Unilever to sponsor No. 5 car for 10 races in 2009

Unilever, a multi-national company that owns more than 400 of the world's most recognized food and home care brands, will be a primary sponsor for JR Motorsports' No. 5 Chevrolets in 10 Nationwide Series races in 2009 (watch video).

The 10-race sponsorship package will be divided amongst four popular Unilever brands -- Hellmann's mayonnaise, Ragu pasta sauce, Klondike ice cream and Lipton tea. Three different drivers will compete in select races in the Unilever-branded No. 5 car -- two-time series champion Earnhardt, all-time wins leader Mark Martin and current rookie contender Landon Cassill. Martin and Earnhardt alone combine for 70 series victories.

"Unilever is thrilled to associate our brands with two of racing's most popular and respected drivers, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Mark Martin, and with one of the sport's top rising talents, Landon Cassill," said Marc Shaw, Director of Integrated Marketing for Unilever. "By partnering with Dale Jr. and JR Motorsports, we are expanding an already successful history with NASCAR -- especially with a driver whose popularity transcends motor racing with wide appeal and recognition. We are extremely pleased that Dale, Mark and Landon will represent our brands in the 2009 NASCAR Nationwide Series."

The select races that will feature Unilever brands on the No. 5 Chevrolet are still being finalized. However, it is confirmed that Earnhardt Jr. will kick off the partnership by driving the No. 5 Hellmann's Chevy in the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 14. Five of Earnhardt's 22 series victories have come at the 2.5-mile superspeedway.

"I am really excited to partner with Unilever and continue what we've been able to accomplish with JR Motorsports," said Earnhardt, who co-owns the No. 5 team with Rick Hendrick. "In a short amount of time, we've gone from an upstart, single-car team in the NASCAR Nationwide Series to having two highly competitive teams that won races in 2008. When we merged our Nationwide Series operations with Hendrick Motorsports last year, it really elevated our program to the next level. Having Unilever come on board will help us continue that momentum."

The 2009 campaign will mark the second consecutive year that Earnhardt, Martin and Cassill share driving duties in the No. 5 Chevrolet. Martin, whose 48 series victories are the most of any driver, kick-started JR Motorsports' breakout season with a win at Las Vegas in March. It was the first of two wins achieved by the No. 5 team this year, and the first of four that JR Motorsports has celebrated among its two full-time teams thus far in 2008.

Like Martin, Cassill has played a contributing role in the team's success this year. The 19-year-old driver from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, scored a career-best finish of sixth at Gateway in July, and he won the pole for the June race at New Hampshire. Cassill currently holds a one-point lead in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings.

"We know that NASCAR fans crave real food that tastes great and is made from simple ingredients; we're all about real food for real fans," said James Fish, Senior Brand Manager for Hellmann's and Best Foods. "One of the main platforms for our involvement in NASCAR has been to search for and reward 'real' fans, and we plan to continue and even expand our campaign with Dale Jr., Mark Martin and Landon Cassill, three NASCAR drivers who are real in every sense of the word."