Clevite 77® and Perfect Circle® Add Fuel to NHRA Teams Through The Clevite NITRO Club

Arbor, Michigan -- Feb 03, 2005 -- For years, Clevite 77® engine bearings and Perfect Circle® piston rings have powered Nitro-fueled NHRA cars to the finish line. Now, the Nitro Club™ from Clevite 77 and Perfect Circle has gone the extra mile to help teams save a little green while setting quarter-mile records.

"We worked very hard and put a lot of thought into building a program to give the NHRA Nitro Funny Car and Top Fuel Dragster teams maximum purchase power," said Don Sitter, director of engineering and quality with Clevite Engine Parts. "We also wanted to make sure that we were able to leverage marketing power - and we’re sure that this provides us with the winning combination we were looking for."

There are three levels of membership - basic, standard and premier - each with a variety of requirements. Teams get better pricing on engine parts based on the level they choose.

In addition, Premier Membership teams that finish in the top 16 of the NHRA Funny Car and Top Fuel classes will be entered into a drawing to win a Perfect Circle® piston ring and Clevite 77® engine bearing sponsorship for 2006.

"The Clevite Engine Parts Nitro Club allows us to get the best quality piston rings and engine bearings out there at a reasonable cost," said Jim Oberhofer, general manager of Kalitta Motorsports. "I think the Nitro Club is good for a wide variety of teams that may not necessarily get a product sponsorship, because they still have the ability to buy good parts at a reasonable cost."

Clevite Engine Parts is part of Dana Corporation’s Automotive Systems Group. Clevite Engine Parts provides a wide scope of under-the-hood products for the global replacement parts market, including Clevite 77® engine bearings, Victor Reinz® gaskets, Perfect Circle® piston rings and Clevite engine parts. In addition, Clevite 77, Victor Reinz and Perfect Circle are exclusive NASCAR Performance Products. Clevite’s Internet address is www.engineparts.com.

Dana Corporation is a global leader in the design, engineering, and manufacture of value-added products and systems for automotive, commercial, and off-highway vehicles. Delivering on a century of innovation, the company's continuing operations employ approximately 45,000 people worldwide dedicated to advancing the science of mobility. Founded in 1904 and based in Toledo, Ohio, Dana operates technology, manufacturing, and customer-service facilities in 30 countries. Sales from continuing operations totaled $7.9 billion in 2003.