Shell shifts into summer with free fuel sweepstakes

While Americans love to hit the open road during the summer, many may be contemplating whether or not to sideline their vacation plans due to the cost of filling-up at the pump. Shell understands that consumers are facing difficult decisions and is providing ways to keep the fuel budget in check while celebrating the favorite pastime of summer road trips with a chance to win free fuel for a year.

Beginning June 27, 2011- September 5, 2011, consumers are invited to enter the Shell "Favorite Road Trip" Sweepstakes for a chance to win 1 of 10 prizes of free fuel for year. It's easy to enter – consumers simply need to submit a short story of their favorite road trip route or memory for a chance to win. Every week, one lucky winner will be randomly selected to win a year's* supply of Free Shell Nitrogen Enriched Gasolines. Daily winners will also be randomly selected to win a $100 Shell Gift Card.

To keep road trips on track, Shell would also like to offer consumers with valuable tips to stretch their fuel and maximize their budget. "At Shell, we know gasoline is a major ingredient for summer road trips," says Gerardo Amado, Fuel Category Manager at Shell Oil Products, US. "And with a little planning, drivers can still save money while making memories on the open road."

Here are a few summer driving tips to help consumers save money and keep their road trip on track:

• Only bring what is needed and avoid carrying excess weight: Try to avoid the temptation to over pack, and only stock the car with items needed for the trip. An extra 100 pounds in a vehicle could reduce gasoline mileage by up to 2 percent**.
  
• Properly inflate tires: Proper air pressure cuts down on fuel used while driving. Keeping tires at the correct pressure can improve gasoline mileage by up to 3.3 percent**.
  
• Avoid the highs and find the lows: Steer clear of driving during high traffic rush hours to avoid heavy acceleration or braking. Speeding, rapid acceleration and braking can lower gasoline mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and 5 percent at lower speeds around town.
  
• Use the recommended grade of oil: Following the vehicle manufacturer's motor oil recommendation can improve gasoline mileage by 1 to 2 percent**. Look for motor oil that says "Energy Conserving" on the API performance symbol to ensure it contains friction-reducing additives.
  
• Use a high quality gasoline that improves engine performance while driving: Six of the world's top automakers recognize that current minimum detergent requirements do not go far enough to prevent engine "gunk" deposits which can harm engine performance.

For more information on the Shell "Favorite Road Trip" Sweepstakes and official rules, visit www.shell.us/roadtrip.