Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc. Retains Keystone Marketing
For Marketing Services to Leverage Motorsports Sponsorships

ADVANCE, N.C. (May 18) – Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc., of Tampa, Fla., has retained Keystone Marketing Company to provide marketing services to leverage Checkers®/Rally’s® partnerships with the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR®), International Speedway Corporation (ISC), and Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc., the nation’s largest double drive-thru chain, is the “Official Drive-Thru Restaurant” of NASCAR and several tracks owned by ISC. In addition, Checkers/Rally’s serves as the “Official Burger” of NASCAR, the Indianapolis 500 and the Brickyard 400 NASCAR race.

In demonstration of its dedication to speed and accuracy, Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc. kicked off its Checkers/Rally's "Double Drive-Thru Challenge" NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series pit-road-service themed contingency award program at the Daytona 500 on February 20. As the Official Burger and Drive-Thru Restaurant of NASCAR, Checkers/Rally's will recognize the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series team with the best pit road performance each week with a $10,000 prize. At the end of the season, Checkers/Rally's will award a grand prize of $100,000 to the team that garners the most Checkers/Rally's "Double Drive-Thru Challenge" wins throughout the race season.

Checkers/Rally's "Double Drive-Thru Challenge" takes place at all 36 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series point races. The winning teams must finish on the lead lap and spend the least amount of time on pit road.

Checkers/Rally’s will also use its partnerships with ISC and Indianapolis Motor Speedway to entertain its franchisees and franchise prospects at approximately 10 motorsports events in 2005, including Daytona International Speedway, Michigan International Speedway, Richmond International Raceway, Homestead-Miami Speedway and Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

"Keystone Marketing’s years of motor sports experience and strong relationships with key partners in the industry helps us leverage our motor sports sponsorships," said Richard Turer, Vice President of Marketing “It’s great to have their support at each NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race, and we look forward to working with the dedicated Keystone staff on upcoming projects."

“Checkers Drive-In Restaurants has done a thorough job of evaluating each motorsports partnership and implementing marketing programs to generate excitement among its target audiences,” said David Scheumann, president of Keystone Marketing. “After testing the waters for a couple of years as Official Burger of the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR's Brickyard 400, it is clear that NASCAR, along with their many track sponsorships, will provide the platform they need to grow their brand.”

Keystone Marketing, located in Advance, N.C., maximizes the return on a company’s investment in a sports-related or special event property by offering strategic planning, communication, field marketing, trade relations, promotions and licensing management services. Its clients include Kraft Foods, Pfizer, U.S. Army, Dremel, NVE Pharmaceuticals, Toyota Motor Sales USA, Jim Beam Brands, The Hershey Company and NTN Bearings.

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