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4 Complete True Value Firebird IROC Field

2 February 1998

NEWS FROM TRUE VALUE FIREBIRD IROC

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 2, 1998

           TINTON FALLS, N.J. -- Former NASCAR Winston Cup champions
Dale Earnhardt and Terry Labonte, 1997 SCCA Trans-Am titlist Tommy
Kendall, and two-time NASCAR Busch Series title- holder Randy LaJoie
today completed the lineup for the True Value Firebird International
Race of Champions.

            These four join previously announced Jeff Gordon, Dale
Jarrett, Mark Martin, Jeff Burton, and Al Unser Jr., Arie Luyendyk,
Tony Stewart and Jimmy Vasser in the four-race IROC series, beginning
Feb. 13 at Daytona International Speedway, in Daytona Beach, Fla.

IROC is an invitational series matching a dozen of the world's top
drivers, representing different types of motorsports, in equally
prepared Pontiac Firebird Trans Ams equipped with Goodyear Eagle
radial tires.  The schedule also includes events May 2, California
Speedway, Fontana, Calif.- June 13, Michigan Speedway, Brooklyn,
Mich.; and July 31, the first IROC race at the Indianapolis Motor
Speedway.

Earnhardt, of Mooresville, N.C., returns for his record 14th IROC
series after finishing fifth in the 1997 Winston Cup standings with
prize money of just over $2.1 million.  The seven-time NASCAR champion
is also a double IROC titlist, in 1990 and 1995, and has won seven
series races.

Labonte, a native Texan now residing in Thomasville, N.C., will
participate in his eighth IROC and was sixth in last year's Winston
Cup rankings with over $2.2 million in winnings.  He won the fall race
at Talladega.  Labonte, a two-time NASCAR title-holder, captured the I
ROC crown in 1989 and always will be remembered for taking the late
Davey Allison's seat for the final IROC race in 1993 to clinch the
championship posthumously for Allison.

Kendall, of Santa Monica, Calif., earned his sixth IROC invitation by
claiming a record third consecutive SCCA Trans-Am road racing
championship.  He won 11 consecutive events to start the season en
route to his fourth career Trans-Am crown.  Kendall is the all-time
leader in virtually every significant Trans-Am statistical category.

LaJoie, a Connecticut native now residing in Kannapolis, N.C.,
accepted his second straight IROC bid after taking a second
consecutive NASCAR Busch Series title.  He won five races, including
Daytona, to become the first Grand National driver to top $1 million
in season earnings.  He placed third in his IROC debut in 1997 and won
at Michigan to become the first Busch Series representative to win an
IROC event.

"I'm glad to be asked back to drive in IROC because I feel like I'm
the representative for all the Friday and Saturday night short-track
racers around the country," said LaJoie,

ABC Sports will again televise all four IROC contests on a delayed
basis.

IROC is sponsored by True Value Hardware Stores; Pontiac division of
General Motors Corp.-, Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co.- DuPont Automotive
Refinishes-, and AC Delco Rapidfire spark plugs and Freedom batteries.

MEDIA NOTE: The address for the IROC site on the Internet is
www.irocracing.com. You are welcome to release this information to the
public.  Thank you