New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc., has teamed up with the legendary artist Willie Nelson (pictured) on a new road race to benefit Farm Aid. The inaugural Willie Nelson 10K for Farm Aid presented by New Balance will be held in Austin, Texas, on October 21, 2001.

"It's a pleasure to host a road race and concert where runners can support family farmers," said Willie Nelson, Farm Aid founder. "I invite everyone to come to Austin and enjoy a day of running and music in support of Farm Aid."

The road race will start at 6:00 p.m. and will include a 5K Fun Walk/Run. A resident of the Austin area, Nelson will also treat event participants to an 8:00 p.m. post-race concert. The other race sponsors include Runner's World, RunTex and the City of Austin Parks and Recreastion.

Since 1985, Farm Aid has distributed more than 16 million dollars to farm and rural organizations that are making a difference for family farmers. Founded by Willie Nelson, Neil Young, and John Mellencamp, Farm Aid mobilized farmers and family farm activists to establish effective projects that save family farms. The mission of Farm Aid is to rally national support for America's farmers.

"This road race is a unique opportunity for New Balance to contribute to a great cause and continue our long tradition of supporting grass-roots running and top-notch road races across the country," said Joyce Minkoff, senior promotions manager at New Balance. "We are also thrilled to support Willie Nelson, who has been a long-time New Balance wearer.

The Willie Nelson 10K for Farm Aid presented by New Balance is a RunTex production. For more information, visit www.runtex.com.