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Contingency, Special Awards Announced for Pep Boys IRL Competition

21 January 1998

INDIANAPOLIS -- Pep Boys Indy Racing League teams will get a boost to their bottom line in 1998 thanks to generous awards from IRL special awards and contingency awards sponsors.

All drivers and teams are eligible for special awards, while contingency awards are based on participation in decal and/or product usage programs. Coors Brewing Company, MBNA Motorsports America, PPG Industries and True Value are sponsors of special awards at each of the 11 Pep Boys Indy Racing League events in 1998.

Coors sponsors the "Pit Performance Award," a $10,000 bonus to the team that spends the least amount of time in the pit area (entrance to exit) and wins or finishes running on the track within 10 laps of the winner at each race. The winner from all 1997 events after the Indianapolis 500 and prior to the 1998 Indianapolis 500 will qualify for the Coors Pit Stop Challenge at Indy, which boasts a record purse of $80,000 in 1998.

MBNA America sponsors the "Lap Leader Award," providing $10,000 to the driver who leads the most laps at each Pep Boys Indy Racing League event. MBNA will also award $25,000 at the end of the year to the driver who leads the most laps during the 1998 season.

Additional bonuses at each event include the $10,000 PPG "Pole Award" for the pole position qualifier and the $10,000 True Value "Pole Winning Chief Mechanic Award" for the chief mechanic of the pole-winning car.

Drivers and teams will receive end-of-year awards from Pennzoil Products, for the $25,000 "Chief Mechanic of the Year" Award, which honors the chief mechanic for the 1998 IRL driver points champion; from Sprint PCS for the $25,000 "Rookie of the Year" Award; and from Emco Gears, which will contribute $22,000 in awards to teams based on driver point standings and participation in the Emco Gears decal program.

Eleven companies are participating in the 1998 Pep Boys Indy Racing League contingency awards program and will present cash awards after each event. Participating sponsors include Bart Wheels, Cooper Automotive/Champion Spark Plugs, Earl's Performance Products, Keco Coatings, Klotz Special Formula Products, Nissan Motor Corporation, Oldsmobile, Pennzoil Products, Bosch Corporation, STP Racing/First Brands Corporation and Wiseco Piston, Inc.