McGruff the Crime Dog® and NASCAR's Joey Gase want you to buy smart

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Aug. 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NASCAR driver Joey Gase, alongside McGruff the Crime Dog^®, are spotlighting the harms of counterfeit products, at the WAWA 250 on August 26. With his #35 car displaying the Go For Real logo, Gase is promoting the successful anti-counterfeiting campaign, which is sponsored by the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) and the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to raise awareness of the importance of buying authentic products.

"I am extremely excited to be teaming up with McGruff the Crime Dog this weekend in Daytona!" said Gase. "I remember McGruff coming and visiting my class when I was in elementary school and how cool that was. I also know my boys will be so excited to meet McGruff at the track on Friday!"

This partnership is driven by NASCAR and Gase's deep understanding of the harms that are caused by fakes. The Go For Real campaign educates fans and consumers on the dangers of dupes that permeate multiple industries, including professional sports.

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has valued the counterfeit auto-part market at roughly $12 million annually, with 80% of these dupes coming from China.

"NASCAR drivers rely on the safety of real auto parts to compete in various races annually," said Paul DelPonte, Executive Director of the NCPC home of McGruff the Crime Dog. "Whether on a track, or on the street, it is vital to choose real products that are tested for safety. Through this partnership we can reach millions of Americans with one message: You're Smart. Buy Smart."

"Buying smart and buying real is key to keeping our drivers, as well as our kids and loved ones, safe," said Kathi Vidal, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO, and an amateur race car driver herself. "Counterfeit goods, which cross our borders into the U.S. at the rate of over $9 million in value per day, not only harm and cause death, they also take jobs away from American families. Whether it is car or video game components, make-up or prescription drugs, or purses and shoes, this pervasive criminal activity must be stopped. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and I are committed to cracking down on counterfeit goods for the benefit of every American and entrepreneur. I am thrilled that NASCAR – an iconic brand in and of itself – and driver Joey Gase are doing their part to change the narrative and shifting this import work into high gear."

You can catch the crime fighters on the USA Network at 7:30 PM ET.

To learn more about the Go For Real campaign, visit www.ncpc.org/goforreal or visit NCPC's social media channels @McgruffatNCPC. For more information related to Joey Gase, visit www.joeygaseracing.com or visit Joey's social media channels @JoeyGaseRacing.

SOURCE National Crime Prevention Council