Phoenix International Raceway President Bryan R. Sperber announced today that Konica Minolta has signed a letter of intent to become the title sponsor of the NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series race at PIR on Thursday, November 9. The race will be titled the KONICA MINOLTA 125.

The KONICA MINOLTA 125 is the season finale where not only a race winner will be crowned but also the 2006 series champion. Green flag for the KONICA MINOLTA 125 will drop at 7 p.m. and will run under the lights on PIR's one-mile oval.

"We are pleased to announce KONICA MINOLTA as the title sponsor of our NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division race," said Sperber. "The KONICA MINOLTA 125 will shift a weekend of action into high gear Thursday night under the lights."

The KONICA MINOLTA 125 will be a high-throttle race to conclude an action-packed race season for KONICA MINOLTA and its #57 race car driver, Leilani Münter. In addition to title sponsorship of Thursday evening's KONICA MINOLTA 125, the company will be hosting a number of guests and NASCAR fans for the entire four-day weekend at PIR, in the Valley of the Sun.

"As title sponsor, KONICA MINOLTA is excited to rev up a weekend that's sure to be action packed," said Stephen Fletcher, president and COO of KONICA MINOLTA PRINTING SOLUTIONS U.S.A., INC. "We look forward to watching our own Leilani Münter take to the track. She's been a driving force this year in delivering our message of high-performance printing, and we're happy to be able to spotlight her in this electrifying, end-of-season race."

Gates will open to fans at 10 a.m. on Thursday, November 9 and race fans will enjoy an exciting day of on-track action with practice and qualifying for the KONICA MINOLTA 125 as well as practice for the Casino Arizona 150, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race. The Casino Arizona 150 will run Friday, November 10 at 6:15 p.m.

It's the playoffs - NASCAR Style - this November at Phoenix International Raceway. Semi-Final Showdown Weekend at PIR roars into action Thursday night, November 9th with the Konica Minolta 125, NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series race. Friday features NEXTEL Cup Series qualifying and then the sparks will fly under the lights in the Casino Arizona 150, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race followed by the PIR After Dark fan festival Friday, November 10th. The best of the Busch Series battle it out on Saturday, November 11, in the ARIZONA.TRAVEL 200, NASCAR Busch Series race. Sunday, November 12th a champion could be decided in the Semi-Final race in the Chase for the NEXTEL Cup, the Checker Auto Parts 500 Presented by Pennzoil, NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race. Tickets and information for these events can be found at www.phoenixraceway.com or by calling, 602-252-2227 or 1-866-408-7223.

KONICA MINOLTA PRINTING SOLUTIONS U.S.A., INC.
KONICA MINOLTA PRINTING SOLUTIONS U.S.A., INC., is an innovative developer, manufacturer, and supplier of document printing solutions. The product line includes color and monochrome laser printers and all-in-ones, and associated supplies and accessories for general office, electronic publishing, graphic design, advanced imaging, and home office applications. KONICA MINOLTA PRINTING SOLUTIONS U.S.A., INC. headquarters are in Mobile, Alabama USA, and its products are distributed through a broad network of e-commerce, retail, reseller, and distribution partners. For more information, visit printer.konicaminolta.com.

Leilani Münter
A member of the SS Racing team, Leilani Münter began racing stock cars in 2001 on circuits throughout the United States. She will drive in approximately 30 races this season, including races in the NASCAR Elite Division and ASA. Leilani is also a race instructor at Andy Hillenburg's Fast Track High Performance Driving School and a special correspondent for NASCAR.com. For more information, visit leilanimunter.com.