NHRA News: Dixon and Wallace main focus of Miller ad campaign (2/13/2004)

Dixon and Wallace main focus of Miller ad campaign

2/13/2004

Miller Brewing Company will honor two-time defending NHRA Top Fuel champion Larry Dixon and Miller Lite Racing teammate and 1989 NASCAR champion Rusty Wallace and his Nextel Cup No. 2 Penske Dodge with a special commemorative can series. The program, launched earlier this month, runs through March.

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In conjunction with the six commemorative 24-ounce racing-themed cans, both Dixon's Don "the Snake" Prudhomme-owned Miller Lite dragster and Wallace's Penske Racing Miller Lite Dodge will sport a special paint scheme celebrating "Great Moments in Miller Racing." Dixon's Miller Lite dragster will feature the special paint scheme during the 20th annual Checker Schuck's Kragen Nationals, March 5-7, in Phoenix, while Wallace's No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge will sport the one-race scheme during the UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 7.

The cans will be available in convenience stores across the country and will include four Miller Lite cans and two Miller Genuine Draft cans. Each can will feature a different racing milestone in either Dixon's or Wallace's decorated racing career and can be purchased individually or in a specially packaged six-pack.

"To see your name and racecar on a beer can is awesome," Dixon said. "I was wondering if Miller chose the 24-ounce can because our dragster is so long that it wouldn't fit on the 12-ounce one."

"I think this is a really neat promotion that Miller is doing and I'm really quite flattered they are doing it," said Wallace. "We've had so many great runs carrying the Miller Genuine Draft and Miller Lite colors and we're proud of all of those accomplishments. The fans certainly know about the success Larry and I have had on the racetrack. Now they can help celebrate our career highlights in this commemorative fashion. These cans represent a lot of blood, sweat and tears and I feel honored that Miller came up with such an idea."

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One Miller Lite can, entitled "2004 Miller Lite Racing Team Built For Speed," will feature both Dixon and Wallace, while Dixon will be featured on a "Back-To-Back Champion" can of Miller Lite and a "1995 Rookie of the Year" can of MGD. Wallace's "600th Consecutive Start" and "50th Career Win" will be emblazoned on Miller Lite cans, and "Rusty Debuts 'Midnight' With A Win" will be portrayed on an MGD can.

Dixon, who begins his 10th season driving the Don Prudhomme-owned Miller Lite dragster in 2004, looks to become just the second driver in NHRA history to claim three consecutive NHRA POWERade Top Fuel championships. The second-generation driver has won 33 career NHRA events, ranking fourth all-time in the Top Fuel category. Dixon, who became the first driver to clock a 4.4-second pass (4.486 seconds) in 1999, hopes to help Prudhomme earn his 100th career NHRA victory in 2004. Prudhomme enters the season four wins shy of the century mark.

One of the most popular drivers in motor sports, Wallace was NASCAR's Rookie of the Year in 1984. The veteran driver from St. Louis captured his first career NASCAR victory at Bristol in 1986 and has earned 54 career victories. He won six races en route to the 1989 NASCAR championship. Wallace won a career-best 10 races in 1993. From 1986-2001, Wallace completed a remarkable run of capturing at least one NASCAR victory each season. In 2004, Wallace will pilot the Larry Carter-tuned Miller Lite No. 2 Penske Racing South Dodge.

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Milwaukee-based Miller Brewing Company is a wholly owned American subsidiary of SABMiller plc., the world's second-largest brewer. Miller's principal beer brands are Miller Lite and Miller Genuine Draft. The company imports Pilsner Urquell and Foster's and has craft brews Henry Weinhard's and Leinenkugel's. Its portfolio of brands includes High Life, Milwaukee's Best, and Sharp's, a non-alcohol brew. Miller produces Icehouse from the Plank Road Brewery, a small division of Miller, Olde English 800, Mickey's Malt Liquor, and Skyy Blue flavored malt beverage.

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