Lexington, Ky. (Feb. 22, 2016) – Valvoline™ – the petroleum industry’s first U.S. trademarked motor oil brand now celebrating its 150^th anniversary – today announced its 2016 sponsorship alignment with Menards® home improvement centers and Richard Childress Racing (RCR) driver, No. 27 Paul Menard.

 Valvoline will be co-primary sponsor with hood branding for four upcoming NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, beginning with the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 to be held Feb. 28 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Additionally, Menard will be featured in Valvoline’s LEGACY video series, designed specifically to tell the story of its motorsports history, commitment to excellence and dedication to developing cutting-edge motor oil.

 “We are proud to further grow our historical racing footprint with the announcement of our newest partnership with Paul Menard and the company he represents,” said Jamal Muashsher, Valvoline Global Brands, director of marketing. “Paul’s 2015 season was his best to date, and we hope the Valvoline brand brings him even greater success as this year’s Sprint Cup Series kicks off.”

 In addition to the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 in Atlanta, Valvoline will appear on the No. 27 Chevrolet SS hood at each of the following Sprint Cup Series races:

      July 24 – Brickyard 400 @ Indianapolis Motor Speedway

September 4 – Bojangles’ Southern 500 @ Darlington Raceway

October 8 – Bank of America 500 @ Charlotte Motor Speedway

Also part of Valvoline’s newest NASCAR sponsorship alignment will be this week’s launch of the first of two Valvoline LEGACY videos featuring Menard, which can be viewed at TeamValvoline.com/LEGACY.

 Paul Menard is involved with the family-run Menards home improvement stores in the Midwest and began racing at the age of eight in his hometown of Eau Claire, Wisconsin. He raced for multiple teams throughout his tenure, joining RCR in 2011. That same year, he won his first Sprint Cup race, the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, in his 167^th career start. In 2015, he made the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup for the first time, finishing the season in 14^th place, a career best.

 “We are honored to have Valvoline aboard the No. 27 Menards Chevrolet SS during their 150th anniversary,” said Jeff Abbott, Menards promotions manager. “Their legacy in NASCAR is something we are now proud to be a part of, and we look forward to a successful season alongside this and other partner organizations.”

 Valvoline has been part of racing since the sports’ inception. When the first-ever organized car race in North America was held in Chicago, Illinois, in 1895, the Valvoline lubricated, two-cylinder, one-and-three-quarter horsepower car won first place. And from this point forward, Valvoline would cement itself in racing culture. In 1965, the brand continued to position itself in racing legend when it introduced the world’s first racing oil. The product’s innovative competition benefits propelled it to become, and remain to this day, the best-selling racing oil of all time. Today, Valvoline™ teams race in numerous high-performance series worldwide, including NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series.

 Visit Valvoline’s recently launched TeamValvoline.com page for updates, auto-related content, videos and more – or follow the brand’s Facebook, Twitter and YouTube pages for up-to-date information. Valvoline products are now available at all Menards stores.

 ABOUT VALVOLINE™:

Valvoline is a leading worldwide producer and distributor of premium-branded automotive, commercial and industrial lubricants, and automotive chemicals. It ranks as the #2 quick-lube chain and #3 passenger car motor oil brand in the United States. The brand operates and franchises nearly 1,050 Valvoline Instant Oil Change^SM centers in the United States. It also markets Valvoline^TM lubricants and automotive chemicals; MaxLife^TM lubricants created for higher-mileage engines, SynPower^TM synthetic motor oil; and Zerex^TM antifreeze. Key customers include: retail auto parts stores and mass merchandisers who sell to consumers; installers, such as car dealers, repair shops and quick lubes; commercial fleets; and distributors. For more information, please visit Valvoline.com.

 About Menards:

With 297 stores in 14 Midwestern states, Menards has the tools, materials and supplies for all your home improvement needs whether you just need a light bulb or a can of paint to building a deck or new home. Menards is known throughout the home improvement industry as the place to Save BIG Money!  Menards does things right - the company’s strength and success can be seen in the well-stocked and maintained stores, the lowest prices in town and the way guests are always treated like family in a hometown hardware store atmosphere.

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^SMService mark, Ashland or its subsidiaries, registered in various countries