DURACELL TO POWER GERMAIN RACING IN THE 2016 SEASON

Player Management International Media Release

Mooresville, NC (April 21, 2016) – Germain Racing is excited to announce that battery market leader Duracell has signed on to become an associate sponsor of the No. 13 GEICO Chevrolet SS and driver Casey Mears in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.  Duracell will be a full-season associate sponsor and will appear on the car beginning this weekend at Richmond International Raceway.

“Duracell is a leader in their industry and we’re excited to have them on-board and look forward to working with them to help build their brand through NASCAR,” team owner Bob Germain said.  “We’ve worked hard to develop our Sprint Cup Series program over the last eight years and adding a company like Duracell only serves to assist in our growth.  We’re also proud to have two Berkshire Hathaway companies as partners and I think it says a lot about the progress we’ve made.  We appreciate the relationship with Duracell and are thankful for their support.”

Germain Racing entered the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season with a host of sponsor commitments.  Most notably was a three-year extension from primary sponsor GEICO that will see the Gecko on the hood of the No. 13 entry through at least the end of the 2018 season.  Now, Duracell will ride along with Mears on the B-post of the GEICO Chevy and will appear on the decklid during the races where the GEICO Military livery adorns the racecar.  GEICO and Duracell are both members of the Berkshire Hathaway family of companies.

Duracell has a long history with the military and is looking to continue to build upon their relationship through their partnership with Germain Racing and GEICO Military.  The trio will be hosting service members at the racetrack during race weekends, while also featuring the No. 13 GEICO Chevrolet SS showcar at various military exchange and commissary locations.

“Duracell is extremely excited about partnering with Germain Racing to raise awareness of the sacrifices our military men and women undergo on a daily basis. This is another great opportunity to bring honor to our country’s soldiers,” said Jeff Jarrett, SVP of Marketing for Duracell. “Our history is rooted in the military – providing batteries that powered walkie-talkie’s used in military operations during WWII.  Just as then, Duracell is trusted to deliver long-lasting power when needed most.”

“Adding Duracell as a sponsor is exciting news and the opportunity to deepen our work with the military is something we all look forward to,” said Mears, who drove a National Guard Chevrolet to victory lane at the Coca-Cola 600 in 2007.  “Duracell is the most recognized and trusted battery brand by consumers and I’m honored to be able to represent them on the racetrack.”

About Duracell

Started in the 1920’s, the Duracell brand and company was recently acquired by the Berkshire Hathaway Company (NYSE-BRK) and has grown to be the leader in the single-use battery market in North America.  Its iconic brand is known the world over. Our products are trusted in the devices that keep people connected, protect their families, entertain them, and simplify their increasingly mobile lifestyles.  Berkshire Hathaway is a $210B holding company owning subsidiaries that engage in diverse business activities. Visit www.duracell.com for more information; follow us on Twitter.com/Duracell and like us on Facebook.com/Duracell.

Germain Racing is headquartered in Mooresville, NC.  For information on the team and team sponsors, please visit www.GermainRacing.comor follow the team on Twitter @GermainRacing.

MEARS 24TH AT BRISTOL DESPITE DAMAGE FROM LATE-RACE CONTACT

Player Management International Media Release

BRISTOL, Tenn. (April 17, 2016) – Bristol Motor Speedway, proclaimed as the World’s Fastest Half-Mile, is a short-track that drivers either love or love to hate, as the high banks can cause havoc and tempers to flare at a moment’s notice. As the Sprint Cup Series entered the race weekend in the Tennessee Mountains, Casey Mears and his Germain Racing team were optimistic.

After consistently running inside the top-20 for the first half of the 500-lap race, Mears received contact from a fellow competitor on lap 340, sending the GEICO Chevrolet spinning down the embankment, where he made a masterful save and avoided oncoming racecars. Despite the unseen damage underneath the car hindering the handling in the final stages, Mears crossed the finish line in the 24th position.

“We battled really hard today,” said Mears after the 500-lap race. “I felt our GEICO Chevrolet was pretty good all weekend leading up to the race and then especially on that first run. It’s frustrating because we deserved a better finish but after that spin, something was off with the car; whether it was the tow or another issue, we will figure it out once we are back at the shop. We never gave up though which is a credit to this team. I’m looking forward to hitting the track in Richmond.”

Mears qualified in the 16th position and quickly moved the No. 13 GEICO Chevrolet up three spots into 13th-place within the opening 15 laps on Sunday afternoon. As the first caution flew on lap 53, Mears found himself in the 12th position. The Bakersfield, California native would consistently run inside the top-15 for the initial 95 laps.

The handling began to fade by lap 117, when Mears radioed the car was “bouncing like a pogo stick” while still running directly outside the top-20. With the ability to play strategy on pit road, crew chief Bootie Barker called his driver to pit road for left side tires only, allowing Mears to restart 13th on lap 194. The strategic call allowed Mears to stay inside the top-20, although tightening up the handling on the GEICO machine.

Misfortune arrived on lap 340, as Mears received contact from another competitor, sending the GEICO Chevrolet spinning down the 24-degree embankment. However, the veteran driver made a dirt-tracking slide save to forego making contact with the walls or fellow cars. “I’m glad we aren’t torn up too bad and still have time to get back up there,” radioed Mears before returning to racing action from the 27th position. Despite not seeing any cosmetic damage, Mears felt something off underneath the car as the subsequent green flag run continued. The Germain Racing team battled through the final 100 laps and Mears was able to cross the finish line just behind his close friend Jimmie Johnson, in the 24th position.

The Sprint Cup Series now heads to Richmond International Raceway in Virginia for another short track racing event. Mears and the No. 13 GEICO Chevrolet SS will hit the track on Friday, April 22nd for opening practice at 11:00AM ET.  Qualifying will follow at 4:15PM ET.

The 400-lap race will take place on Sunday, April 24th, with FOX carrying live television coverage beginning at 1PM ET. The Motor Racing Network (MRN) and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio channel 90 will also have the live radio broadcast.

Please visit www.GEICO.com to learn how you could save money on more than just auto insurance.

To learn more about the GEICO Racing program, please visit: www.caseymearsracing.com

You can also follow GEICO Racing on Twitter: www.twitter.com/geicoracing

To learn more about Germain Racing, please visit: www.germainracing.com

MEARS AND GEICO TEAM BOUNCE BACK WITH STRONG TEXAS RUN

Player Management International Media Release

Fort Worth, TX (April 9, 2016) – After struggling through Martinsville a week ago, Casey Mears and the Germain Racing team aimed to right the course with a strong weekend in Texas.  While practice and qualifying proved frustrating, crew chief Bootie Barker and his crew set a strategy for Saturday night’s race and when all was said and done, the GEICO team had a solid night and departed the Lone Star State with a 23rd place finish.

“It was a solid result; the kind of race we needed to get things going in the right direction.  The pit crew was on it tonight and they did a nice job of getting me on and off of pit road quickly,” Mears said.  “You’re going to have struggles in this sport, but this GEICO team proves time and time again how resilient they are and we always seem to rise up and bounce back whenever we’re faced with challenges.  I’m proud of everyone on the team and we’re excited to get to Bristol next week.”

Rain delayed the start of the Duck Commander 500 at Texas Motor Speedway by nearly two-hours, but when the green flag turned the field loose late Saturday night, Mears made immediate progress and began collecting positions.  After qualifying 32nd, he quickly moved the No. 13 GEICO Chevrolet SS into the 27th position before penetrating the top-25 on lap 38.  Mears would run as high as 18th and the Germain Racing pit crew was efficient in their effort on pit road, routinely executing pit stops in the 11-second range.

When the dust settled after a long night of racing, Mears and the Gecko took the checkered flag in the 23rd position and were back on solid ground when they exited the garage in the early morning hours on Sunday.  The Germain Racing team left the track four positions better than they did a year ago when they finished 27th.

The GEICO team will now head to Bristol, TN, for some close-quarters racing action at the World’s Fastest Half-Mile.

Casey Mears and the No. 13 GEICO Chevrolet SS will hit the track at Bristol Motor Speedway for the weekend’s opening practice session on Friday, April 15th, at 11:00 AM (ET).  Qualifying will follow at 4:15 PM (ET).

The Food City 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race is on Sunday, April 17th, and it will be televised live on FOX beginning at 1:00 PM (ET).  The Performance Racing Network (PRN) will carry the live radio broadcast, along with SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.

Please visit www.GEICO.com to learn how you could save money on more than just auto insurance.

To learn more about the GEICO Racing program, please visit: www.caseymearsracing.com

You can also follow GEICO Racing on Twitter: www.twitter.com/geicoracing

To learn more about Germain Racing, please visit: www.germainracing.com