Submitted by Minges Bottling Group

WASHINGTON — Local Pepsi bottler Minges Bottling Group has announced that NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. is scheduled to make an appearance in Washington at the Walmart located at 570 Pamlico Plaza at 4 p.m. on Oct. 23. The event will include a question and answer session, which will be open to the public, and a meet and greet session open to the first 200 people.

Diet Mountain Dew, a product of PepsiCo Americas Beverages and locally distributed by Minges Bottling Group, is a sponsor of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. This relationship has allowed Minges Bottling Group the opportunity to bring one of the most beloved drivers to Eastern North Carolina.

Minges Bottling Group partnered with Walmart in an incentive program that spanned North and South Carolina and included 230 Walmart stores. The store with the largest percentage increase in sales during the month of July 2014 won the opportunity to bring Dale Earnhardt Jr. to their location for an appearance.  Walmart #1354 in Washington won that opportunity.

“We are thrilled to be able to bring this special event to eastern North Carolina, and we want to thank the shoppers and the community of Washington for making this program a huge success,” said Miles Minges, key account manager for Minges Bottling Group. “It’s not every day that a racing legend visits in your own backyard, and we couldn’t have done it without the support of our loyal customers.”

The appearance is open to the public. The first 200 people to register will be granted access to a meet and greet with Earnhardt Jr that will include a photo opportunity.  Registration for the meet and greet will begin at 12 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 23 at Walmart, 570 Pamlico Plaza, Washington. Earnhardt Jr. will participate in a Q&A session beginning at 4 p.m. that will be followed by the meet and greet sessions.

Minges Bottling Group is a family owned and operated Pepsi-Cola franchise located in Ayden that has been distributing Pepsi-Cola products in Eastern North Carolina for over 78 years.