Top U.S. ladder brand to sponsor #38 Werner Ladder Ford F-150 - Werner, the world’s leading manufacturer of ladders and climbing equipment, and the preferred brand of ladders among professionals, is set to launch a NASCAR truck sponsorship program.

Werner will sponsor the #38 Werner Ladder Ford F-150 of driver Brandon Whitt beginning with Saturday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at the 1.5-mile Kansas Speedway. Werner will serve as primary sponsor on the Truck fielded by Clean Line Motorsports for nine remaining 2004 events.  Werner will also serve as associate sponsor for other races this season.

“We’re very excited to have Werner Ladders join us, especially as a primary sponsor for so many events this year,” said Whitt, a rookie driver whose marketing support from the Cure Autism Now organization will continue.

Brandon Whitt is following in the footsteps of former California phenomenon Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick in this level of major league stock car racing. He comes to the Trucks from a successful stint in NASCAR’s Winston West Series – where he qualified on the outside pole for the California race last spring – and the NASCAR Southwest Touring Series, where he was the 2002 Rookie of the Year.

“Werner is launching this NASCAR sponsorship program to make the Werner brand more visible to our professional customers,” said Chris Filardi, Vice President of Commercial Marketing at Werner.  “We’ve had several meetings with the Clean Line Motorsports team and we know that we will be terrific partners both on and off the track.”

Werner believes in the Craftsman Truck Series because it is supported by so many fans who use ladders as part of their professions.  “Contractors will often use their trucks to haul ladders all week and then haul their families on the weekend,” continued Filardi.  “It is easy to see why our customers have become such fans of this series.”

The Clean Line Motorsports crew has already begun calling #38 the “Werner Ladder Truck.”  The truck’s new paint scheme features Werner’s trademark blue and black colors and logo.  In a unique twist, the bed cover looks as if it is carrying a pair of ladders, a first in paint design for a Craftsman Truck, but a familiar sight to the contractors who use Werner’s products.

“Once the fans see the new design, I know they’ll agree that the Werner Ladder Truck is the best-looking vehicle out there,” said Werner Ladder Ford crew chief Jerry Pitts. “I’ve been in this business for a long time, and I’ve seen thousands of paint schemes and designs -- this is one of the best of any vehicle in any NASCAR division.  I’d say this even if it were somebody else’s truck.”  Pitts is a veteran crew chief who worked in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series with Bill Elliott, then moved to lead Eric Norris to the 2002 NASCAR Winston West championship.

“Cure Autism Now has been working with us to secure more corporate backing. Having companies like McMillin Homes, Lennox and Ford behind us has meant a lot, but a major primary sponsor coming in is something we really needed to take the next step as a race team,” said Marty Gaunt, general manager for Clean Line Motorsports.  Gaunt joined the team after a winning stint with Penske Racing.

“The Werner Ladder Truck is going to lift us several ways in the series,” Gaunt continued. “I think Werner’s involvement in NASCAR racing is going to be great for our race team and for Werner. All of us are looking forward to working closely with them as they bring innovative promotions to the Truck series.”

About Werner Ladder - Werner is the world's leading manufacturer of ladders, climbing equipment and ladder accessories.  Werner products are the overwhelming choice among professionals, with a complete line that is also versatile enough to meet the needs of consumers for in-home projects.

Backed by over 50 years of product innovation, Werner leads the industry with its commitment to design and manufacture quality products that meet or exceed applicable Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and American National Standards Institute (ANSI) codes and standards for strength and structural integrity.  Werner is headquartered in Greenville, PA.

For more information about Werner, visit www.wernerladder.com for the company's complete online catalog, or call (888) 523-3370 (Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 pm. EST).

About The Cure Autism Now Foundation - The Cure Autism Now Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and funding autism research and accelerating the pace of scientific progress toward effective treatments and a cure. The organization is the largest private funder of biological research in autism, providing more than $12 million in grants since its inception in 1995.