Aaron's Dream Weekend at Talladega
Talladega, AL (April 28, 2004) The Aaron’s Dream Weekend at Talladega Superspeedway was once again a huge marketing success for Aaron’s. Aaron’s was represented around the track with prominent signage, PA announcements, video commercials, a display tent and a hospitality area, and represented on the track by Michael Waltrip and the special No.99 “312 Dream Machine” in the Busch Series race on Saturday and the No.00 “499 Dream Machine” piloted by Kenny Wallace in the NEXTEL Cup race on Sunday. It was nearly impossible for any of the 250,000 weekend visitors not to feel Aaron’s presence at the track.
| The Aaron’s display tent continues to draw race fans at record numbers. Fans were entertained by Dave Boggan, Jr.’s band as well as the Aaron’s Dream Girls and Mike Charmoli’s daughters clogging group throughout the weekend. These entertainers drew huge crowds who were then invited into the tent to see what Aaron’s is all about. Dream products were displayed throughout and helpful associates were on hand to answer questions and help potential customers find their closest store. There were |
|
|
| “register to win” opportunities, show cars and free giveaway merchandise. The fan response was great. In all, about 10,000 fans from around the U.S. and Canada visited our display over the three-day event, and 528 Aaron’s stores garnered new customer leads. |
 |
|
The Aaron’s 312 NASCAR Busch Series race on Saturday drew a record number of fans that witnessed a fantastic race. Michael Waltrip sported a special Aaron’s 312 paint scheme on the Dream Machine and started 11 th. Waltrip moved toward the front of the pack and took the lead early with a fast racecar, but the engine started to run hot and Michael had to nurse the car around the track to keep from overheating. Waltrip finished 8 th behind race-winner Martin Truex, Jr., Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Ron Hornaday, Kyle Busch and Jason Leffler. |
| The Sunday main-event, the Aaron’s 499 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race thrilled a packed house. The track was down to a hand-full of tickets left for the 499, and from looking at the grandstands, it seemed there were no empty seats to be found. Kenny Wallace qualified the No.00 Aaron’s 499 Dream Machine 27 th, but starting in the 14 th row did not slow his charge to the front. Kenny moved into fifth on lap 66 and seemed ready to charge to the front with Waltrip and Earnhardt. However, on a pit stop on lap 69, the No.00 Dream Machine made |
|
 |
| contact with the No.19 car as Wallace left his pit box, and required several stops to make repairs. Still on the lead-lap however, Wallace again made a strong charge to the front, moving from 35 th to 13 th in just seven laps! It seemed Wallace and the Dream Machine were poised to have a spectacular day, when car No.97 spun towards the wall and collected Wallace along with nine other drivers, ending the day for 1/4 of the field. Jeff Gordon won the race followed by Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Kevin Harvick, Jimmy Johnson and Robby Gordon. Wallace finished 37 th. |
 |
|
Aaron’s exposure was huge, not just at the track but on FOX television and MRN radio who broadcast both events live to over 10 million viewers and listeners. The Aaron’s Dream Weekend at Talladega is the premier event on the sports marketing calendar, and for good reason; now more than ever, people know that “Dreams Come True at Aaron’s”.
|
|
