Tuesday, July 20, 2010

AVNET JOINS BMW RAHAL LETTERMAN RACING SPONSOR LINEUP

Robin Osborne

HILLIARD, Ohio (July 20, 2010) – Phoenix-based Avnet Electronics Marketing swelled on July 6 when its parent company, Avnet, Inc. (NYSE:AVT), acquired long-time Rahal Letterman Racing sponsor Bell Micro. At the same time, Avnet acquired an added benefit in the deal that wasn’t shown on the acquisition sheet.

Bell Micro has been prominently featured on the side of the #90 BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team M3 during the 2010 American Le Mans Series, but this week’s event at Lime Rock Park will see the car driven by Dirk Muller and Joey Hand displaying the new Avnet logo onto the track.

“The Rahal Letterman Racing team shares the same competitive drive as the one here at Avnet,” said Ed Smith, president of Avnet Electronics Marketing Americas. “We’re hoping that the combination of these two powerful teams will turn into a big win for No. 90 at Lime Rock Park and beyond.”

“As proud as we are about our long partnership with Bell Micro, we are just as excited about welcoming Avnet into our racing family,” said Rahal Letterman Racing co-owner Bobby Rahal. “Partners like Avnet are the reason that we can continue pursuing our racing passions, and through this racing, we will make every effort to give some of that passion and excitement back to Avnet.”

The Avnet logo will adorn the driver’s-side door of the Muller/Hand car for the final five races of the 2010 season starting with this week’s event at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Connecticut. The race will be shown live on SPEED beginning at 2 p.m. Eastern on July 24.

About Rahal Letterman Racing
Rahal Letterman Racing, based in Hilliard, Ohio and co-owned by three-time IndyCar Champion and 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal and CBS LATE SHOW host David Letterman, has been competing for more than a decade compiling 20 victories, 30 poles and one series championship (Bobby Rahal in 1992 in CART) and an Indianapolis 500 championship (Buddy Rice in 2004).  In 2008 Rahal Letterman Racing again won Rookie-of-the-Year honors at the Indianapolis 500. In 2009 the team joined BMW of North America to campaign the BMW M3 as BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team in the American Le Mans Series.

About Avnet Electronics Marketing
Avnet Electronics Marketing is an operating group of Phoenix-based Avnet, Inc. that serves electronic original equipment manufacturers (EOEMs) and electronic manufacturing services (EMS) providers in more than 70 countries, distributing electronic components from leading manufacturers and providing associated design-chain and supply-chain services. The group's website is located at www.em.avnet.com. Avnet, Inc. (NYSE:AVT), a Fortune 500 company, is one of the largest distributors of electronic components, computer products and embedded technology in the world. Avnet accelerates its partners’ success by connecting the world’s leading technology suppliers with a broad base of more than 100,000 customers and providing cost-effective, value-added services and solutions. For the fiscal year ended June 27, 2009, Avnet generated revenue of $16.23 billion. For more information, visit www.avnet.com.

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