FORD MOTOR COMPANY HELPS DREAMS COME TRUE FOR MAKE-A-WISH KIDS

DEARBORN, Mich., June 26, 2002 – Thrills and excitement await more than 30 Phoenix-area children and their families from the Make-A-Wish Foundation, when Ford Motor Company provides a sneak preview of the “Ford Jets vs. Funny Cars and Fireworks Too” event. The preview takes place Friday, June 28, at the Firebird International Raceway in Chandler, Arizona.

On Saturday, June 29, the kids will return to attend the actual event, with special suite and grandstand accommodations, courtesy of Ford Motor Company and Firebird International Raceway.

During the sneak preview on Friday, Ford will provide special mementos for all the children and their families, who will be entertained by the heartpounding performances of Monster Trucks and ROBOSAURUS -- a 40-foot, 60,000 pound, fire breathing, mechanical dinosaur. The kids also will have the opportunity to take pictures with ROBOSAURUS and the Monster Trucks.

Ford Motor Company will make a cash donation to the Make-A-Wish Foundation to help them continue their quest of making kids’ dreams come true. “Ford Motor Company is proud to be a part of an event that gives children a wonderful experience,” said Chris Wilczynski, Dealer Operations Manager, Ford Motor Company. “We are proud to support the Make-A-Wish Foundation because of the tremendous amount of good it does for many children and their families.”

On Saturday, Ford Motor Company will invite 20 Make-A-Wish kids and their families to participate in a “party in the pits” beginning at 4:30 p.m. A pre-race ceremony will take place at 7:15 p.m., featuring a skydiving show and parade. The main event follows at 7:40 p.m., with 5,000 horsepower Jet Dragsters competing against Funny Car dragsters and famous monster truck, Bigfoot. A pre-Fourth of July fireworks show will conclude this event.

“The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central and Southern Arizona appreciates the on-going support of Ford Motor Company in our efforts to grant 150 wishes this year. We are also grateful of their contributions for the Firebird International Raceway tickets to the many Wish families who will be able to see a terrific event,” said Rebecca Villicana, President and CEO of the Make-A-Wish Chapter of Central and Southern Arizona.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation is a non-profit organization designed to grant wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses.