Aaron's, Inc. of Atlanta, Ga. (NYSE:AAN) enters the 2010 NASCAR season riding a wave of sports marketing success from over a decade of involvement in the sport. The 2009 season marked Aaron's first year of full-time sponsorship in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) with long-time partner Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) and driver of the No. 00 Aaron's Dream Machine, David Reutimann. On the way to a solid 16th-place finish in the championship standings, Aaron's shared their first Cup Series win with MWR when Reutimann notched his first NSCS win in the 50th running of the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Complimenting Reutimann's 2009 success, Aaron's sponsored the MWR No. 99 Aaron's Dream Machine with up-and-coming driver Trevor Bayne in the NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS). The ever-popular Aaron's Dream Weekend at Talladega Superspeedway continued its successful run as one of the top race weekends of the season and the company enjoyed tremendous growth in popularity of the Aaron's Lucky Dog mascot. NASCAR fans have rewarded Aaron's involvement in the sport by supporting Aaron's stores across the country, allowing Aaron's to continue to grow and prosper.

The 2010 NASCAR season will again celebrate one of the longest and most visible sponsorships in motorsports, as Aaron's partners with MWR as the primary sponsor of David Reutimann and the No. 00 Aaron's Dream Machine for 24 select NSCS races. Aaron's will also act as the primary sponsor of the familiar No. 99 NNS Aaron's Dream Machine with the newly formed Diamond-Waltrip Racing for nine select races with rookie sensation Trevor Bayne. Veteran owner/driver Michael Waltrip will be back behind the wheel of an Aaron's Dream Machine in the Aaron's 312 Nationwide Series race at Talladega Superspeedway.

In 2010, Aaron's official mascot, Lucky Dog, will once again ride on the hood and TV panel of each Dream Machine as part of Aaron's marketing campaign that reinforces Aaron's latest core message that "Everyone's a Lucky Dog at Aaron's." Aaron's has recently branded the "Aaron's Lucky Dog Free Pass" on ESPN and SPEED TV motorsports broadcasts and expanded its radio and national print advertising to include Lucky Dog as part of its marketing campaign.

Come April the NASCAR world will once again cast the spotlight on Aaron's as Talladega Superspeedway hosts the "Aaron's Dream Weekend." In addition to sponsoring both the Aaron's 312 Nationwide Series race and the Aaron's 499 Sprint Cup race, the company hosts hundreds of employees and entertains thousands of fans at the Aaron's Storefront Display and stage.

Aaron's venture into NASCAR began in 2000 when President, Ken Butler, agreed to sponsor the NASCAR Nationwide Series event at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Being a creative marketer and wanting to be unique, Butler asked for and received permission to add twelve extra miles to the length of the 300-mile race and created the Aaron's 312.

As planning for the event ensued, Butler wanted a spokesperson to help promote the event. His vision was to produce a television commercial that described the reasoning behind the twelve extra miles and the drama those twelve extra miles could cause drivers and teams during the race.

As fate would have it, Butler and Waltrip would meet at a concert in Atlanta that year. After introductions, the polite conversation grew broader, ideas were exchanged, and a racing deal was consummated. Waltrip would be the Aaron's 312 spokesman for the television commercial, and Aaron's would become a primary sponsor for a few races with Michael Waltrip's Nationwide team, which was run out of his shop located in the backyard of his Sherrill's Ford, N.C. home. With that, the No. 99 Aaron's Dream Machine was born.

The creative method behind Aaron's new marketing tools started with the Aaron's 312 which reflects the three great reasons to shop at Aaron's - Everyone is Pre-Approved, No Credit Checks, Brand New, Name Brand products at Guaranteed Low Prices - and you can own it in 12 months; thus 3-12. With the success of the event at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Aaron's became the primary sponsor for both spring races held at Talladega Super Speedway. The Aaron's Dream Weekend at Talladega hosts the Aaron's 312 Nationwide Series race and the Aaron's 499 Sprint Cup race. Why 499? Because "dreams come true at Aaron's for (4) $99 a month." The No. 99 on the Nationwide Aaron's Dream Machine represents the ability to own quality name brand furniture, electronics, appliances and computers for just $99 a month. The No. 00 NASCAR Sprint Cup Dream Machine refers to Aaron's policy of "No Credit Checks and No Down Payment."

As Butler, Waltrip and Aaron's became more visible on television during race broadcasts, the Aaron's race car began to develop a public identity of its own and become synonymous with the number 99, Michael Waltrip and Aaron's. Race fans and the sports media would come to call the race car the "Aaron's Dream Machine" and with that came the highly successful campaign to "let Darrell Waltrip (DW) drive the Ol' Aaron's Dream Machine."

Entertaining television commercials portrayed DW's creative schemes to trick and talk his way past Michael and into the drivers seat, but it would be several years, and a long list of other drivers ahead of him, before DW got his chance to drive the Ol' Aaron's Dream Machine. On July 22, 2006, at Martinsville Speedway, Aaron's made Darrell's dream come true by letting him suit up and drive the Aaron's Dream Machine from 41st to a respectable 28th-place, lead-lap finish. It was a fitting end to an exceptionally popular advertising campaign.

Butler and Waltrip developed a strong business relationship over the years and, as a result, a strong friendship grew. In 2007 when Michael Waltrip opened his 140,000 sq. ft shop Race World USA in Cornelius, N.C. - which was home to three NSCS teams and one NNS team, Aaron's would once again step up to the plate.

Aaron's had sponsored Waltrip's No. 99 on a part-time basis until 2007, when MWR driver David Reutimann climbed behind the wheel full-time and took a shot at the NNS championship with the Aaron's colors. Reutimann won his first Nationwide race in dominating fashion at Memphis Motorsports Park and went on to finish second in the points race, which earned another attempt at the NNS title in 2008 where he finished seventh.

Aaron's has also been active in ARCA and USAR Racing as a partner of each along with individual team sponsorships over the years.

Aarons, Inc. (NYSE: AAN) based in Atlanta, Ga. currently has more than 1,695 Company-operated and franchised stores in 48 states and Canada offering residential and office furniture, consumer electronics, computers, home appliances and accessories. The Company also manufactures furniture and bedding at 12 facilities in five states.

Aaron's stores offer customers access to high-quality furniture, appliances, electronics and computers for sale or on a lease-ownership arrangement. Customers have the option of buying their merchandise for an attractive cash price, or opting to lease their merchandise for even greater payment flexibility. With a lease option, customers make modest monthly payments and have the immediate use of the items they need without waiting for credit checks or other delays. Plus, Aaron's will take care of delivery, set-up, repairs and more for the duration of a customer's lease.