be seen on the No. 32 Dollar General Chevrolet driven by Brian Vickers as well as on longtime Komen supporter Elliott Sadler’s No. 2 One Main Financial Chevy.

Race fans are encouraged to wear pink to the track and to make a donation to Komen to show their support for a world without breast cancer. Komen volunteers will be stationed at tables around the track entrances to accept donations throughout the weekend. Komen will have additional presence at the speedway all weekend through Komen On the Go. This signature bright pink vehicle will educate and empower fans to join the fight on site by encouraging them to get screened, donate to Komen or sign up as a Komen advocate as part of Komen’s “Less Talk, More Action” initiative for women to take action against breast cancer.  Fifty percent of the donations received inside the Speedway gates will go to Speedway Children’s Charities.

“Breast cancer is still a widespread disease.  The tremendous support we receive from Charlotte Motor Speedway, Dollar General, and NASCAR helps us educate women about the importance of early detection which will lead women (and men) to take action and know their risks,” says Margo K. Lucero, vice president, business development and partnerships at Komen.  “With the help of these partners, we hope to reach people we may not have access to in the U.S. and invite them to take action in their lives - get screened as early detection saves lives.”

The Dollar General 300 Miles of Courage will also honor breast cancer survivors everywhere by inviting local survivors – identified by Komen – to attend the race with a guest. Survivors will be featured before the race starts in a “ring of survivors,” and will don pink apparel and wave pink and white checkered flags during driver introductions.

For those who haven’t made their attendance arrangements yet, the Speedway is offering frontstretch ticket packages, with great views of pit road and the world’s largest HDTV, for sale along with a t-shirt, wristband, flag and a pink Koozie included in their ticket purchase. The ticket packages start at $30 and can be purchased by calling the Charlotte Motor Speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS (3267). Five dollars from the sale of the pink tickets will be donated to Susan G. Komen. Seventy-five percent of all funds raised from the weekend’s fundraising endeavors will remain in the Carolinas to be used for life- saving breast cancer education and community outreach programs.

National recording artist Candy Coburn will be on hand at Friday’s race to perform the National Anthem, as well a song she personally penned for breast cancer survivors aptly titled, Pink Warrior. The song, originally written in memory of Coburn’s grandmother, has become an anthem for breast cancer survivors everywhere.  Coburn will also be on hand on Friday from 4-5pm to sign autographs and take photos at the Komen on the Go educational vehicle located in the Fan Zone area outside the track.