10.31.04
Best Western Goes Full Throttle for NASCAR’s Return to Phoenix Arizona
Best Western Goes Full Throttle for NASCAR’s Return to Phoenix
PHOENIX, AZ USA 08/04/2004
Sport’s Official Hotel to Host Week-Long Events Beginning November 1
PHOENIX, Oct. 29 /PRNewswire/ — Best Western International, the Official
Hotel of NASCAR, welcomes America’s fastest-growing sport back to town with a
series of events celebrating next weekend’s action at Phoenix International
Raceway.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030627/BESTWESTERNLOGO)
Headquartered in Phoenix, Best Western and several of its member hotels
throughout Arizona will host a variety of activities beginning Monday, which
are open to the general public. These include:
* November 1 - Best Western InnSuites Hotel & Suites,
6201 N. Oracle Road, Tucson: Best Western #99 Busch Series Show Car
on display, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. A crew shirt signed by NASCAR driver
Michael Waltrip will be auctioned off, with proceeds going to
Operation Marathon, benefiting the Victory Junction Gang Camp for
chronically ill children.
* November 2 - Best Western InnSuites Hotel & Suites,
1615 E. Northern Avenue, Phoenix: Best Western #99 Busch Series Show
Car on display, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Hotel staff will be attired as the
Best Western Pit Crew.
* November 2 - Best Western Inn Phoenix-Glendale,
5940 N.W. Grand Avenue, Glendale: Best Western #99 Busch Series Show
Car on display, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Remote-control car races to be held
with proceeds benefiting The Boys and Girls Club of Metropolitan
Phoenix. Live remote by XTRA Sports Radio (910 AM).
* November 3 - Best Western Mezona Inn, 250 W. Main Street, Mesa: Best
Western #99 Busch Series Show Car on display, 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Prizes/giveaways to be awarded, including t-shirts, die-cast cars and
tickets to the Bashas’ Supermarkets 200 on Saturday, November 6. Save
the Family Foundation of Arizona, an agency dedicated to assisting
homeless families, will be selling sponsored bricks to support its
renovation efforts. Live remote by XTRA Sports Radio (910 AM).
* November 3 - Best Western Phoenix Goodyear Inn, 55 N. Litchfield Road,
Goodyear: Best Western #99 Busch Series Show Car on display, 3 p.m.
to 7 p.m. NASCAR party broadcast live by KNIX Radio (102.5 FM).
“Best Western is proud to be the Official Hotel of NASCAR, and to join in
the excitement that this sport brings to the city of Phoenix and the state of
Arizona,” said Nils Kindgren, vice chairman of the Best Western Board of
Directors and owner of the Best Western Inn & Suites of Sun City. “We
encourage race fans to join us next week at both our Best Western hotels and
at the track as we celebrate the spirit of NASCAR.”
Through the company’s Arizona Co-op marketing efforts, consumers will also
have the opportunity to receive the new “Race Fan Rate” with savings up to
30 percent at more than 60 member hotels across the state. Other special
prize offerings include exclusive Best Western Racing Edition Travel Cards,
#99 Best Western die-cast cars, — even a trip to the Richard Petty Driving
Experience.
“This exclusive deal allows race fans to experience all the treasures
Arizona has to offer,” said David Scholefield, director of consumer and field
marketing for Best Western. “Next year, when their NASCAR travels bring them
back to Arizona, they’ll be able to save big while extending their stay in the
Grand Canyon State.”
In addition to these events, all 16 Best Western hotels in the greater
Phoenix area will be decorated with a NASCAR theme. Guests will have the
opportunity to sign up for Speed Rewards(TM), a free loyalty program designed
specifically for race enthusiasts. As members, individuals can earn valuable
points which are redeemable for NASCAR-licensed merchandise such as jackets
and caps; free room nights anywhere in the world; dining and shopping
certificates; along with special sweepstakes and promotional offerings.
Best Western properties in close proximity to the track — the BW Phoenix
Goodyear Inn; the BW Inn Phoenix-Glendale; BW Inn & Suites of Sun City and the
BW Central Phoenix Inn — will also feature Best Western/NASCAR gift items in
each of their combined 400 guest rooms to welcome race fans to Phoenix.
On Wednesday, November 3, employees of Best Western’s Phoenix Reservations
Center will receive a visit from Waltrip, a two-time Daytona 500 winner. The
NASCAR veteran will sign autographs and even make a few surprise phone calls
to Speed Rewards members.
Two days later, Best Western will serve as a presenting sponsor of the
first-ever Arizona Business Summit: The Business of NASCAR in Arizona.
Hosted by Phoenix International Raceway, the November 5 event is designed to
provide Arizona business owners and corporate community leaders with a
behind-the-scenes look at NASCAR, educating attendees on how businesses can
integrate the power of NASCAR into their marketing mix. Best Western’s
Scholefield will be featured on the speakers’ panel.
At the track, the hotel chain goes full speed with a variety of activities
November 4 - 7. Fans visiting any one of the three Best Western booths
located along the midway will have the opportunity to sign up for Speed
Rewards, receive special discount coupons, and even play games to win fun
prizes. Best Western will also host a hospitality suite and tent for VIP
clients and special guests.
In January 2004, Best Western International entered into a three-year
agreement as the Official Hotel of NASCAR. The company also serves as an
associate sponsor of Waltrip and the Dale Earnhardt, Inc.-owned No. 15 NAPA
Chevrolet on the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series. On Saturday, November 6, Waltrip
will drive the #99 Best Western Busch Series Car during the Bashas’
Supermarkets 200 at Phoenix International Raceway.
For more information on Best Western/NASCAR activities, visit
http://www.bestwesternracing.com or http://www.bestwesternarizona.com/racefan.
Best Western International is THE WORLD’S LARGEST HOTEL CHAIN(R) with more
than 4,100 hotels in 80 countries and territories. It is a membership
association of independently owned and operated hotels that provides
marketing, reservations and operational support to its members.
For further information, please contact David Trumble, Director, External
Communications, +1-602-957-5753, david.trumble@bestwestern.com, or Denise
Seomin, Consumer Media Relations Manager, +1-602-957-5668,
denise.seomin@bestwestern.com, both of Best Western International.