Ameriquest sponsors Miller Lite dragster; awards NFL trip

Mortgage Banking, March, 2005

AMERIQUEST MORTGAGE CO., ORANGE, California, has partnered with Don Prudhomme Racing, Vista, California, as a major associate sponsor of the Miller Lite dragster driven by two-time National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Top Fuel champion Larry Dixon--Ameriquest's first venture into auto racing.

By teaming with Don Prudhomme Racing, Ameriquest expands its professional sports sponsorship portfolio. Ameriquest is the official mortgage company of the National Football League (NFL) and Major League Baseball, and was the title sponsor of the Ameriquest Mortgage Super Bowl XXXIX half-time show in Jacksonville, Florida.

"We've received a significant increase in business from all of our sports sponsorships, and motorsports is a great match in reaching our target 25-54 [age] male audience," said Adam Bass, Ameriquest's senior executive vice president. "Unlike our other strategic sports sponsorships, this partnership presents an opportunity for our brand to be visible on a team's uniform and equipment."

"I'm excited to see Ameriquest join the NHRA drag-racing community," Dixon said. "They are involved in other professional sports, and to have them recognize NHRA POWERade Drag Racing as a practical place to go says a lot about the direction our sport is headed. It's great to have a mainstream company become involved in drag racing, and even greater that Ameriquest looked to our team to represent its first involvement in racing."

Ameriquest also awarded a trip for two to Honolulu and the NFL Pro Bowl to David Mozgala of New Bern, North Carolina, a 57-year-old retired naval officer. Bern's name was drawn from tens of thousands of people who entered Ameriquest's "Live Like a Legend" Sweepstakes.

In addition to roundtrip accommodations and attending the Pro Bowl in February, Mozgala joined Marcus Allen at the NFL Legends Game as part of the inaugural made-for-television event "NFL Pro Bowl Skills Challenge," presented by Ameriquest.

"Watching a football classic like the Pro Bowl in beautiful Honolulu is something that every sports fan would love to experience in their lifetime," said Ameriquest's Bass. "We are thrilled that David and his wife will live like legends in Honolulu."