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HENDRICKCARS.COM TO SPONSOR PHOENIX RACING, JR MOTORSPORTS & RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING

Published Friday, 17 February, 2012 by Jessica Dunlow.

HENDRICKCARS.COM TO SPONSOR PHOENIX RACING,
JR MOTORSPORTS & RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING
IN SELECT 2012 NASCAR EVENTS

â??2012 Indy Dream Weekendâ?? Sweepstakes to Coincide with HendrickCars.com Re-Launch

CHARLOTTE, N.C., February 13, 2012 â?? HendrickCars.com will sponsor three NASCAR teams in select races in early 2012. The sponsorships will promote the new-look retail automotive website, which re-launched Feb. 1, and coincide with the HendrickCars.com â??2012 Indy Dream Weekendâ?? sweepstakes.

The program will kick off during Speedweeks in Daytona Beach, Fla., with primary sponsorship of Phoenix Racing and 2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Kurt Busch in the Feb. 25 Nationwide Series race and Feb. 26 Daytona 500. It will continue with primary sponsorship of JR Motorsports and driver Cole Whitt in the March 17 Nationwide event at Bristol, Tenn.

In addition, HendrickCars.com will be a major associate sponsor of the Richard Childress Racing No. 33 Chevrolet with driver Elliott Sadler in NASCARâ??s biggest race, the Daytona 500.

â??Last yearâ??s Daytona 500 broadcast alone averaged more than 15 million viewers, and we expect 2012 will be even stronger,â?? said Rick Hendrick, Chairman of Hendrick Automotive Group, which owns HendrickCars.com. â??Combined with our sponsorship in the Nationwide Series, thatâ??s tens of millions of people seeing our brand, hearing our message and then visiting HendrickCars.com. We wanted to showcase the new site, and thereâ??s no more effective marketing tool than NASCAR.â??

In conjunction with the sponsorship, HendrickCars.com is launching the â??2012 Indy Dream Weekendâ?? sweepstakes. From Feb. 13 through March 19, visitors can log onto HendrickCars.com to register for a chance to win a weekend for two at the July 29 Sprint Cup race in Indianapolis. The winner and a guest will receive behind-the-scenes access, a tour of the historic racing venue, VIP seats in a trackside suite and more. The winner will be announced March 23 at www.HendrickCars.com.

â??Weâ??re proud to have HendrickCars.com as our primary sponsor for both races in Daytona,â?? said James Finch, Owner of Phoenix Racing. â??The Hendrick people know how well sponsorships like this work when theyâ??re done the right way. Daytona is a big opportunity for our team to build some positive momentum to start the season. Having a sponsor for Speedweeks means a lot to us, and weâ??re going to do everything we can to put HendrickCars.com up front.â??

The sponsorship of Whitt pairs HendrickCars.com with an up-and-coming young driver and Nationwide Series rookie-of-the-year contender. In his first season at JR Motorsports, Whitt, 20, is joining a No. 88 team that finished fourth in the championship standings in 2011.

â??We feel fortunate to be a part of the initiative to drive awareness of HendrickCars.com and the new inventory of cars,â?? said Kelley Earnhardt Miller, Vice President of JR Motorsports. â??We pride ourselves on having assets both on and off the track to support our sponsorsâ?? marketing goals. HendrickCars.com has such an incredible inventory of new and used cars -- literally something for everybody -- and we look forward to doing our part to help with its continued success.â??

Features of the new HendrickCars.com include streamlined navigation, an expanded offering of used cars and the addition of thousands of new vehicles. The site also has added performance and classic cars, commercial vehicles and motorcycles to its inventory. Customers can view detailed information for nearly 20,000 vehicles, including up to 60 images per listing.

â??The HendrickCars.com â??fleetâ?? is going to get some very valuable exposure over the next month,â?? said Richard Childress, President and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. â??Thatâ??ll end up delivering traffic and showing NASCAR fans what the new website has to offer. Itâ??s a unique deal, and someoneâ??s going to get a once-in-a-lifetime trip out of the promotion. Weâ??re glad to be involved.â??

In 2009, HendrickCars.com sponsored driver Tony Stewart in the season-opening Nationwide Series race at Daytona International Speedway. Stewart led 23 laps on his way to winning the event, which drove record traffic to HendrickCars.com.

â??Last time HendrickCars.com was a major sponsor of a car at Daytona, the response was overwhelming,â?? said Hendrick, who also is the owner of championship-winning NASCAR team Hendrick Motorsports. â??It was a big success and ultimately helped drive sales. If we do our part by building a great program, these sponsorships will be another business win for us.â??

In 2011, HendrickCars.com was a sponsor of Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott, who competes full-time in the NASCAR K&N Series East. HendrickCars.com will continue to support Elliott in 2012, along with having associate sponsor placement on the No. 5 Chevrolet of Hendrick Motorsports driver Kasey Kahne throughout the entire Sprint Cup Series season.

HendrickCars.com Primary Sponsorship Schedule:
Feb. 25, Daytona Beach, Fla., Kurt Busch, No. 1 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet (1:15 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Feb. 26, Daytona Beach, Fla., Kurt Busch, No. 51 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet (1 p.m. ET, FOX)
March 17, Bristol, Tenn., Cole Whitt, No. 88 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet (2 p.m. ET, ESPN)

About HendrickCars.com:
The newly redesigned HendrickCars.com is the fastest way to research and purchase nearly 20,000 new and used cars, classic cars, commercial vehicles and motorcycles from the inventory of Hendrick Automotive Groupâ??s more than 100 franchises. For more information, please visit www.HendrickCars.com. Find HendrickCars.com on Facebook.

About Hendrick Automotive Group:
Encompassing more than 100 franchises from the Carolinas to California, Hendrick Automotive Group is one of the largest automotive retail organizations in the United States. Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., the company employs more than 7,000 people across 12 states. For more information, please visit www.HendrickAuto.com .

Google Takes Honda Fit EV On Educational Joyride

Published Wednesday, 15 February, 2012 by Jessica Dunlow.

by Kristy Hessman, February 13th, 2012

As if the folks at Googledonâ??t have enough fun technology to play with, now they get to be the first to test out the new Honda 2013 Fit EVbattery-electric vehicles. Honda recently deliveredthe cars to the Google campus in Mountain View, Calif., as part of its Honda Electric Vehicle Demonstration Program. Googlers get to drive, test and provide feedback to Honda regarding the electric vehicles.

And Google isnâ??t the only lucky demo team. Stanford University and the Torrance, Calif. are also participants in the program. Stanfordâ??s research team will use both the battery-electric vehicle and a gasoline-powered Fit to test their theories about the psychological and physical reactions of using battery-electric vehicles and how they differ from driving a traditional gasoline-powered vehicles. The research is meant to help Honda better understand customer acceptance of battery-electric vehicles and how to overcome physiological obstacles associated with the adoption of new technologies.

â??The goal of the Honda Electric Vehicle Demonstration Program is to better understand the challenges and opportunities associated with the advancement in battery-electric technology,â?? Steve Center, vice president of the Environmental Business Development Office at American Honda said in a statement. â??Honda has a long history with electric vehicles beginning with the introduction of our first battery-electric car, the EV Plus, nearly 15 years ago. Hondaâ??s experience and the unique feedback that Google, Stanford University and the city of Torrance will provide will be valuable to the future introduction of battery-electric technology.â??

If youâ??re interested in driving the 2013 EV Fit but donâ??t happen to work at Google or Stanford, you might be in luck. Honda has announced plans to begin leasing the 123 city-mile per charge, 1 battery-electric commuter vehicle to customers in select California and Oregon markets during the summer of 2012. Rollout to the east coast is planned for spring 2013.

To make the arrival of the vehicle, 100 Googlers took the Fit EVfor a spin, Honda said, but the real testing will come as the company uses the car as part of its G-Fleet, an employee car-sharing service that features numerous plug-in vehicles. Google will also analyze various aspects of the car including CO2 reduction, energy consumption on a miles-per-kilowatt-hour basis and overall energy cost.

This Day in History: February 14

Published Tuesday, 14 February, 2012 by Jessica Dunlow.

On February 14 around the year 278 A.D., Valentine, a holy priest in Rome in the days of Emperor Claudius II, was executed.

Under the rule of Claudius the Cruel, Rome was involved in many unpopular and bloody campaigns. The emperor had to maintain a strong army, but was having a difficult time getting soldiers to join his military leagues. Claudius believed that Roman men were unwilling to join the army because of their strong attachment to their wives and families.

To get rid of the problem, Claudius banned all marriages and engagements in Rome. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret.

When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death. Valentine was arrested and dragged before the Prefect of Rome, who condemned him to be beaten to death with clubs and to have his head cut off. The sentence was carried out on February 14, on or about the year 270.

Legend also has it that while in jail, St. Valentine left a farewell note for the jailer's daughter, who had become his friend, and signed it "From Your Valentine."

For his great service, Valentine was named a saint after his death.

In truth, the exact origins and identity of St. Valentine are unclear. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, "At least three different Saint Valentines, all of them martyrs, are mentioned in the early martyrologies under the date of 14 February." One was a priest in Rome, the second one was a bishop of Interamna (now Terni, Italy) and the third St. Valentine was a martyr in the Roman province of Africa.

Legends vary on how the martyr's name became connected with romance. The date of his death may have become mingled with the Feast of Lupercalia, a pagan festival of love. On these occasions, the names of young women were placed in a box, from which they were drawn by the men as chance directed. In 496 AD, Pope Gelasius decided to put an end to the Feast of Lupercalia, and he declared that February 14 be celebrated as St Valentine's Day.

Gradually, February 14 became a date for exchanging love messages, poems and simple gifts such as flowers.

Honda Report Shows a Green Thumbprint

Published Monday, 13 February, 2012 by Blog Admin. Categories: News.

Honda believes that in the fight to reduce our environmental impact, a comprehensive approach is the only way to go. That's why the automaker's "2011 North American Environmental Report" goes beyond just covering Honda hybrid models...way, way, way beyond to be exact. To give you a general idea of just how green our favorite automaker truly is, Honda of Concord will highlight some of the main areas in which Honda set up eco-friendly initiatives and the goals they achieved in 2011.

Honda of Concord Celebrates Black History Month

Published Saturday, 11 February, 2012 by Jessica Dunlow.

Honda of Concord would like to celebrate Black History Month of 2012 by educating our followers and customers about the importance of those African Americans who have dedicated their lives to the design, manufacture, service, and sales of automobiles.

We would like to acknowledge the Black Female Lifestyle Website, Madame Noire, for these top executives and contributors. In addition, this information can be found in the book, Driven: A Tribute to African American Achievements in the Auto Industry.

First up is Ed Welburn, Vice President of Global Design at General Motors.

In 2003, Ed Welburn was announced as the sixth design chief in GMâ??s 95-year history. Welburn, 59, began his GM career in 1972 as an associate designer in the advanced design studios, and held various positions at Oldsmobile, Saturn and Opel. In his previous post as executive director in charge of body-on-frame architectures for GM Design, which he held since 2001, Welburn was responsible for three body-on-frame studios that have overseen the design of trucks as the Cadillac Escalade, Chevy SSR and Hummer H2.

â??This is part of a renaissance for General Motors. We have 10 design centers around the world and they are running flat out designing new products for the company. The whole team has been energized by all the changes that have been happening. They get energized, we do better work. They do better work and the whole company gets energized,â?? Welburn has said.

Honda Automobiles: Honda Odyssey Receives MotorWeek 2012 Drivers' Choice Award

Published Friday, 10 February, 2012 by Jessica Dunlow.

American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced today that the 2012 Honda Odyssey has received the 2012 MotorWeek Drivers' Choice Award for Best Minivan. This is the sixth time the Odyssey has garnered the Drivers' Choice Award from MotorWeek, with Honda's benchmark minivan having won the award in back-to-back years in 1999/2000, 2005/2006 and now 2011/2012.

Designed and built¹ in the United States, the eight-passenger Odyssey features the highest EPA² highway fuel economy rating for an eight-passenger minivan of 28 mpg for Odyssey Touring. It has also earned the best possible safety ratings from both NHTSA (5-Star Overall Vehicle Score) and the IIHS (TOP SAFETY PICK), an achievement that no other currently-tested minivan can match.

"Beyond great packaging, class-leading fuel economy, unparalleled safety ratings and cutting-edge family-friendly features, the Odyssey was designed to be fun to drive." said Michael Accavitti, VP of marketing operations for American Honda. "Being honored with a Motorweek Driver's Choice Award for a second consecutive year confirms that the Odyssey remains the best minivan choice for those who truly enjoy driving."

Presented annually since 1983, the MotorWeek Drivers' Choice Award has been awarded 29 times to Honda vehicles. The winner of two Emmy awards, MotorWeek is television's longest running and most respected automotive series. Produced by Maryland Public Television, MotorWeek airs on 89 percent of PBS stations nationwide, and can also be seen on Discovery's Velocity and the V-me Spanish-language network.

Connect with Honda:
Honda Media Newsroom (for journalists): www.hondanews.com
Honda (for consumers): http://automobiles.honda.com/odyssey/
Honda on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/hondaodyssey
Honda on YouTube: www.youtube.com/honda
Honda on Flickr: www.flickr.com/hondanews
Honda on Twitter: www.twitter.com/honda
Honda on Google+

¹Honda products are produced using domestic and globally sourced parts.
²Based on 2012 EPA mileage estimates. Use for comparison purposes only. Do not compare to models before 2008. Your actual mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle.

Honda Automobiles: Honda begins deliveries of the 2013 Fit EV

Published Thursday, 09 February, 2012 by Jessica Dunlow.

Honda begins deliveries of the 2013 Fit EV

Official 2012 Honda CR-V Commercial - 50 States

Published Tuesday, 07 February, 2012 by Jessica Dunlow.

	Official 2012 Honda CR-V Commercial - 50 States The all-new 2012 CR-V is designed to help you get to everything you always said you'd get around to. Like road tripping around the whole country and seeing the fifty nifty. Learn more about the all-new CR-V and start your leap list at http://leaplist.honda.com	From:Honda Views:251 14ratings
	Time:00:33	More inAutos & Vehicles

Honda Automobiles: American Honda Reports January Sales Increase; Civic Up Nearly 50 Percent

Published Friday, 03 February, 2012 by Jessica Dunlow.

American Honda Motor Co., Inc., today reported January 2012 monthly new-vehicle sales of 83,009, an increase of 8.8 percent over January 2011. The Honda Division posted January 2012 sales of 74,628, an increase of 9.3 percent year-over-year.

In its first full month of sales, the all-new Honda CR-V set a January record with sales of 18,960, up 16.0 percent over last year's record-setting total of 16,339. The Civic also continued to build momentum with sales of 21,883, up an impressive 49.5 percent compared to January 2011. The Accord posted January sales of 13,659, up 1.5 percent from the same period last year. Honda's Ridgeline pickup posted its second consecutive month of double-digit sales growth, up 45.6 percent year-over-year to 1,245 units.

"Honda's return to full strength on the manufacturing front is already beginning to pay dividends on the sales floor," said John Mendel, American Honda executive vice president of sales. "On top of kicking off 2012 with record January sales for the new CR-V, it's gratifying to see how many Civics we can sell when we actually have Civics to sell. It's great to see customers embrace this great vehicle now that our dealers have enough cars on their lots."

The Acura Division's January sales totaled 8,381, up 5.3 percent compared to January 2011, with two models registering strong sales increases. Sales of the TL sedan reached 2,283, up 43.4 percent from the same period last year, while TSX sales totaled 2,266, a year-over-year increase of 16.7 percent.

For more information about Honda vehicles, please visit www.automobiles.honda.com. For media inquiries please visit www.hondanews.com. For more information about Acura vehicles, please visit www.acura.com. For media inquiries please visit www.acuranews.com.

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HENDRICK AUTOMOTIVE GROUP ACQUIRES ITS FIRST CHARLOTTE-AREA CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM DEALERSHIP

Published Thursday, 02 February, 2012 by Jessica Dunlow.

Monika Weymouth, LGA Kendra Jacobs, Hendrick Automotive Group

weymouth@lgapr.com kendra.jacobs@hendrickauto.com

704-552-6565 ext. 109 704-567-3696

HENDRICK AUTOMOTIVE GROUP ACQUIRES ITS FIRST

CHARLOTTE-AREA CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM DEALERSHIP

CONCORD, N.C., February 2, 2012 â??Hendrick Automotive Group finalized its acquisition of Tim Marburger Dodge Chrysler Jeep this week. The dealership, located at 287 Concord Parkway, has been renamed Hendrick Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Concord.

The store will be Hendrick Automotive Groupâ??s first Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram location serving its home market of Charlotte.

â??Weâ??re thrilled to now offer Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Ram to the Charlotte area,â?? said Tom Blocker, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Hendrick Automotive Group. â??We saw sales of these brands grow more than 25 percent last year alone. Theyâ??re excellent products, and weâ??re excited to have them available to our customers here.â??

Wes Watkins will serve as the dealershipâ??s Executive Manager and offers 23 years of experience with Hendrick Automotive Group. He also will serve as General Manager at Honda of Concord, a position heâ??s held since 2001.

â??Our focus will continue to be on offering the best possible experience to every person who walks in the door, whether it's in sales or service,â?? Watkins said. â??We hope all Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram customers in the region will visit the dealership and experience the Hendrick commitment to its customers and community. We want to earn their business.â??

Hendrick Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Concord will offer more than $4 million in new inventory and an expanded product selection, all available immediately. In addition, the 40,000-square-foot dealership will offer its customers oil changes starting at $9.95, full service on Saturdays, shuttle service, a parts boutique and access to free Wi-Fi.

Information on future Hendrick Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Concord career opportunities will be available at www.HendrickCareers.com.

About Hendrick Automotive Group

Encompassing more than 100 franchises from the Carolinas to California, Hendrick Automotive Group is one of the largest automotive retail organizations in the United States. Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., the company employs more than 7,000 people across 12 states.

For more information, please visit www.HendrickAuto.com. Follow the dealership on Facebook at Hendrick Chrysler Dodge Jeep of Concord, or on Twitter at @HendrickCDJ.

Honda of Concord

Sales: (888) 690-3558

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