CANTON, Ohio, Nov. 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- When Tony Stewart took the checkered flag at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday, he knew the 2005 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Championship was his. Taking home the trophy was the crowning achievement of months of practice, strategy sessions, testing and -- with The Timken Company's assistance -- product development and technical engineering support. In the end, it all paid off as Stewart, Joe Gibbs Racing and the #20 Home Depot team pulled off a remarkable 2005 season with five victories, 16 top-five finishes, 23 top-ten finishes and three poles, en route to a second series championship in three years.
Timken worked closely with the engineering teams at Joe Gibbs Racing to develop products that improved the car's powertrain throughput, resulting in more horsepower to the wheels. Products like specialty steels from the company's Latrobe, Pa., operations and Timken(R) RacePac(R), an integrated hub and bearing assembly specially designed for NASCAR teams, demonstrate an ongoing commitment to high-performance products for motorsports.
"Quite simply, partners like Timken give us a winning edge," said Stewart, shortly after his victory was sealed with a 15th-place finish at the Ford 400. "Timken and its innovative products and technical capabilities allow us to put a very competitive car out there week in and week out."
"We congratulate Tony and the team on a terrific year," said Thomas O. Dwyer, Timken vice president -- off-highway. "We're proud to be associated with a professional and successful racing organization like Joe Gibbs Racing. Their focus on quality and innovation, core values at The Timken Company, creates a strong synergy between our organizations in developing friction management solutions. It's that winning relationship that we all hope carries over to the racetrack, and this year it did. Our motorsports relationships also benefit customers off the track as we're able to take innovations into our mainstream businesses."
Providing innovative products and engineering assistance in motorsports is part of Timken's heritage. The company's long history in racing traces back nearly 100 years, when 80,000 fans watched Ray Haroun drive a Marmon Wasp to victory in the first Indianapolis 500. Timken(R) bearings were standard equipment on the Marmon.
About Timken Motorsports
For innovative, high-performance racing components and industry-leading technical support, the world of motorsports turns to Timken. Our superior engineering and innovative products make Timken(R) bearings and steel a trusted choice of the most popular touring series, racing professionals and enthusiasts at all levels. Championships are won on Timken bearings.
The Timken Company has technical affiliations with the National Association of Stock Car Racing (NASCAR), Joe Gibbs Racing and the Indy Racing League (IRL). The company also is a proud sponsor of Rahal Letterman Racing in the IRL, Team Epsilon Euskadi of the Renault World Series in Europe and is an official partner of the Formula BMW Asia Series.
About The Timken Company
The Timken Company, (NYSE: TKR, www.timken.com) keeps the world turning, with innovative ways to make customers' products run smoother, faster and more efficiently. Timken's highly engineered bearings, alloy steels and related products and services turn up everywhere. With operations in 27 countries, sales of $4.5 billion in 2004 and 26,000 employees, Timken is Where You Turn™ for better performance.
Media Contact: Jeff Dafler, Manager - Global Media & Government Relations, Telephone: (330) 471-3514, Facsimile: (330) 471-7032, orjeff.dafler@timken.com
Investor Contact: Steve Tschiegg, Manager - Investor Relations, Telephone: (330) 471-7446, Facsimile: (330) 471-2797, or steve.tschiegg@timken.com
SOURCE The Timken Company