Crew chiefs will tell you that pit stops can make the difference between winning and losing a race.  And, pit crew members will tell you that choosing the right high-performance gloves and apparel can make the difference in their pit stop performance.   What brand do they chose most often - Mechanix Wear.

Mechanix Wear, the first company to develop and introduce high-performance gloves designed specifically for mechanics, is hitting the throttle on its motorsports marketing program for 2007.  As an industry leader in developing and supplying gloves and equipment for race teams at every level, Mechanix Wear has been involved in racing since 1992.

This year Mechanix Wear launches an integrated motorsports marketing campaign that includes national promotions, team partnerships, series sponsorships, and product development and testing in race environments.

"We've been involved in motorsports for number of years, but as our brand grows and our retail availability expands, we need to leverage our involvement to aggressively promote our products to the motorsports teams and the millions of race fans throughout the country," said Bari Waalk, director of marketing for Mechanix Wear.  "Our commitment to motorsports marketing grows every year and 2007 will be no exception.  Whether you're a pit crew member, an automotive professional or a consumer who likes to work on their home and their car, we want you to know that Mechanix Wear has a high-performance work glove solution for you."

Mechanix Wear will supply products for more than 162 race teams in 15 different series, participate in contingency prize money sponsorships in nine racing series and sponsor the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Most Valuable Pit Crew Award.

"Mechanix Wear gloves are specifically designed to be used by pit crews and mechanic at every level of racing," said Ted Abdon, Mechanix Wear director of motorsports. "From the very first use of the Mechanix Wear Original gloves, we have tested our products in the field and at the track with the top pit crews and mechanics to consistently improve the performance, durability and design of each glove.  Mechanix Wear provides a high-performance work glove to protect your hands from the elements and has features which make any job easier."

From the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series to the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Racing Series, Mechanix Wear gloves are worn at every level of NASCAR racing.

• Product Supplier - Mechanix Wear will be worn by 48 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series teams, including seven all-new Toyota teams; 34 full-time NASCAR Busch Series teams and 27 Craftsman Truck Series teams.
• Contingency Prize Money Sponsor - Mechanix Wear is a contingency sponsor for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, Busch Series, Craftsman Truck Series, Grand National Divisions, Touring Series and Dodge Weekly Series. In total more than 100 cars display the Mechanix Wear contingency decal each week in the top three NASCAR Series.

Contingency Series Sponsorships

NASCAR
NEXTEL Cup Series
Busch Series
Craftsman Truck Series
Grand National Divisions
Touring Series
Dodge Weekly Series

NHRA
Powerade Drag Racing Series
Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series

ARCA
ReMax Challenge Series

• Year-End Award Sponsor - NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Mechanix Wear Pit Crew of the Year Award will award quarterly and annual prizes to top crews.  New for 2007, Mechanix Wear will increase the grand prize for the winning team to $100,000 from $75,000
• Product Development and Testing - Mechanix Wear works closely with pit crew members and trainers to determine areas where efficiency, speed and accuracy can be improved, then works to develop solutions to meet those needs.  Two examples of products from this "real world lab" include the Mechanix Wear radio belt and the Glove Light glove.

Mechanix Wear Provides Safety for Indy Racing Series (IRL) Safety Team
When the IRL Safety Team springs into action, they do so with Mechanix Wear gloves providing dependable grip, less vibration and increased protection from the most extreme elements. The IRL Safety Team consists of 33 safety personnel, including trauma physicians, paramedics, firefighters and nurses.  The IRL Safety Team is the only motorsports safety team to work at IRL, Formula One, NASCAR and USAC events.

Ten IRL teams rely on Mechanix Wear to provide gloves, knee pads and pit support equipment to help crew members before, during and after each race.

National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Turns to Mechanix Wear on the Drag Strip
The NHRA is known for the loudest, fastest machines in racing and Mechanix Wear are the work gloves the mechanics count on day in and day out. Mechanix Wear is an official product supplier to 23 NHRA teams and a contingency prize money sponsor in all National event classes and divisional events.

Mechanix Wear Awards AMA Supercross & Motocross Team Mechanics
When American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) Supercross and Motocross teams finish first, it is often the team mechanic who goes unnoticed while providing the driver the tools to win.  The Mechanix Wear Outstanding Achievement Award is presented to an AMA Supercross mechanic that has enjoyed significant success in their field and displayed outstanding professionalism and sportsmanship throughout their career.

Mechanix Wear, with firm roots in AMA Motocross and Supercross, provides its high-performance products in the series that started it all, an official product supplier to 13 AMA Supercross Teams.

Mechanix Know Best
Mechanix Wear gloves also are used in United States Auto Club (USAC), World Of Outlaws (WoO), International Hot Rod Association (IHRA), Infinity Pro Series, MotoGP and AMA Road Racing Series.