NASCAR NEXTEL Cup driver Rusty Wallace admires a Beretta Giubileo 12-gauge over/under shotgun that will now be given to pole winners for the Texas Cup races. The announcement was made today that Beretta will begin presenting the unique pole awards at Texas that will include a customized sideplate with the pole winner's likeness. (Texas Motor Speedway photo)

FORT WORTH-DALLAS, Texas -- Texas Motor Speedway today announced an official partnership agreement with Beretta naming the company as the “Official Firearm” of the speedway.

Beretta, known worldwide for producing premium firearms, will present Texas Cup race pole winners with one of its Giubileo (pronounced jubi-lay-o) 12-gauge over/under shotguns. Although the stock Gubileo can be purchased by consumers for $14,000, the ones being done for Texas Motor Speedway will be crafted by Beretta’s master engravers, bringing the value of each gun to more than $65,000. Each Giubileo will be customized with the driver’s likeness and number on one of the sideplates making it a one-of-a-kind piece.

“There’s nothing else like this in all of motorsports,” said speedway president Eddie Gossage. “The drivers are going to be thoroughly impressed. It’s great to be a pole winner but they’re also receiving something that will truly be a one-of-a kind piece. How many people can say they have a beautiful custom-made shotgun with their own likeness on it? Beretta has such an incredible history of craftsmanship, they’re the only company out there who could produce something like this.”

The announcement was made with NASCAR NEXTEL Cup driver Rusty Wallace, Cathy Williams of Beretta and speedway president Eddie Gossage at the annual Texas Motor Speedway Media Day. Master engravers Giulio Timpini and Luca Casari of Beretta produced original artwork depicting Wallace and his number as an example of how future Texas pole winners will be depicted. Timpini and Casari also created the artwork featuring Texas Motor Speedway and the speedway logo, unveiled today as well, for the other sideplate.

When a driver wins the pole for each Texas Cup race, they will be presented with a Giubileo in victory lane. The driver’s likeness, their number and the qualifying day logo will then be drawn and hand engraved in steel using the Bulino technique, a process that utilizes a pin-like instrument to create an image using a series of dots at varying depths. It takes approximately 300 hours to hand engrave the two sideplates and other engraved pieces for each Giubileo.

“We are excited about this partnership with Texas Motor Speedway,” said Matteo Recanatini, Director of Consumer Marketing and Communications for Beretta. “The world of motor racing embodies the love for precision, competitiveness and testing of one’s limits, which have been cornerstones of the Beretta brand for centuries. This partnership will also allow us to be closer to our consumers and to celebrate with them this great American passion that is NASCAR.”

With its world headquarters still located in Italy, Beretta is the oldest industrial dynasty in the world. Started as a foundry in the 1500’s, the company has been in continuous family ownership for 16 generations. The company started producing firearms in the late 1600’s. Beretta U.S.A. began in 1977. It was initially set up for customer service of the Italian products and manufactured small frame pistols. Today Beretta manufactures, distributes and markets a complete line of firearms, accessories and apparel. Beretta also operates concept stores called “Beretta Galleries.” There are five of the elegant retail stores located worldwide, including Madison Avenue in New York as well as Highland Park Village in Dallas.