Welcome, N.C. - Clint Bowyer Racing, General Mills Inc., and Dollar General Stores have agreed to terms on a multi-year partnership in which General Mills' Cheerios® brand and Dollar General will sponsor Bowyer's No. 17m Dirt Late Model Team.

Dale McDowell will pilot the No. 17m Cheerios/Dollar General Warrior Chassis Late Model in the 2009 Lucas Oil Late Model Series and numerous other late model events across the country. Bowyer will also take the wheel of the No. 33 Cheerios/Dollar General Late Model several times throughout the year. General Mills will also highlight its Hamburger Helper®, Bugles® and Betty Crocker® brands on both Bowyer and McDowell's race cars.

The new association kicks off this Friday night when the Lucas Oil Series heads for Muskingum County Speedway in Zanesville, Ohio. The team will campaign the colors for the remainder of the 2009 and the entire 2010 season.

"Dirt track racing is my passion and it's where I got my start on four wheels," said Bowyer. "We're in our second season of competition in the dirt late model ranks, and we're working hard every day to make our cars better and provide a strong marketing tool for our sponsors. I'm excited to start our new partnership with Dollar General and Cheerios this weekend. Dirt racing fans support the companies that support racing. Cheerios and Dollar General are great fits for Clint Bowyer Racing."

"General Mills is excited to partner with Dollar General to sponsor the No. 17m and No. 33 racing teams," said Dave Dudick, General Mills Sales Vice President of US Channels. "This is a terrific opportunity for Cheerios and Betty Crocker to connect with Dollar General shoppers who share Clint Bowyer's passion for dirt track racing."

"Dollar General is excited about entering the world of dirt track racing," said Todd Vasos, division president and chief merchandising officer at Dollar General Corp. "Many of our customers are dirt track racing fans, and we're happy to partner with Clint Bowyer Racing to support a phenomenal team in this fast-paced sport."

A tentative schedule of events can be found at clintbowyer.com and lucasdirt.com.

About General Mills
One of the world's leading food companies, General Mills operates in over 100 countries and markets more than 100 consumer brands, including Cheerios, Haagen-Dazs, Nature Valley, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Green Giant, Old El Paso, Progresso, Cascadian Farm, Muir Glen, and more. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.A., General Mills had FY2008 global net sales of US $14.9 billion, including the company's $1.2 billion proportionate share of joint venture net sales. Cheerios, America's No. 1 cereal, has been fueling race teams since 1998. In 2009 Cheerios and Hamburger Helper are the primary sponsors of Richard Childress Racing's No. 33 Chevrolet Impala SS with Clint Bowyer behind the wheel.

About Dollar General
Dollar General is the largest discount retailer in the United States by number of stores with 8,462 neighborhood stores as of May 1, 2009, located in 35 states. Dollar General helps shoppers Save time. Save money. Every day!® by offering quality private and national branded items that are frequently used and replenished such as food, snacks, health and beauty aids, cleaning supplies, basic apparel, house wares and seasonal items at everyday low prices in convenient neighborhood stores. Dollar General is among the largest retailers of top-quality products made by America's most trusted manufacturers such as Procter & Gamble, Kimberly Clark, Unilever, Kellogg's, General Mills, Nabisco, and Fruit of the Loom. The Company store support center is located in Goodlettsville, Tennessee. Dollar General's Web site can be reached at www.dollargeneral.com.