Your chance to win an all-inclusive NASCAR weekend by Hendrickcars.com

#80, the car Tony Stewart drove to win the 2099 Nationwide race in Daytona

HENDRICKCARS.COM TO SPONSOR PHOENIX RACING, JR MOTORSPORTS & RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING IN SELECT 2012 NASCAR EVENTS

‘2012 Indy Dream Weekend’ Sweepstakes to Coincide with HendrickCars.com Re-Launch

CHARLOTTE, N.C., February 13, 2012 – HendrickCars.com will sponsor three NASCAR teams in select races in early 2012. The sponsorships will promote the new-look retail automotive website, which re-launched Feb. 1, and coincide with the HendrickCars.com “2012 Indy Dream Weekend” sweepstakes.

The program will kick off during Speedweeks in Daytona Beach, Fla., with primary sponsorship of Phoenix Racing and 2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Kurt Busch in the Feb. 25 Nationwide Series race and Feb. 26 Daytona 500. It will continue with primary sponsorship of JR Motorsports and driver Cole Whitt in the March 17 Nationwide event at Bristol, Tenn.

In addition, HendrickCars.com will be a major associate sponsor of the Richard Childress Racing No. 33 Chevrolet with driver Elliott Sadler in NASCAR’s biggest race, the Daytona 500.

“Last year’s Daytona 500 broadcast alone averaged more than 15 million viewers, and we expect 2012 will be even stronger,” said Rick Hendrick, Chairman of Hendrick Automotive Group, which owns HendrickCars.com. “Combined with our sponsorship in the Nationwide Series, that’s tens of millions of people seeing our brand, hearing our message and then visiting HendrickCars.com. We wanted to showcase the new site, and there’s no more effective marketing tool than NASCAR.”

In conjuction with the sponsorship, HendrickCars.com is launching the “2012 Indy Dream Weekend” sweepstakes. From Feb. 13 through March 19, visitors can log onto HendrickCars.com to register for a chance to win a weekend for two at the July 29 Sprint Cup race in Indianapolis. The winner and a guest will receive behind-the-scenes access, a tour of the historic racing venue, VIP seats in a trackside suite and more. The winner will be announced March 23 at http://www.hendrickcars.com/.

“We’re proud to have HendrickCars.com as our primary sponsor for both races in Daytona,” said James Finch, Owner of Phoenix Racing. “The Hendrick people know how well sponsorships like this work when they’re done the right way. Daytona is a big opportunity for our team to build some positive momentum to start the season. Having a sponsor for Speedweeks means a lot to us, and we’re going to do everything we can to put HendrickCars.com up front.”

The sponsorship of Whitt pairs HendrickCars.com with an up-and-coming young driver and Nationwide Series rookie-of-the-year contender. In his first season at JR Motorsports, Whitt, 20, is joining a No. 88 team that finished fourth in the championship standings in 2011.

“We feel fortunate to be a part of the initiative to drive awareness of HendrickCars.com and the new inventory of cars,” said Kelley Earnhardt Miller, Vice President of JR Motorsports. “We pride ourselves on having assets both on and off the track to support our sponsors’ marketing goals. HendrickCars.com has such an incredible inventory of new and used cars -- literally something for everybody -- and we look forward to doing our part to help with its continued success.”

Features of the new HendrickCars.com include streamlined navigation, an expanded offering of used cars and the addition of thousands of new vehicles. The site also has added performance and classic cars, commercial vehicles and motorcycles to its inventory. Customers can view detailed information for nearly 20,000 vehicles, including up to 60 images per listing.

“The HendrickCars.com ‘fleet’ is going to get some very valuable exposure over the next month,” said Richard Childress, President and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. “That’ll end up delivering traffic and showing NASCAR fans what the new website has to offer. It’s a unique deal, and someone’s going to get a once-in-a-lifetime trip out of the promotion. We’re glad to be involved.”

In 2009, HendrickCars.com sponsored driver Tony Stewart in the season-opening Nationwide Series race at Daytona International Speedway. Stewart led 23 laps on his way to winning the event, which drove record traffic to HendrickCars.com.

“Last time HendrickCars.com was a major sponsor of a car at Daytona, the response was overwhelming,” said Hendrick, who also is the owner of championship-winning NASCAR team Hendrick Motorsports. “It was a big success and ultimately helped drive sales. If we do our part by building a great program, these sponsorships will be another business win for us.”

In 2011, HendrickCars.com was a sponsor of Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott, who competes full-time in the NASCAR K&N Series East. HendrickCars.com will continue to support Elliott in 2012, along with having associate sponsor placement on the No. 5 Chevrolet of Hendrick Motorsports driver Kasey Kahne throughout the entire Sprint Cup Series season.

HendrickCars.com Primary Sponsorship Schedule:

Feb. 25, Daytona Beach, Fla., Kurt Busch, No. 1 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet (1:15 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Feb. 26, Daytona Beach, Fla., Kurt Busch, No. 51 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet (1 p.m. ET, FOX)

March 17, Bristol, Tenn., Cole Whitt, No. 88 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet (2 p.m. ET, ESPN)

About HendrickCars.com:

The newly redesigned HendrickCars.com is the fastest way to research and purchase nearly 20,000 new and used cars, classic cars, commercial vehicles and motorcycles from the inventory of Hendrick Automotive Group’s more than 100 franchises. For more information, please visit www.hendrickcars.com. Find HendrickCars.com on Facebook.

About Hendrick Automotive Group:

Encompassing more than 100 franchises from the Carolinas to California, Hendrick Automotive Group is one of the largest automotive retail organizations in the United States. Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., the company employs more than 7,000 people across 12 states. For more information, please visit www.HendrickAuto.com.

What is a Salvage Title?

You're browsing the used-car ads when a vehicle grabs your attention. The car you are interested in has a price that seems too good to be true. You keep scanning the page until you see two words in small print: "salvage title."

A salvage title is potentially a red flag, but the cars that carry them can be inexpensive options for car shoppers on a budget — provided you know what you are buying.

When a vehicle has been in an accident and the total damage exceeds a certain percentage of the value of the car (ranging from 75-90 percent), the insurance company will decide that it is not economically feasible to repair it and declares it a "total loss." What happens next varies by state, but in general, the motor vehicle agency will then issue a "salvage certificate" to the car. This means that the car cannot be driven, sold or registered in its current condition.

Usually, the insurance company sells the car to either a repair facility or parts dismantler. If the car is repaired, most states require that it pass a basic safety inspection before the motor vehicle agency will issue a new title. When the state does issue the title, it's "branded," and notes that the car has been salvaged or rebuilt so future owners are aware of its past.

•Different Kinds of Damage

A car with a salvage title hasn't always been in a collision, however. Mark Binder, national salvage manager for State Farm Insurance, says that there are a number of reasons why a vehicle might get a salvage title:

•Flood damage: Flood-damaged cars sometimes get a salvage title. Some states will specifically call out flood damage on a car's title, but other states merely use the term "salvage title."

•Vandalism: If hoodlums spray-painted or overturned a vehicle and caused enough damage, the car could get a salvage title. No states specify vandalism in the title, however. It will likely be issued a salvage title.
 
•Hail damage: As with flood cars, the titles of vehicles that are damaged by hail can also get a salvage title if the state does not have a specific "hail damage" designation on the document.

•Theft recovery: After a vehicle has been stolen and is missing for a certain period of time, the insurance company will pay off the vehicle. If the vehicle is eventually found, the insurance company is free to sell it to a salvager, which will replace any missing parts. Some states will then issue a salvage title for the car.

According to Carfax, a company that sells vehicle history reports, the following states issue a salvage title after a car has been stolen: Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma and Oregon.

•Non-Repairable: A severely damaged and non-operable vehicle with no resale value other than its parts can get a "non-repairable" designation, which some states call a "junk title." In these extreme cases, the state won't allow the vehicle to be repaired and it must either be sold to a scrap yard or destroyed. "Non-repairable" isn't a salvage title per se, but it is important to be aware of the term, just in case you come across a vehicle that's been labeled this way.

Should You Buy a Salvage-Title Car?

There isn't a definitive answer to this. It depends on how comfortable you are with buying a car that has a checkered past. On one hand, salvage-title vehicles can present a value for a first-time buyer, someone on a budget, or someone in need of a second vehicle. In general, buyers can get salvage-title vehicles for two-thirds the price of a car with a clean title, says Richard Arca, pricing manager for Edmunds.com. He adds that luxury vehicles tend to take a greater hit in value when they get a salvage title.

On the other hand, some salvage-title vehicles can be more prone to problems. Mark Binder of State Farm Insurance says there are three things that consumers can do to help minimize the risks of buying a car that will let you down:

1. Have the vehicle inspected: This is one of the most important things to do if you're considering the purchase of a car with a salvage title. Bring a mechanic with you for an inspection. You might also arrange to take the car to a body shop. A car professional will have a better idea about whether the repairs were done correctly and can spot any red flags, such as frame damage or parts that still need repairing.

2. Purchase the vehicle from a reputable repairer: Search for online reviews of the facility that's selling the vehicle. If it's one that's known for making quality repairs, buying a salvage-title car there may be less risky than purchasing from someone without a track record.

3. Ask for the original repair estimate: The best way to determine how extensively the car was damaged is to look at the original repair estimate. This will show you what parts were replaced and how serious the accident was — or if there was an accident at all. Maybe the damage happened in some other way.

Insurance Implications

Most insurance companies will insure a salvage-title vehicle, but if you happen to get into an accident, the total loss payout you'll receive will be much lower. This isn't necessarily a deal breaker, but it is something to consider when you're determining how much car insurance you need.

Trade-In TroublesOwners of salvage-title vehicles will encounter some unique issues when they try to sell or trade in their vehicles.

"Most franchise dealers will not take a salvage-title vehicle as a trade-in," Arca says. "Your only options are selling it to a private party or an independent dealership — and they won't give you very much."

Determining the value of the vehicle will also be a challenge. Most appraisal Web sites, including Edmunds.com, assume a car has a clean title, no matter what condition level you select. "Even a vehicle in 'rough' condition can still have a clean title," says Arca.

Since you will most likely be selling the vehicle to a private party, our advice is to use the price you paid for the salvage-title car as a starting point in your sale negotiations. If you've driven the vehicle for a few years, deduct a couple thousand dollars. Test the market with a price higher than what you have in mind and work your way down until you get the offers you're looking for.

Finally, don't hide the fact that your vehicle has a salvage title. If you do, it's considered fraud. The buyer will find out eventually when you hand over the title, or if he obtains a vehicle history report. Honesty is the best policy when it comes to cars with a colorful past.

Original article written by Ron Montoya / 11/22/2011 / edmunds.com and can be found at this link.