M&M’S® Racing Celebrates Spirited NASCAR® Fans with Re-launch of “The Most Colorful Fan™ of NASCAR” Contest

Fans Can Win Once-in-a-Lifetime Trip to Ford 400 in Homestead; Dozens of Weekly Prizes

HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. (June 9, 2008) – M&M’S® Racing and NASCAR® announced today the re-launch of the popular “The Most Colorful Fan™ of NASCAR” contest, which encourages NASCAR fans nationwide to showcase their passionate love for the sport by uploading their most eye-catching photos to NASCAR.com for a chance to win big. The contest will run from June 8, 2008, through October 11, 2008, and will feature weekly winners who will receive an array of NASCAR-themed prizes.

Just like America’s favorite candy known for colorful chocolate fun, the M&M’S contest brings the excitement and revelry of the weekly NASCAR circuit to fans.

“‘The Most Colorful Fan of NASCAR’ contest allows fans a one-of-a-kind interactive experience to show off the fun side that defines the excitement of the sport,” said William Clements, vice president of Mars Properties. “Whether you’re a die-hard fan or new to the sport, M&M’S Racing is giving you the opportunity to compete just like the drivers, but among fellow fans.”

Five finalists will also win trips to the Ford 400 in Homestead, Fla., on November 16, 2008, for the ultimate NASCAR VIP experience courtesy of M&M’S, as well as $100 gift cards from The Home Depot for colorful paints. Kyle Busch, driver of the M&M’S No. 18 Toyota Camry and one of the sports top stars is even getting in on the action, as he’ll help judge the final competition in Homestead along with other top drivers.

“The Most Colorful Fan of NASCAR” will be awarded with an exclusive Tissot® wrist watch and a VIP trip for two to the Richard Petty Driving Experience.

“While all drivers are out to win week in and week out, we all have to remember that the sport is truly about the fans,” said Busch, winner of the recent Best Buy 400 Benefiting Student Clubs for Autism Speaks. “That’s why the M&M’S Racing ‘The Most Colorful Fan of NASCAR’ contest is so cool – the fans get to compete weekly just like we do, as well as win some pretty amazing prizes.”

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The worst mistake Dumbrowski made this season was allowing for the acquisition of Dontrelle Willis. I dislike Willis even more than Nate Robertson. The pitcher had a good season a few years back and suddenly he becomes the man we are to rely on to help pull our broken down bullpen together. I was nervous during his first start. I felt he didn’t do well, but I hoped it was just ‘new club’ nerves. After his injury, I was secretly glad that he’d be unable to play. I just wasn’t impressed and wondered why the heck the Tigers had added more dead weight to the bullpen.

When Willis went down to Toledo to rehab, he wasn’t particularly good. The Toledo pitchers did a lot better than he did and cleaned up the messes he made. While Willis went out and did fair when he made his first appearance back with the Tigers against the A’s, the Tigers should have known he wouldn’t be ready for starting. Instead, Leyland put him back in the rotation, cutting out the more reliable Galarraga. Boy was that a mistake!

I don’t often say my girlfriend, Ashtyn, is right when it comes to sports, but she really called it. When we heard Dontrelle would be pitching in the last game of a four game series the Tigers were playing against the Cleveland Indians, Ashtyn just shook her head sadly as she said, “Leyland’s making a big mistake.”

Big mistake is an understatement. Dontrelle didn’t even make it through the 2nd inning. He had to be relieved by Denny Bautista. Instead, he gave up eight runs, most of them due to his ability to walk at least five of the Cleveland batters. With the score 8-0 it was nearly impossible for the Tigers to recover from the wreck Dontrelle caused. The end score was 8-2. Not even a rain delay could give them the rest they needed to regroup and get the offense hitting enough balls to snatch away a nearly impossible win.

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In previous reports by the Miami Dolphins, the team mentioned that Josh McCown and John Beck would be competing for the starting position as QB for the Miami Dolphins. While Chad Henne was listed as a 2008 NFL draft selection there was little mention as to whether the former Michigan record breaker would be given the chance to start for the Dolphins.

Now, as the Dolphins started their three day mini-camp today, Chad Henne is competing with McCown and Beck for the spot as starting quarterback. While there isn’t much mention of the rookie, Henne, and how he is doing, Coach Tony Sparano alluded to the fact that all three of the QB’s were doing well and showing what they’re made of on the field.

“Each day I go out here, I see another guys kind of step up. It hasn’t been a consistent progression right now. … I like their grasp - all three of them - quite honestly, I like their grasp of the offense. They are working real hard at it. Last week wasn’t a week of practice, but they were in here spending extra time and learning what we are doing and getting ready to go for this week and it shows when they are out there on the field.”

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There has to be some way to turn this Detroit Tigers team around. The players on this team aren’t bad guys. They are actually all very good in their respective roles, with a few exceptions. So, why does Jim Leyland keep making the same mistakes over and over in an attempt to improve the team? I know I may be repeating some of the things I’ve said before, in other articles on the Tigers, but I can’t help that I’m right when it comes to who sucks on the Tigers team.

1. Letting Nate Robertson start - Nate would be best these days as a relief pitcher, if any pitching were allowed for him. He might be better served in another organization or back in the minors. Jim is nostalgic from 2006, but Nate hasn’t done sh!t for the team since then. He has one of the worst pitching records in the league let alone on the team.

2. Letting Edgar Renteria play in every game - Renteria is either on or off. When he’s on, he’s fly. When he’s off, he’s terrible both on the field and batting. He isn’t that good of a short stop and boggles the ball more than he catches it. He needs to switch things up with Santiago or even Guillen, who wasn’t that bad in the position.

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I heard all this talk about a Penguins comeback after the Detroit Red Wings allowed them to raise the series to 3-2. I’d expect this from Penguins fans, but what about those in Detroit? Sure, the Penguins played okay, but the team doesn’t seem to have the puck control the Red Wings have. I’d been saying the Red Wings were going to win the Stanley Cup since just prior to the end of the regular season. The Red Wings have been playing awesome and their performance in the semi-finals really proved how good a team they are!

Being from Michigan, the news, radio and everywhere else you looked was going Red Wings crazy from the moment we entered the finals with the Penguins. Then, we let the Penguins win two games and suddenly all those who were certain the Red Wings were going to win started doubting a team that has won consistently to the point where the team has made a record breaking 17 post season appearances in a row, the longest streak in all of Pro Sports.

As if that wasn’t impressive enough, this is the Red Wings 11th Stanley Cup, they’ve been Western Conference Champions five times and they’ve been the Central Division Champions 16 times. This means the Red Wings have made it to the post season in 23 of the last 25 seasons. The team is just that good.

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