In addition, Sears will offer Valvolines Maxlife brand motor oil for vehicles with more than 75,000 miles, and Synpower brand synthetic oil as other options.

Through its partnership with Valvoline, Sears Auto Centers will have a sponsorship presence on a NASCAR Nextel Cup car at various times over the next three seasons. Sears Auto Centers will be primary sponsor on Scott Riggs Dodge at Nextel Cup events in California and Atlanta this fall.

Valvolines agreement with Sears expands the lube marketers presence in the do-it-for-me oil change market. According to the 2007 list of top U.S. fast lubes published in the March issue of National Oil & Lube News, Valvoline Instant Oil Change had 790 company-owned and franchised stores, and the Valvoline Express Care signage program had 404 independently owned participating stores.

Valvolines strong financial performance in recent quarters has helped drive quarterly earnings results for its parent company. Improved Valvoline Instant Oil Change business results compared to the previous years third quarter contributed to the lube blenders strong performance, according to Ashland, whose chairman and chief executive officer James OBrien said he expected Valvoline to report record operating income for the full year ending Sept. 30.

Last month, the quarterly earnings report said lube blender Valvoline reported operating income of $28 million for the three months ending June 30 – the third quarter of Ashlands 2007 fiscal year – up from a $10 million loss for the same period a year earlier. Valvolines sales and operating revenues for the quarter also increased 11.2 percent over the same period a year earlier, to $407 million.