Outback Steakhouse Signs Sponsorship Agreement With Stewart-Haas Racing and Ryan Newman for 2012 Season

TAMPA, Fla., Nov. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- It's only fitting that Outback Steakhouse, a longtime supporter of U.S. military troops and their families, chose today, Veterans Day, to announce a sponsorship agreement with Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) and the No. 39 team of driver Ryan Newman, which is sponsored by the U.S. Army.

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Outback will serve as the primary sponsor of the No. 39 Chevrolet Impala for two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races during the 2012 season, and will be an associate sponsor on Newman's car throughout 2012. Officially launching the sponsorship, Outback's logo and a special message to United States Veterans will be featured on the decklid of Newman's No. 39 U.S. Army Chevy during this weekend's Sprint Cup event at Phoenix International Raceway.

"Given their leadership and performance on and off the track, we are pleased to partner with the likes of SHR and Ryan Newman," said Jeff Smith, president of Outback. "Joining forces with the No. 39 U.S. Army Chevrolet on Veterans Day is extra special for Outback given our longstanding commitment to supporting the U.S. troops."

The announcement was made this morning during a press conference at Phoenix. Tony Stewart, two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion and co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing, joined Newman and Outback Steakhouse Chief Marketing Officer, Mike Kappitt, in the unveiling of the No. 39 Outback Steakhouse Chevrolet Impala.  

"Outback Steakhouse and SHR share the same passion and commitment to excellence that drives us in our everyday operations," said Stewart. "Outback's reputation for quality and great service aligns nicely with our approach to being a leading performer on the track, and we're excited for all the things we can accomplish together."  

"As a fan of Outback Steakhouse, I'm excited to have them on board as a new sponsor in 2012," said Ryan Newman. "They've always been a brand known for quality and excellence -- the same qualities I bring to the track."

This sponsorship continues Outback's ongoing commitment to supporting the U.S. troops. Since first opening in 1988, Outback has hosted events and initiatives all over the country and abroad to support U.S. troops including their Thanks for Giving program which, over the last two years, has donated $2 million to Operation Homefront, a non-profit organization that supports military troops and their families, and their Operation Feeding Freedom initiative that sends teams of Outbackers overseas to feed American troops stationed abroad.  

For more information about Outback Steakhouse, please visit www.Outback.com, facebook.com/outback or follow us on Twitter @Outback.

About Outback Steakhouse

Outback Steakhouse was once again voted #1 Best Steak in the 2011 Zagat Survey® of National Full-Service Restaurant Chains for the third consecutive year. Outback Steakhouse starts fresh every day to create the flavors that our mates crave. Best known for grilled steaks, chicken and seafood, Outback also offers a wide variety of crisp salads and freshly made soups and sides. New creations and grilled classics are made from scratch daily using only the highest quality ingredients sourced from around the world. For more information, please visit www.outback.com or http://www.facebook.com/outback.

About Stewart-Hass Racing

Stewart-Haas Racing is the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team co-owned by two-time Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart and Gene Haas, founder of Haas Automation – the largest CNC machine tool builder in the western world. The team fields two entries in the elite Sprint Cup Series – the No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet Impala for Stewart and the No. 39 U.S. Army/Tornados/Haas Automation Chevrolet Impala for 2008 Daytona 500 winner Ryan Newman. Based in Kannapolis, N.C., Stewart-Haas Racing operates out of a 140,000-square-foot facility with more than 150 employees. For more information, please visit us on the Web at www.StewartHaasRacing.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/StewartHaasRacing and on Twitter at @StewartHaasRcng.

SOURCE Outback Steakhouse