Contestants Share Stories, Win Adventures On-road, Off-road and in the Water

October 30, 2007 (MILWAUKEE) - On-road, off-road or in the water, only OPTIMA Batteries power extreme adventures. This past summer, OPTIMA Batteries asked adventure-seekers nationwide to tell their story for a chance to win one of three ‘Ultimate Adventures.' Contest winner James Duffy will head to Europe to hone his road racing technique, Brittany Burgos will ride along with and crew at the Best in the Desert Vegas 300 and Walt Kalleberg will head out to sea with Babe
Winkleman in Costa Rica.

The contestants submitted photos and essays that detailed why OPTIMA was the only battery that could power their adventure. The winners received the adventure of a lifetime in the off-road, on-road and marine categories. The essays were judged by a panel of industry experts that selected the winners based on originality, adherence to theme, clarity and correct use of the OPTIMA Battery's benefits.

James Duffy of Sarasota, Florida, was chosen as the winner of the on-road Adventure. Duffy's winning essay entitled "Prescription for Adrenaline Junkie," described his perfect car trip: "One hot rod/exotic sports car. One fresh set of sticky tires, with required reserves. One full tank of premium/race fuel, plus several thousand gallons for refueling. Open road with no speed limit." With the addition of one extreme OPTIMA Battery, Duffy is ready to roll.

Duffy will travel to Europe to experience a variety of on-road road racing adventures, including track time at the Goodyear Corvette Driving School in Mireval, France, learning skills that he'll apply to racing on the Nurburgring and a intense drive on the high-speed Autobahn in Germany. In addition the on-road experience, Duffy will visit automotive manufacturers Ferrari and Maserati, whose
nameplates are synonymous with ultimate driving experiences. Duffy will alsoenjoy all of the traditional tourist attractions along the way, visiting a number of castles and museums. SPEED TV's Dream Car Garage will be along for the ride, capturing the entire experience on film.

Brittany Burgos will find herself in familiar surroundings, in more ways than one. Being from Las Vegas, Nev., as well as having been a racer since age 16, Burgos' off-road adventure will be sitting shotgun in the Best in the Desert Vegas 300 race with series standout racer Greg Foutz. The second lap she will become a member of the pit crew, only to top it off (literally) with a topside view in a helicopter flying high above the desert race action. In addition to living it, Burgos' off-road
adventure will be filmed for the Best in the Desert TV show. Her mother, Debbie, wrote the winning "Racer's Mom Peace of Mind" essay that entered Brittany.

"I love the fact that we use OPTIMA Batteries in our race vehicle," says Debbie Burgos. "Off-road racing is one of the most exhilarating and extreme sports there is, and knowing that we use the toughest and most reliable battery around is definitely reassuring!"

Leaving the frigid temperatures behind, "My Adventure to the Deeps" won Walt Kalleberg of Warren, Mich., OPTIMA's Marine Adventure. Kelleberg will find himself fishing "the deeps" in Costa Rica with Babe Winkleman during his TV show, Good Fishing. The anticipation of this trip is almost too much to bear for this inland lakes walleye fisherman. Kalleberg's extreme fishing adventure with Babe will take the boat - equipped with OPTIMA's BlueTop Batteries - out to sea to fish for marlin, dolphin and tuna.

"We're extremely excited to illustrate the strengths of our product with a promotion that really lives up to the adventures that our batteries are engineered for," says Steve Kepler, OPTIMA Batteries executive director of Global Sales and Marketing. "Each of the adventures allow us to demonstrate the elements - heat and vibration resistance - that make this product superior to others on the market."

Optima Batteries are manufactured by Johnson Controls. Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI - News) is the global leader that brings ingenuity to the places where people live, work and travel. By integrating technologies, products and services, we create smart environments that redefine the relationships between people and their surroundings. Our team of 140,000 employees creates a more comfortable, safe and sustainable world through our products and services for more than 200 million vehicles, 12 million homes and one million commercial buildings. Our commitment to sustainability drives our environmental stewardship, good corporate citizenship in our workplaces and communities, and the products and services we provide to customers. For additional information, please visit http://www.johnsoncontrols.com.