8 SUNOCO RACE FUELS The list is staggering. A fan of just about any form of Motorsports has seen the familiar yellow, blue and red colors of Sunoco Race Fuel, an official partner of the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA). A glance through the list of Motorsports sanctioning bodies past and present whose competition is fueled by Sunoco shows nearly 40 different forms of Motorsports. For decades, Sunoco’s fuels have been associated with racing excellence. Since the mid-1960s, when Sunoco and the Roger Penske Racing Team with Mark Donohue forged what would be a long and successful alliance, the company has grown into an industry powerhouse. Today, Sunoco has expanded the reach of its racing fuel line around the world to include all types of professional Motorsports and other activities where premium race fuels make a difference. “Sunoco has been committed to grassroots racers from the beginning of our involvement with providing high-quality racing fuels to racers in the 1960s,” Sunoco Performance Products senior sales manager Terry Thompson said. “Today Sunoco is the largest manufacturer of racing gasoline in the world, and our products are used in the highest tiers of all forms of racing in the U.S. and abroad. “We are the official fuel of virtually every top-tier professional racing venue in the United States yet our race fuels department works on a daily basis with racers, race shops, weekly race tracks and drag strips, engine builders and local series throughout the country. At Sunoco we love racing, it’s in our DNA, and grassroots racing is the heart and soul of the entire sport.” Sunoco has a 40-year track record of winning performance, but it all started in 1920 when the company opened its first gas station in Ardmore, Pa., the beginning of the “premium gas at regular gas prices” era. Twenty years later, Sunoco designed and built its first full-service gas stations in the Northeastern United States. When the company blended its first high- octane fuels in the early 1950s, racers took note. In 1966, Sunoco entered Motorsports with its Penske Racing sponsorship which included fuel for Donahue’s car that first tested at Indianapolis two years later. In 1969, Donahue won the SCCA Trans Am Championship while fueled by Sunoco, and three years later in 1972, they won the Indianapolis 500. Sunoco began officially manufacturing its high-performance race fuel in 1976. From there, it was on to NASCAR and Drag Racing, and soon it seemed every form of Motorsports, including the IHRA, would be fueled by Sunoco. “Sunoco has a long history with IHRA that goes all the way back to the early days,” Thompson added. “We have always believed that IHRA fulfills a very important niche in the drag racing market by providing a venue where grassroots racers have an opportunity to compete on a national level. They also provide the fans with a more laid-back yet exciting, fun filled experience where they can get up-close and personal with many of the stars of the sport. This is why IHRA is one of a handful of series supported by Sunoco marketing as well as Sunoco Performance Products. We are so pleased to continue our support of IHRA today and hopefully long into the future.” Sunoco is far more than racing fuel. In April, the company introduced Sunoco Ultratech, which meets the demanding specifications of the TOP TIER™ Detergent Gasoline Program, which was developed by eight automakers including BMW, General Motors, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Honda, Toyota, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz and Audi. Top Tier’s enhanced gasoline detergency helps keep engines clean and ensure compliance with tighter vehicle emissions and engine durability requirements. Sunoco operates more than 1,300 convenience stores and retail fuel sites, and its motor fuel is distributed to more than 7,300 convenience stores, independent dealers, commercial customers and distributors located in 30 states. IHRA PARTNER SPOTLIGHT by Rob Goodman