The Ryan Newman Foundation

(HICKORY, NC) – Nashville-based photographer Karen Will Rogers and writer Laura Lacy will be in Hickory, NC, Saturday, May 20, to sign copies of their book Pit Road Pets: NASCAR Stars and Their Pets from 10 – 11 a.m. at the Hickory Museum of Art.

The book signing is taking place in conjunction with “NASCAR Inspired,” an art exhibit at the museum that features several of Karen Will Rogers’s photos from Pit Road Pets along with works from more than 100 other artists inspired by the art of racing. The art exhibit kick-off will be held from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. on May 20 at the Hickory Museum of Art in Hickory, NC, which is located one hour northwest of Charlotte. Race fans who are in the area for the Nextel All-Star race are encouraged to attend the event. Directions to the museum can be found at http://hickorymuseumofart.org/map_directions.php.

The NASCAR Inspired Auto Fest event will include an appearance by NASCAR legend Ned Jarrett, an auction and raffle of racing memorabilia, race cars on the grounds, and an ARTCAR Award Ceremony at 2 p.m. For more information, clickhttp://hickorymuseumofart.org/events.php.

Copies of Pit Road Pets may be purchased ahead of time or at the museum on the day of the signing. Forty copies of the book available on-site will be pre-signed by Ryan Newman, Krissie Newman and Dale Jarrett.

Pit Road Pets: NASCAR Stars and Their Pets is currently available from most major bookstores nationwide, including Barnes & Noble in Hickory, or online at www.pitroadpets.com.

About Pit Road Pets: NASCAR Stars and Their Pets

Pit Road Pets: NASCAR Stars and Their Pets features first-person stories and intimate photographs of nearly 50 NASCAR celebrities and their pets – including Dale Jarrett, Ryan Newman, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson, Carl Edwards and a host of other popular sports figures. Rogers and Lacy collaborated on an earlier book, Music Row Dogs and Nashville Cats: Country Stars and Their Pets (Simon & Schuster, 2004), which served as the inspiration for Pit Road Pets.

The book was published by the Ryan Newman Foundation, which is donating 100% of its proceeds from the book to the Humane Society of Catawba County’s new no-kill shelter and regional spay/neuter clinic. For more information about Pit Road Pets, please visit www.pitroadpets.com.

About the “NASCAR Inspired” art exhibit
Through film, paintings, sculpture, folk art and a variety of media, more than 100 artists in “NASCAR Inspired” display their take on the art of NASCAR – defining their art and the sport in entirely new ways. The racing-themed exhibit will also include an ART CAR installation featuring stylized derby racing cars created by area Cub Scouts. “NASCAR Inspired” runs from April 29 - September 17, 2006, with the ART CARs on display May 16 through August 1 at the Hickory Museum of Art. For more information, visit www.hickorymuseumofart.org.