Lifelong Car Enthusiast From St. Louis Named Grand Prize Winner In The Shell V-Power® Ultimate Enthusiast Contest

HOUSTON, Jan. 14, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Shell and a distinguished panel of judges, including Roger Penske and Craig Jackson, have crowned Ronald Varley of St. Louis, Mo. this year's grand prize winner of the Shell V-Power^® "Ultimate Enthusiast" Contest. While countless entries impressed the judges with the depth of their passion, Varley's creative entry clearly stood out above the rest: Varley described different periods in his life based on the evolving and symbolic cars that were a part of it at the time and outlined his addiction to all things automotive in the form of a doctor's note.

"This year's contest once again showed us how excited automotive enthusiasts are to share their stories," said Elizabeth Hudson, US Fuels Category Manager at Shell Oil Products US. "We are thrilled to honor Ronald as this year's Ultimate Enthusiast as we know his passion for automotives is the same passion we put into developing Shell V-Power Premium Gasoline, our best, most technically advanced gasoline that actively cleans for better performance." 

Varley was crowned the grand prize winner at the opening night gala of the 43rd Annual Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction in Scottsdale, Ariz., where he was joined by fellow finalists Josh Seely (Haze, Ark.) and David Taube (Eugene, Ore.). All three finalists received a VIP experience at Barrett-Jackson's world famous car auction and a year's worth* of Shell V-Power^® Premium Gasoline.  By using Shell V-Power Premium Gasoline, these Ultimate Enthusiast finalists and other premium users can get a more exciting drive which is only possible when their vehicle performs at its best.  Shell V-Power is Ferrari's choice for improved performance, and removes an average of 60% of performance robbing gunk left by low quality premium gasoline, starting with the very first tank.

Along with the title of Ultimate Enthusiast Grand Prize Winner, Varley will receive an "Ultimate Enthusiast" week in Italy, where he and a guest will explore the country's historic sites and rich automotive history, including an exclusive Ferrari experience in the Prancing Horse's home town of Maranello, Italy. He will have a unique opportunity to witness first-hand how Shell and Ferrari have worked closely together for more than 60 years. Varley is a member of the Gateway Healey Association and Austin Healey Club of America, and each car club is eligible to win $5,000 in Shell V-Power Premium Gasoline.

"I am so excited to be named this year's Ultimate Enthusiast and to have my lifelong passion for automotives recognized by such titans in the space," said Varley. "I can't wait to go to Italy for this once-in-a-lifetime experience. In my entry I explained that my formula for driving excitement can be summed up through my love for sports cars and Italy and now it is coming true!"

Top entries were scored by a panel of judges including Roger Penske, founder and chairman of Penske Corporation; Craig Jackson, chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson Auction Company; Eddie Alterman, editor-in-chief of Car and Driver; Larry Webster, editor-in-chief of Road & Track; Alan Taylor, host of The Drive with Alan Taylor; Tony Marini, executive director of Hot August Nights; Don Prudhomme, an American drag car racer; and Harold Craige, the 2012 Ultimate Enthusiast Grand Prize Winner.

For more information on the Shell "Ultimate Enthusiast" Contest and Shell V-Power, visit www.shell.us/ultimateenthusiast   

*For the purposes of this Prize, "a year's worth of Shell V-Power Premium Gasoline®" is calculated as the average consumer's yearly gasoline consumption of 636 gallons (4.5 fuel purchases per month x 11.77 gallons of gasoline per purchase x 12 months) at an average July 3, 2013 cost of $3.819 / gallon consistent with the Oil Price Information Services national average released on July 3, 2013 (636 x $3.819 = $2,428.88).

About Shell

Shell Oil Products US, a subsidiary of Shell Oil Company, is a leader in the refining, transportation and marketing of fuels, with a network of approximately 6,000 Shell-branded gasoline stations in the western United States. Another 8,300 Shell-branded stations in the eastern and southern are managed by Motiva Enterprises LLC, a 50/50 joint venture between Shell Oil Company and Saudi Refining, Inc.

Shell Oil Company is an affiliate of the Royal Dutch Shell plc, a global group of energy and petrochemical companies with 93,000 employees in more than 90 countries. [(NYSE:RDS.A) and (NYSE:RDS.B)]

About The Barrett-Jackson Auction Company

Established in 1971 and headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., Barrett-Jackson specializes in providing products and services to classic and collector car owners, astute collectors and automotive enthusiasts around the world. The company produces "The World's Greatest Collector Car Auctions ™" in the finest cities in the nation. Barrett-Jackson also endorses a one-of-a-kind collector car insurance offering for collector vehicles and other valued belongings. For more information about Barrett-Jackson, visit http://www.barrett-jackson.com or call (480) 421-6694.

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SOURCE Shell Oil Company