PRS Guitars and GRAND-AM Road Racing Add Exciting New Elements for the Partnership’s Third Year

PRS Guitars will be partnering with GRAND-AM Road Racing for the third straight year in 2012. For the second year, PRS will again provide winners in both the Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Prototype (DP) and Grand Touring (GT) classes with a unique trophy—a fully functional PRS SE Singlecut guitar customized with GRAND-AM and Rolex Sports Car Series logos.

Two exciting new elements have also been added for the 2012 season: pre-race Guitar Center PRS Fan Days and race day concerts at select locations. These new elements as well as a Guitar Aficionado VIP racing experience sweepstake are planned in conjunction with the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona, January 28-29, 2012.

“We are excited to partner with GRAND-AM Road Racing for a third year,” said Jack Higginbotham, President, PRS Guitars. “Both parties worked to make the partnership of cars and guitars more tangible for 2012, and I think we’ve accomplished that through these new elements.”

PRS, In Tune Monthly magazine, and Guitar Center are teaming up to host pre-race Guitar Center PRS Fan Days at four locations throughout the racing season. These events will bring players unique opportunities, including free setups on their PRS guitars, meetings with product specialists from the PRS factory, in-depth product demonstrations by PRS staff, and the chance to meet GRAND-AM personnel and experience their interactive mobile display, which includes a GRAND-AM racecar. Customers will also be able to see—and even purchase—replica PRS/GRAND-AM trophy guitars.

At each of these Guitar Center events, In Tune Monthly, the magazine for music students and teachers in grades 7-12, will be hosting In Tune’s “Race to the Stage” auditions. These auditions will give one area high school guitar player the chance to perform at the GRAND-AM Rolex Series race in his/her city. Winners will receive a PRS SE guitar and SE amplifier and will perform at the track with The Rocky Mountain Stoneflies, a band comprised of PRS Guitars’ staff. For details and official rules on the “In Tune’s Race to the Stage” promotion, visit www.intunemonthly.com/racetothestage.

The first Guitar Center Fan Day is scheduled for January 7 at Guitar Center Orlando. Subsequent events are planned around the race weekends at Watkins Glen International (Guitar Center Syracuse), Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Guitar Center Indianapolis), and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca (Guitar Center San Jose) in the summer. Race day concerts featuring PRS artists are scheduled throughout the season at these races as well.

To kick off the 2012 season, PRS will join GRAND-AM Road Racing, the “World Center of Racing,” Guitar Aficionado magazine, Guitar Center, and In Tune Monthly to bring these unique experiences and more to the prestigious Rolex 24 At Daytona race on January 28-29 at Daytona International Speedway. In addition to a pre-event Guitar Center PRS Fan Day in Orlando, PRS will also showcase multiple concerts during the two-day Rolex 24 At Daytona race event, featuring guitar sensation Orianthi and British blues guitarist and singer Davy Knowles with the PRS Band.

The winner of the 24 hour grueling test of man and machine will walk away with a PRS Private Stock Custom 24 trophy guitar with a retail value of more than $16,000. The Private Stock division of PRS utilizes the highest quality materials to create the company’s most exclusive instruments. The trophy guitar for the Rolex 24 At Daytona includes 111 pieces of gold mother of pearl for the inlay and boasts a rosewood fingerboard, mahogany back and sides and a figured maple top with matching headstock veneer. This unique trophy will sound as stunning as it looks.

Finally, Guitar Aficionado and Guitar Center’s Platinum Room are offering a VIP racing experience sweepstake that will transport one lucky winner to the Daytona race for a plethora of once in a lifetime opportunities, including:

A replica of the Rolex 24 At Daytona PRS Private Stock Custom 24 trophy guitar

Hot lap rides for two on the famed Daytona International Speedway road course with multi-championship driver Scott Pruett

Two weekend “all access” race credentials, which include hot pit access during the race

One magnum of Scott Pruett’s commemorative 50th Anniversary Rolex 24 At Daytona Syrah

A meet and greet with musicians performing at the race, including, Orianthi, Davy Knowles, and Paul Reed Smith

Two weekend passes to the first class GRAND-AM VIP suite, fully catered with gourmet food and wine

Two starter stand visits high above the Daytona International Speedway during the Rolex 24

Two Gatorade Victory Lane celebration passes

A private tour of race control, race garages, and a team transporter

"Guitar Aficionado is constantly reinforcing the connection between cars and guitars, so when PRS approached us about working in tandem with them and GRAND-AM Road Racing, we saw this as a logical association of like-minded quality brands. Just as PRS Guitars is the choice brand for upper echelon guitar enthusiasts, GRAND-AM Road Racing is the top destination for the world's best drivers. We're very happy to be the music media voice of their partnership," said Greg Di Benedetto, Publisher, Guitar Aficionado.

For more information and Official Rules, please visit http://www.guitaraficionado.com/PRSGrandAm