David Ragan’s No. 34 Ford will sport Chem-Dry decals for Sunday’s race

LOGAN, UTAH -- Chem-Dry, the nation’s leading carpet cleaner and a top-ranked franchise system, is sponsoring NASCAR Sprint Cup driver David Ragan’s No. 34 Ford in Monday’s Daytona 500, marking the company’s first association with the nation’s fastest-growing sport and an opportunity to introduce millions to the Chem-Dry brand.

Ragan’s crew chief, Jay Guy, is a new Chem-Dry franchise owner who plans to open three locations soon in the Charlotte, N.C., area. Guy approached Chem-Dry home office staff about sponsoring Ragan’s car, one of three entries in the race from Front Row Motorsports, and the two sides quickly worked out a deal.

“We’re excited to be associated with NASCAR and Front Row Motorsports. This is a tremendous chance for Chem-Dry to increase its profile on racing’s biggest stage,” said Dan Tarantin, president and CEO of Harris Research Inc., Chem-Dry’s parent company. “Our sponsorship also illustrates our commitment to our franchise owners and receptiveness to their ideas. We’re committed to helping all our owners develop robust client bases and maximize their profitability.”

Chem-Dry’s associate sponsorship secures space behind each of the No. 34 Ford’s quarter panels for a Chem-Dry decal. The deal gives Chem-Dry marketing rights to use Ragan’s likeness in advertising and other materials; the two parties are open to Chem-Dry sponsoring Front Row cars in other Sprint Cup races this year, including the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte on May 27.

“We’re a small, relatively new, emerging team, and this is just one more partner we have in our portfolio that’s an emerging company. That seems to be the best fit as far as sponsorship partners for Front Row,” said Jerry Freeze, Front Row Motorsports’ general manager. “For us, it just further validates our approach to seek sponsorships from emerging brands. Chem-Dry is the leading carpet-cleaning brand, so it’s good for us to have that affiliation.”

Statesville, N.C.-based Front Row Motorsports, owned by Tennessee native and restaurant entrepreneur Bob Jenkins, has established itself as one of the rising teams in NASCAR since its founding in 2004. The team earned five top-20 finishes in 2010 and had another successful year in 2011, marked by driver David Gilliland’s third-place finish in the Daytona 500.

The Daytona 500, nicknamed “The Great American Race,” is stock car racing’s largest and most prestigious event. It kicks off the season for the Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR’s highest level of competition, and annually draws attendance figures approaching 200,000 and television viewership that has reached as high as 20 million.

About Chem-Dry

Founded in 1977 and based in Logan, Utah, Chem-Dry is the nation’s leading cleaner of carpet and other household and office surfaces. It uses a patented method of hot carbonated water extraction that provides a drier, cleaner, healthier clean, and its highly ranked franchise system, which consists of more than 3,500 units, extends worldwide. Chem-Dry has maintained a high ranking on Entrepreneur magazine’s annual Franchise 500 list for 24 consecutive years and has been identified by Franchise Direct as one of the top 100 global franchises. For more information, see www.chemdry.com.

Media contact:

Ed Quinlan

Director of Marketing

(435) 755-0099, ext. 1077

ed.quinlan@hrisupport.com