by TonyStewart.com

NASCAR Busch Series driver Martin Truex, Jr. and NASCAR Nextel Cup driver Ryan Newman took turns holding the top spot in the final five laps before Truex regained the lead for good with a little more than a lap remaining to win his second consecutive Crown Royal International Race of Champions (IROC) Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

"It was just a lot of fun," said Truex. "Last year I was able to get out front, I think right after the competition yellow (Lap 40 of 65). Today was completely different. I didn't know until I crossed the finish line that I had won. It was one of the better races I've been a part of."

Matt Kenseth's (second place) push from behind allowed Truex to squeeze past Newman and take the checkered flag.

Truex, an IROC winner here last year, and Newman were among a pack of five drivers – Matt Kenseth, Tony Stewart, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Ted Musgrave – contending for the lead with 10 laps remaining, which also included some back and forth bumping between Newman and Martin.

Kenseth finished second, followed by Stewart, Newman and Musgrave, who rounded out the top five of the 65- lap, 100.1-mile race.

NASCAR Nextel Cup driver Tony Stewart, who entered Race Four with a 15-point lead over fellow Cup driver Kenseth, clinched his first Crown Royal IROC Series championship (77 points), as well as the $1 million first- place Crown Royal IROC purse. Kenseth, the 2004 series champion and a winner at Daytona in the IROC season-opener, finished second (65), followed by Truex (57) and Newman (54) and Martin (47).

"It's always a huge honor just to run in the IROC series," said Stewart. "When you get the invite you know you did something good the year before. Standing up there today, it really hit me to see all the past champions' names. To be on a trophy with that list of great names is something I'm very, very proud of. Anytime you can go out with that talent and then be the champion of champions is something that's pretty special."

The Indiana native, who claimed two of the first three Crown Royal IROC races at Texas in April and Daytona's road course in June, now holds six different major national motorsports championships, which include: NASCAR Nextel Cup (2002, '05), IRL IndyCar Series (1997), US Auto Club (USAC) National Midget (1994-95), USAC National Sprint Car ('95) and USAC National Silver Crown Car (1995).

Martin, a five-time series champion and IROC's all-time winningest driver with 13 race victories, dominated the early part of the race, including 32 laps before the mandatory competition yellow at the conclusion of lap 40. After the restart a fierce battle ensued at the front of the pack between Truex, Martin and Newman with Martin and Newman banging off the side of each other several times resulting in Martin getting shuffled back as far as seventh place.

Martin finished sixth, followed by eight-time ARCA champion Frank Kimmel (seventh), Max Papis (eighth), 2006 IndyCar Series winner Sam Hornish, Jr. (ninth), 20-time World of Outlaws champion Steve Kinser (10th), Grand American Road Racing co-champion Wayne Taylor (11th) and IRL IndyCar Series driver Scott Sharp (12th).

The conclusion of the 2006 IROC Series also concludes the term of Crown Royal as the title sponsor. The IROC Series is actively pursing a new title sponsor for 2007 and beyond.

About Crown Royal
Crown Royal, the number one selling Canadian whisky, has a tradition as long and distinctive as its taste. Specially blended to commemorate a grand tour of Canada made by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain in 1939, Crown Royal's smooth, elegant style reflects its aristocratic origins and is considered the epitome of Canadian whisky. In addition to its sponsorship of the Crown Royal IROC Series and Roush Racing's No. 26 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Team, the brand also sponsors The Crown Royal Bad Boys of Comedy Tour, the Crown Royal American Turfstakes race at Churchill Downs and a number of other major regional and national events. For more information on Crown Royal, visit www.crownroyal.com.

About Diageo
Crown Royal is proudly owned by Diageo (Dee-AH-Gee-O), the world's leading premium drinks business with an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across spirits, wines, and beer categories. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Guinness, Smirnoff, J&B, Baileys, Cuervo, Tanqueray, Captain Morgan, Crown Royal, Beaulieu Vineyard and Sterling Vineyards wines.

Diageo is a global company, trading in more than 200 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE). For more information about Diageo, its people, brands, and performance, visit us at www.diageo.com.

Celebrating life, every day, everywhere, responsibly.

About IROC
Crown Royal International Race of Champions (IROC) is auto racing's All-Star Game. It is an invitational racing series matching 12 drivers from different disciplines of auto racing in equally prepared cars on Goodyear Eagle radial racing tires. The Series consist of four races with points awarded for finishing positions. At the end of the fourth race, points are tallied and a champion of champions is named.