Fourth-grader Negotiates Racing Sponsorship Deal for Dad

PRESTONSBURG, Kentucky (January 21, 2010)--When lifelong NASCAR fan Joshua Mabe of Louisville, Ky., heard that driver Travis Kvapil was without a sponsor he vowed to use his business skills to negotiate a sponsorship deal to keep the much-loved Kvapil racing. The twist: Mr. Mabe is just ten years old and in the fourth grade. The pint-sized executive offered Yates Racing $300,000 in exchange for having the logo of his father's business, TomMabe.com, emblazoned on the side of Kvapil's stock car. Nevermind that dad was totally unaware of his son's negotiations. The younger Mabe delivered his pitch with a level of credibility that kept several NASCAR team reps on the line for long periods of time.

"He was trying to sponsor a different car every race," said Joshua's dad, comedian Tom Mabe. "When my son told me he'd been having a series of conversations with different teams, I had to check my office phone recorder, my wife and I were curious to hear what was going on. Little did I know that he was attempting to commit me to a deal that could have us taking a second mortgage on our house."

Proud mom Melanie said, "Josh has always been precocious but in most ways he's just a typical little boy."

Joshua Mabe was crushed when his father told him that they couldn't sponsor a major NASCAR driver.

"Like me, Joshua has tourettes and OCD, but he also has this extra gear and a drive that can drive you crazy or drive you to Prestonburg, Ky., to meet up with ARCA driver Steve Blackburn," Tom Mabe Said.

Blackburn, who has been competing in the ARCA Racing Series since 2005, welcomed the chance to team up with TomMabe.com and will debut an entry in the February 6 Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 with TomMabe.com as a sponsor, much to the delight of Tom's son, Joshua.

"This is a great opportunity for Steve Blackburn Motorsports and TomMabe.com and we're looking forward to racing at Daytona," said Blackburn.

The 2010 ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards kicks off with the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona Int'l Speedway on Saturday, February 6, 2010. The race is live on SPEED beginning at 4 p.m. Eastern.