Sears Auto Center Invites Adventurers to Begin 'Exploring My America'

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., June 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Americans have always embraced the soul of the open road. With summer here, the time has come for those with a spirit of adventure and exploration to travel along the legendary roadways of America — from the picturesque shores of the Pacific Coast, along iconic Route 66, to the famed Appalachian Trail. Sears Auto Center is inviting intrepid travelers to join the "Exploring My America" campaign. Sears Auto Center will outfit 21 teams for a week-long journey along one of nine famous American highways and give them a video camera to document and share their journey.

Is the highway calling you? Are you ready to leave the everyday world behind and explore a unique piece of Americana? Then sign up now at exploringmyamerica.com and submit your audition video. Sears Auto Center is looking for teams of travelers with creativity and personality to showcase their talents. The 21 teams selected will be sent off on a week-long journey, documenting every day of their voyage. Beginning July 11, three teams will depart each week for seven weeks.

"Sears Auto Center is inviting Americans to return to our country's great highways and explore the roadside attractions, landmarks and landscape that make America unique," said Bill Jackson, president, Sears Authorized Independent Auto Centers, LLC. "Our team of auto care experts specializes in getting our customers' cars ready for the great American road trip and we're excited to invite them to participate in the 'Exploring My America' campaign."

Everything You Need for the Road Ahead

The 21 teams chosen for "Exploring My America" will be well stocked as they head on down the road. Prior to departure, each team will receive a 21-point inspection from the Sears Auto Center Blue Crew. They'll also receive $500 in Sears Auto Center store credit for any last-minute tune-ups. Each team will receive $1,500 in travel funds for food, gas, lodging and other expenses.

And since this trip is all about capturing the experience, each team will receive an HD video camcorder and Wi-Fi card for recording and uploading every leg of the journey. Each team's mission is to interact with people along their assigned route, capture interesting stories of unique personalities and places, and file their stories daily to ExploringMyAmerica.com for all to enjoy. Each team's car will also be outfitted with temporary Sears Auto Center and sponsor signage to easily identify the traveling crew.

Teams must consist of at least two members and can contain as many members as the car can safely hold according to the instruction manual. Team members under the age of 18 can join as long as their parent or guardian is serving as team captain. Full program details are available at exploringmyamerica.com.

Where the Road Takes You

Sears Auto Center has mapped out nine iconic routes for "Exploring My America" and the 21 teams will travel a portion of these highways:

• Pacific Coast/Highway 101: Olympic National Park, Forks, Wash., to San Diego
• Route 66: Chicago to Los Angeles
• Coast to Coast/Route 20: Oregon Coast to Provincetown, Mass.
• Atlantic Coast/Route 1: New York City to Key West, Fla.
• Road to Nowhere/Highway 83: South Padre Island, Texas to Bismarck, N.D.
• Appalachian Trail: Atlanta to Gorham, N.H.
• Loneliest Road/Highway 50: San Francisco to Ocean City, Md.
• Great River Road: Grand Rapid, Minn., to New Orleans
• Dixie Overland Highway/Highway 80: Savannah, Ga., to San Diego

As the teams record their travels, they'll also be competing for cash prizes. You can vote for the best videos at exploringmyamerica.com beginning July 11 to help determine daily and weekly winners. Each week, the best road tripper will receive a $500 cash prize. Sears Auto Center will also choose top content and moment of the week awards and hand out a $200 Sears Auto Center gift card to the submitting team. And your vote could make you a winner. Daily voters will be entered into a random drawing to receive $100 cash or Sears Auto Center credit. For official sweepstakes rules and details, visit exploringmyamerica.com.

Sears Auto Center: Getting You Ready for All Your Summer Road Trips

No matter where your summer travels take you, Sears Auto Center has everything you need to get your car in top shape throughout the season. Sears Auto Center carries all the essentials, including tires, brakes and America's most trusted automotive battery brand, DieHard. Sears Auto Center also has the products to take your car to the next level, including custom wheels, performance suspensions and navigation systems. For more information, visit sears.com/auto.

About Sears Auto Center

Sears Auto Center is a leading provider of automotive maintenance and repair services and parts, with nearly 850 locations nationwide offering a full array of passenger and light truck tires, DieHard® batteries, Craftsman® auto accessories and more.  Sears has a long history as America's trusted place for car care, having offered auto parts since 1905 and service since 1931.  Sears Auto Center offers customers convenient locations and hours, as well as an extensive menu of services.  Sears Auto Center is a division of Sears, Roebuck and Co.

About Sears Holdings Corporation

Sears Holdings Corporation is the nation's fourth largest broadline retailer with approximately 3,900 full-line and specialty retail stores in the United States and Canada.  Sears Holdings is the leading home appliance retailer as well as a leader in tools, lawn and garden, home electronics and automotive repair and maintenance.  Sears Holdings is the 2010 ENERGY STAR® Retail Partner of the Year.  Key proprietary brands include Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard, and a broad apparel offering, including such well-known labels as Lands' End, Jaclyn Smith and Joe Boxer, as well as the Apostrophe and Covington brands.  It also has the Country Living collection, which is offered by Sears and Kmart.  We are the nation's largest provider of home services, with more than 12 million service calls made annually.  Sears Holdings Corporation operates through its subsidiaries, including Sears, Roebuck and Co. and Kmart Corporation.  For more information, visit Sears Holdings' website at www.searsholdings.com.

SOURCE Sears, Roebuck and Co.; Sears Auto Center