Ram Truck Brand Named the Official Truck of the Kentucky Derby and Churchill Downs

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Apr 30, 2010, 11:00 ET

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., April 30 /PRNewswire/ --

Ram Truck Brand announces sponsorship with the Kentucky Derby and Churchill Downs
Ram Truck logo and vehicle displays to be present in and around Churchill Downs

Thoroughbred horses meet horsepower as the Ram Truck Brand makes a grand entrance on the track and in the winner's circle for the 136th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. From the Ram Truck logo placement on jockeys' pant legs to work trucks in and around the track, the Ram Truck Brand and Ram trucks will be proudly on display as part of a new sponsorship with the Kentucky Derby and Churchill Downs.

Ram trucks wrapped in customized graphics inspired by the unique designs of jockey silks will be positioned throughout Churchill Downs. As part of the overall integration of the Ram Truck Brand with Churchill Downs, the Ram Truck Jobsite Tour trailer will be located near the track so that attendees will be able to engage in the full brand experience.

"The Ram Truck Brand is honored to be a part of the 136th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs as well as the history and tradition associated with this annual event," said Fred Diaz, President and CEO – Ram Truck Brand, Chrysler Group LLC. "Ram Trucks not only carry people, they tow and deliver precious cargo such as these beautiful, million dollar athletes that grace the race track."

The sponsorship is part of the launch of the 2010 Ram Heavy Duty and includes broadcast media placement that will also air during the Kentucky Derby as well as the 155th Preakness on May 15 and the 2010 Belmont Stakes on June 5. Digital media placement includes direct links to the Ram Truck Brand website on KentuckyDerby.com and ChurchillDowns.com. As part of the sponsorship, the Ram Truck Brand will be part of the winner's circle as the winner of the Super Hi-5-wager will be awarded with a new Ram truck.

"Churchill Downs is excited to see the Ram Truck Brand become Official Truck of Churchill Downs and Official Partner of the 136th Kentucky Derby in such a robust and comprehensive way," said Kristin L. Warfield, Sr. Director, Partnership Development & Activation, Churchill Downs Incorporated. "Both the Kentucky Derby and the Ram Truck Brand are time-tested, embody the American spirit have a long history of delivering exceptional customer experiences."

About Churchill Downs Incorporated

Churchill Downs Incorporated, ("CDI"), headquartered in Louisville, Ky., owns and operates four world renowned Thoroughbred racing facilities: Arlington Park in Illinois, Calder Casino & Race Course in Florida, Churchill Downs Race Track in Kentucky and Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in Louisiana. CDI operates slot and gaming operations in Louisiana and Florida. CDI tracks are host to North America's most prestigious races, including the Arlington Million, the Kentucky Derby and the Kentucky Oaks, the Louisiana Derby and the Princess Rooney, along with hosting the Breeders' Cup World Championships for a record seventh time on Nov. 5-6, 2010. CDI also owns off-track betting facilities, TwinSpires.com and other advance-deposit wagering channels, television production, telecommunications and racing service companies such as BRIS and a 50-percent interest in the national cable and satellite network, HorseRacing TV, which supports CDI's network of simulcasting and racing operations. CDI's Entertainment Group produces the HullabaLOU Music Festival at Churchill Downs Racetrack which premieres on July 23-25, 2010. CDI trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol CHDN and can be found at www.ChurchillDownsIncorporated.com

About the Ram Truck Brand

With a work-hard, play-hard attitude, the Ram Truck brand offers the boldest, most powerful and capable pickup truck lineup on the planet.

The Ram Truck brand will add to its award-winning truck lineup with the introduction of its all-new 2010 Ram 2500 and 3500 Heavy Duty trucks, Motor Trend's Truck of the Year. The new heavy-duty trucks provide customers with first-time innovations and features along with new standards of strength, utility and driveability, building on the Ram's leadership in the heavy-duty pickup segment.

Introduced in 2008, the Ram 1500 is a game changer in terms of its ability to "outsmart" and "out-tough" the competition with its bold exterior design, crafted and refined interior, engineering excellence, superb innovation and best-in-class features and amenities. The Ram 1500 also ranks at the top of Strategic Vision Inc.'s 2009 Total Quality Index™ in the full-size truck segment. According to the survey, the Ram 1500 leads the way with the highest Total Quality score of any truck in the 15-year history of the study. Customers specifically noted that the Ram has the best added storage capability along with the best truck interior ever rated by customers.

The Ram Truck brand will further enhance its commercial vehicle presence with the introduction of a "new crew" of commercial-grade work trucks: the new 2011 Ram 3500, 4500 and 5500 Chassis Cabs. Led by an all-new crew cab, the new 2011 Ram Chassis Cabs are built on a proven frame and chassis, and engineered for maximum uptime, optimum performance and enhanced commercial capability.

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Ram Zone blog: http://www.ramzone.com

SOURCE Chrysler Group LLC