Hot Rod Icon Boyd Coddington Named Grand Marshal of ACDelco NHRA Las Vegas Nationals

Grand Blanc, Mich., October 14, 2004 - Racers in almost every form of motorsports often refer to their rides as "hot rods". At the next stop on the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing circuit, competitors will be able to have their vehicles seen by an expert in the field, as ACDelco officials today announced that legendary hot rod and custom car builder Boyd Coddington will be the Grand Marshal of the upcoming ACDelco NHRA Las Vegas Nationals, which is scheduled to be held at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 28-31.

"As the official parts supplier to the Real Car Guys, ACDelco is thrilled to have the ultimate Real Car Guy, Boyd Coddington, as the Grand Marshal of the ACDelco NHRA Las Vegas Nationals," said Scott Mackie, ACDelco General Manager. "We have some exciting activities planned throughout the weekend, which, combined with our being at the crown jewel of the drag racing circuit, promises to make this year's edition one of the best ever.

"We will once again be hosting a number of ACDelco customers, who will have the unique opportunity to enjoy the world's fastest motorsport while also meeting a hot rodding legend and seeing some of his creations. With all this taking place in the shadow of one of the world's most exciting cities, it should be a most memorable experience."

Coddington has been at the forefront of the hot rod industry for almost forty years, with his business growing from an after-hours occupation to a 50,000-square-foot shop with over 70 employees. During that time, his series of Boydster roadsters have won numerous awards, including America's Most Beautiful Roadster an incredible seven times, with many of his creations being featured in everything from magazines to music videos.

In addition, Coddington's work with billet wheels revolutionized that aspect of the automotive aftermarket. Most recently, the experiences of Coddington and his crew at Boyd Coddington's Garage in La Habra, CA have been the subject of a hit TV series on the Discovery Channel, American Hot Rod.

Coddington's participation in Las Vegas will be evident on the racetrack, as both Kurt Johnson's ACDelco Pro Stock Cavalier and Harold Martin's ACDelco Pro Mod Grand Am will feature the Boyd Coddington logo on their respective hood scoops.

"Boyd Coddington's amazing creations are acknowledged as the very best in their field, and we're looking forward to having him join us in Las Vegas," said Johnson. "It would be pretty cool to take our own version of a Boyd Coddington hot rod to the winner's circle at the ACDelco NHRA Las Vegas Nationals."

Finally, in addition to his responsibilities as Grand Marshal, Coddington will help preside over the ACDelco Real Car Guys car show. This event, which will be held on the grounds of The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway during the final day of the event, will feature approximately 50 of the best hot rods from the region on display, including two from Coddington's personal collection. During the day, a celebrity panel headed by Coddington will choose their 15 favorites with the winners receiving a unique trophy handcrafted by Boyd.

"Serving as Grand Marshal of the NHRA / ACDelco Las Vegas Nationals is an extremely exciting opportunity," said Coddington. "Spending time with Real Car Guys like Kurt Johnson and the folks from ACDelco is a natural for me. Whether it's building one-of-a-kind hot rods as I do, or driving a 200mph +, Pro Stock racecar like Kurt -- Real Car Guys know that it takes the best to be the best. And I can't think of a more exciting and enjoyable way to spend a weekend than at the NHRA Las Vegas Nationals with my good friends from ACDelco."

Boyd Coddington