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MCI Enters NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series

14 December 1997

San Francisco -- MCI announced today it has signed a letter of intent to sponsor a team in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series during the 1998 season. MCI will sponsor the PacWest Touring Car Group No. 78 MCI/Mopar Dodge Ram. Dominic Dobson will be the team's driver.

"Success in racing only comes with 110% commitment and this sponsorship shows just how committed MCI is to racing," said Andy Deas, general manager of MCI Racing. "Sponsoring this team is a natural extension of our existing NASCAR sponsorships. And it is a tremendous opportunity to work more closely with Chrysler, one of MCI's most important customers."

"We are very pleased to welcome MCI to the Dodge family, and we're looking forward to continuing our very successful relationship with PacWest and Dominic Dobson," said Bob Wildberger, supertruck motorsports executive for Chrysler Corporation. "The PacWest team produced the 1997 Super Touring drivers' championship and we are excited bring that winning success to NASCAR." "MCI's sponsorship of this truck came about as a natural extension of the business relationship between MCI and Chrysler. MCI is the exclusive telecommunications provider of Chrysler North America," continued Wildberger. "MCI has shown tremendous support of NASCAR racing as their official telecommunications provider for all 12 NASCAR racing series. We are very proud to have an MCI-sponsored Dodge in the Truck Series."

MCI is the "Official Telecommunications Company" and the "Official Internet Service Provider" of all 12 of NASCAR's racing divisions. One of the centerpieces of MCI's involvement is the MCI Fast Pace Award which recognizes the "need for speed" in racing by awarding drivers that record the fastest laps in each race of four NASCAR series, including the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. During the 1997 season, the program awarded more than $300,000.

MCI Racing is a group within MCI, which spearheads all of MCI's motorsport initiatives including the NASCAR, CART, Arciero Wells/MCI Racing Team, the MCI Toyota Atlantic Team, the MCI Toyota Off-Road Truck Team and the Historic Sportcar Racing sponsorships. MCI Racing also produces one of the most comprehensive Internet sites in the racing arena (http://www.mciracing.com). MCI Racing is primed to bring auto racing fans closer to their sport while promoting the MCI brand and its family of integrated products and services.

MCI, headquartered in Washington, D.C., offers the industry's most comprehensive portfolio of communication services. With 1996 revenues of $18.5 billion, MCI ranks as one of the world's largest telecommunications companies. MCI is also the world's second largest carrier of international traffic and operates one of the world's most advanced Internet networks. Since its founding in 1968, MCI has been a leader in bringing the benefits of long distance competition to businesses and consumers and is now leading the charge to open U.S. local calling markets to competition. On November 10, 1997, MCI announced a definitive merger agreement with WorldCom, Inc. to form a new company called MCI WorldCom.