IRL: Best Access Systems Sponors Greg Ray at Texas
12 September 1998
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"When we realized Greg had lost his sponsor at Indy and we saw his performance, we knew if he had a major sponsorship he could probably win races," stated Russell Best who became CEO of Best Lock Corporation in 1994. "Our company is celebrating its' 75th anniversary this year and we have changed our company's name to Best Access Systems. As we looked for opportunities to promote our new name, what better way than in the front row of the Indianapolis 500? We also made a commitment at Indy to promote Greg in his home state of Texas. The September race is a great business investment with a high yield of media exposure in return. In fact, we've received excellent exposure since the Indy race and that's why we believe in Greg and the IRL," commented Best.
"Everything was so non-stop at Indy, and the one thing that stands out is Best Access Systems and their help there, " states Ray. "At first, they were talking with us about some limited support, but they were also 'keeping an eye on me' and Greg Candler attended the June 6 IRL race where I came in 2nd place. They saw the coverage and media attention we received and wanted their company to have that kind of exposure. So, Best Access Systems came through with a full sponsorship for September 20 and we are very grateful for them and their belief in me to win," Ray concluded.
The Lone Star 500 is not to be missed, especially if you have never witnessed Indy car racing (open wheel, open cockpit, single seat vehicles that are powered by normally-aspirated V8 engines). Drivers passing each other three-across, side-by-side at over 220 mph is just a sample of the white-knuckle action in this competitive series. From the comments of media attending the previous IRL race at TMS, it has been said that the September race should be one of the best in motorsports action this year. The Lone Star 500 occurs on Sunday at 2 p.m. (CST) with live coverage on ABC Television and tickets are still available at Texas Motor Speedway by calling 817.215-8500.
Best Access Systems, formerly Best Lock Corporation, is an Indianapolis, Indiana-based firm that supplies their more than 70,000 customers with innovative security solutions through a diverse offering of mechanical and electronic access control products. For the past 75 years BEST has acquired a well-reputed name by providing customized masterkeyed systems (utilizing their famous interchangeable core) to industrial, institutional and commercial customers throughout the world. With this system, BEST also developed a reputation for quality service through their exclusive network of factory representatives. For more than a decade BEST's services and products have been evolving to include standalone electronic products, networked systems, CCTV, central monitoring and system integration. With this evolution came the need for a more appropriate name and identifier. BEST in its 75th anniversary year is pleased and excited to introduce a new name that is more appropriate to the products and services they are providing: Best Access Systems. For further information on Best Access Systems, please contact their offices 317.849.2250 or refer to their Web Site at http://bestlock.com.
For further information on Greg Ray, the IRL schedule or to request Greg Ray Fan Club information, please contact McMann & Tate at 214.880.7456 or refer to Greg Ray's Web Site at http://gregray.com.
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