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2011 OPTIMA® Ultimate Street Car Invitational:

First Vehicle Finalists Revealed

Upcoming Invitational offers action-packed race entertainment with some of the highest performing and most diverse vehicles in the performance automotive aftermarket industry

September 16, 2011 (MILWAUKEE) – OPTIMA® Batteries, the global leader in high-performance automotive and marine batteries, gears up for the fourth annual OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational, presented by K&N Filters and Wilwood Disc Brakes, by revealing the current list of drivers and vehicles that have qualified for and have been selected to compete in the event.

The current qualifying drivers range from newcomer enthusiasts to seasoned industry veterans, all of which will not disappoint spectators and fans that gather for the highly-anticipated competition. The vehicle selections represent a variety of industry-leadingmuscle cars, pro-touring cars, hot rods and street trucks, from both import and domestic manufacturers. Initial qualifiers were recruited through a series of events of similar format that tested drivers’ skills and vehicle performance power.

The following participants have earned a spot to compete in this year’s OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational:

? · Vinnie Allegretta, ‘69 Chevy Camaro

? · Erik Cederberg, ‘10 Chevy Camaro

? · Carmine Dell Aquila,’10 Nissan GTR

? · Hartmut Feyhl, Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Widebody

? · Brian Finch, ‘72 Chevy Camaro

? · Phil Gerber, ‘66 Chevy II

? · Wanda Goldberg, ‘70 Pontiac Trans Am

? · Matt Harber, Cadillac CTS-V

? · JF Launier, ‘57 Chevy

? · Dan Livezey, ‘69 Chevy Corvette

? · Mike Musto, ‘69 Dodge Daytona

? · Brian Moat, ‘70 Pontiac Firebird

? · Dan Oliver, ‘10 Ford Mustang

? · Zeke Peterson, Volkswagen Bug

? · Danny Popp, ’06 Chevy Corvette

? · Mary Pozzi, ‘72 Chevy Camaro

? · Mark Stielow (2010 OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational Champion), ‘69 Chevy Camaro

? · Brad Twiss, Toyota Supra 600HP

? · Kyle Tucker, ‘70 Chevy Camaro

? · Stacy Tucker, ’69 Chevy Camaro

? · Bret Voelkel, ‘67 Chevy Camaro

World-Class Talent

“We couldn’t ask for a more exciting initial list of vehicles for the 2011 OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational. The qualifying events brought in an unprecedented turnout and resulted in a wide range of vehicles that represent all segments of the performance automotive aftermarket industry,” says Cam Douglass, director of product development and marketing for OPTIMA Batteries. “The event has grown incredibly since its inception a few years ago and we are fortunate to have such amazing support from sponsors, fans, media partners and participants.”

Besides racing in the OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational, participants also get an automatic invitation to feature their car at the 2011 SEMA Show, compete in the event, gain awareness through hundreds of print and online articles, and will be featured in the broadcast special filmed around the event.

Full List of Finalists

The final, pre-SEMA round of finalists will be announced during the first week of October. After that point, there will still be one additional opportunity to qualify for the OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational. At SEMA, a committee made up of OPTIMA and industry representatives will walk the show floor in Las Vegas, looking for the best of the best across all vehicle segments. This final search will be promoted during the show and the final vehicle invitations will be awarded during SEMA.

Sponsors of the 2011 OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational include the presenting sponsors, K&N Filters and Wilwood Disc Brakes, and the race event sponsors, including BFGoodrich, Ridetech, Wilwood Disc Brakes, Raybestos and Detroit Speed and Engineering. Additionally, The Roadster Shop is an associate sponsor for the OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational.

New in 2011

This year, fans will be able to view the action from the front row for the first time ever. A limited number of spectator tickets will be available for purchase.Spectators and fans can purchase tickets by visiting OptimaInvitational.comthrough November 4, 2011, or until sold out.

Also new this year is the OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational T-shirt Design Contest. The contest, which started on September 7, 2011, will last two weeks, running through September 21, 2011. The designer of the winning T-shirt concept, which will be determined by the OPTIMA Facebook community, will have the opportunity to win a trip to the OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational. The winner’s design will also be considered for use as this year’s official T-shirt. Participants must be 21 years of age or older to enter. Contest rules and information on how to submit T-shirt designs and how to vote for favorites can be found at http://www.facebook.com/optimabatteries. Fans are encouraged to begin work on their designs now, as the first five entries will receive a free OPTIMA-branded hat.

2011 OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational Details

The Invitational will take place at Spring Mountain Motor Ranch, a state-of-the-art racing facility in Pahrump, Nev. during the first week of November. The Invitational brings in some of the top automotive talent, highly modified vehicles, credible racing veterans and fresh talent with undiscovered street machines.

The main race activity of the OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational takes place on Saturday, November 5 and will offer something for every race fan with the BFGoodrich Hot Lap Challenge, Ridetech Autocross Challenge, Wilwood Disc Brakes Speed StopChallenge, and the Raybestos Performance and Design Challenge. The Detroit Speed and Engineering Road Rally will occur the day before, following the close of the SEMA Show.

For the current list of the OPTIMA Batteries Ultimate Street Car Invitational participants, the official rules, and more information on the event, visit http://www.optimainvitational.com/.

About OPTIMA® Batteries

OPTIMA YellowTop®, RedTop® and BlueTop® batteries are available through leading battery distributors throughout theglobe. Consumers should look for the unique colored top and six-pack design for which OPTIMA is known throughout the world. For the nearest retailer, consumers can also call 1-888-8OPTIMA (1-888-867-8462) or visit www.optimabatteries.com.

OPTIMA batteries are manufactured by Johnson Controls, Inc. Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI - News) is the global leader that brings ingenuity to the places where people live, work and travel. By integrating technologies, products and services, we create smart environments that redefine the relationships between people and their surroundings. Our team of 140,000 employees creates a morecomfortable, safe and sustainable world through our products and services for more than 200 million vehicles, 12 million homes and one million commercialbuildings. Our commitment to sustainability drives our environmental stewardship, good corporate citizenship in our workplaces and communities, and the products and services we provide to customers. For additional information, please visit http://www.johnsoncontrols.com.