NASCAR Licensing Executive joins Motorsports Authentics

Mark Dyer, a seasoned licensing executive with over 25 years in sports business, has been named president and chief executive officer of Motorsports Authentics, the merchandise retailer owned in a 50/50 joint venture between International Speedway Corporation (ISC) and Speedway Motorsports, Inc. (SMI). Dyer, 48, who currently serves as vice president of licensing and consumer products for NASCAR, will assume his duties immediately, and will report to the Motorsports Authentics Board of Managers, which is comprised of ISC President Lesa France Kennedy; SMI Executive Vice President, National Sales and Marketing, Marcus Smith; ISC Chief Marketing Officer Roger VanDerSnick; and SMI Board Member Mark Gambill. Former President Ruth Crowley has elected to leave Motorsports Authentics to pursue a new business opportunity. She will assist Dyer in the coming week(s) to ensure a smooth transition. As VP at NASCAR, a position held since 2002, Dyer led the day-to-day management of the sanctioning body's Charlotte operation. In this position, Dyer oversaw all aspects of a $2.1 billion industry that now has companies putting the NASCAR brand on a broad spectrum of quality products. In addition to traditional licensing, Dyer also oversaw NASCAR's automotive aftermarket licensing program, retail program development, promotional marketing, publishing and The NASCAR Foundation. Finally, Dyer was NASCAR's lead negotiator throughout the Hall of Fame site-selection process. Dyer said, "I have been involved in the motorsports industry for over a decade and I welcome this opportunity to work more closely with drivers, teams and distributors to further elevate the popularity of the sport. It has been an honor to work with NASCAR and to be part of growing its brand. I look forward to building upon my prior experiences and working closely with the strong team already in place to enable Motorsports Authentics to flourish as the pre-eminent source for quality licensed merchandise." More info at www.motorsports-authentics.com, which is based in Concord, NC, is a 50/50 joint venture between International Speedway Corporation and Speedway Motorsports Inc.