TORONTO, April 1 /CNW/ - Canadian Tire, the country's leading retailer of
automotive parts and products, announced today that it has signed an agreement
with reigning NASCAR champion, Scott Steckly. Driving a newly built car, made
to win with more than 350 top-of-the-line performance automotive parts from
Canadian Tire, Steckly will hit the tracks this May for his third NASCAR
season where he hopes to defend his 2008 championship title.
    The agreement between Steckly and Canadian Tire is a one-year commitment
with an option for two additional one-year agreements. With the goal of
creating an even more exciting experience for NASCAR fans across the country,
the partnership includes in-store appearances by Steckly and his team, as well
as attendance at race day hospitality events. Steckly's car will also be
fitted with 350 performance parts and accessories, courtesy of Canadian Tire.
    "Canadian Tire has a longstanding tradition of supporting motor sports in
Canada and we are thrilled to be teaming up with Scott Steckly as we head into
the 2009 racing season," says Tony Kuczynski, vice president, automotive,
Canadian Tire Retail. "An 18-year veteran of racing and passionate about motor
sports, Scott is an excellent ambassador for Canadian Tire and we look forward
to helping him reach the championship podium again this year."
    "22 Racing and Wide Open Motorsport Solutions are thrilled to have the
opportunity to team up with Canadian Tire in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series
in 2009," said driver and team owner, Scott Steckly. "As an automotive
technician myself, I can relate to Canadian Tire's automotive customers and I
look forward to the opportunities at the track and show events across Canada
this year. We plan to do our best to get Canadian Tire on the podium at every
race and contend for the 2009 Championship."
    Scott Steckly and his team will kick off the 2009 racing season on May
23rd at the Autodrome track in St. Eustache, Quebec. The 2009 NASCAR series
consists of 13 scheduled events across six provinces and runs May through
September.

    About Canadian Tire

    Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited (TSX: CTC.a, CTC) operates more than
1,200 general merchandise and apparel retail stores, gas bars and car washes
in an inter-related network of businesses engaged in retail, financial
services and petroleum. More than 57,000 Canadians work across the Canadian
Tire organization from coast-to-coast. Canadian Tire Retail and its Associate
Dealers together form one of Canada's best-known and most successful retailers
with 475 stores in communities nationwide. Canadian Tire stores offer a unique
mix of products and services through the leadership of three specialty stores
under one roof - Automotive, Sports and Leisure, and Home Products./NOTE TO PHOTO EDITORS: A photo accompanying this release is available on
    the CNW Photo Network and archived at http://photos.newswire.ca.
    Additional archived images are also available on the CNW Photo Archive
    website at http://photos.newswire.ca. Images are free to accredited
    members of the media/