---

Texan Wins Valvoline Winston Cup Ford Taurus

10 November 1998

Texan Wins Valvoline Winston Cup Ford Taurus

            Delivery of Mark Martin's Race-Ready SynPower Car
          Thrills Adults and Children Alike in Tiny Texas Town

    DRIPPING SPRINGS, Texas, Nov. 9 /PR Newswire/ -- The Valvoline Company
dropped into Dripping Springs, Texas, Monday to put the tiny town on the map
and make resident Scott Davis the envy of auto racing fans around the world.
    Valvoline delivered to the Davis family driveway NASCAR superstar
Mark Martin's 750-horsepower Winston Cup Ford Taurus--the grand prize in
Valvoline's SynPower Race Car Sweepstakes.
    Davis said he has his 3-1/2 year-old son Spencer to thank for winning the
sweepstakes, which attracted about 150,000 entries nationwide.  Davis entered
the sweepstakes after his son insisted he buy Valvoline's new SynPower
Complete Fuel System Treatment, which featured an in-pack Hot Wheels model of
the SynPower Taurus.  Davis, who won by random drawing in September, was
announced the winner Oct. 25 in a press conference with Martin and Valvoline
President Jim O'Brien at Phoenix International Raceway prior to that day's
Winston Cup race.
    "I use Valvoline products and Spencer has a big Hot Wheels collection.  He
had to have the SynPower model," Davis, 34, said.  "I sent in the entry form
to win the real car.  When I was told I won, I couldn't believe it.  Sometimes
I still don't believe it.  To be honest, I forgot that I had even entered.
It's one of those sweepstakes that you never think anyone is really going to
win.  I'm just glad Spencer wanted that Hot Wheels replica."
    There's no replication regarding dad's prize -- the Roush Racing-built car
is the real deal.  Martin raced JR-64 10 times -- including his first career
win at the "Monster Mile" at Dover Downs International Speedway -- before
turning it over to Davis.  It is the second time Valvoline has given away a
pedigreed Winston Cup race car.  Last year, Valvoline made NASCAR history by
becoming the first sponsor to give a consumer a race-ready Winston Cup car --
Martin's Ford Thunderbird.
    "We thought we would arm this year's winner with yet another bragging
point by giving away a car that actually has won a race," O'Brien said.  "This
is part of the romance of Winston Cup racing -- bringing sponsors, teams and
drivers together with the fans.  We can't think of a better way to do it than
to actually put a fan in the driver's seat -- literally -- and own a car."
    In addition to having a pedigree, the car also is unique in that it is
painted in the flashy SynPower champagne color scheme that Martin raced only
once, at the 1998 Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, in support of
Valvoline's SynPower Performance Products, a new line of synthetic automotive
chemicals.
    "This has been a really strong car for us; we're gonna miss it," Martin
said.  "Scott definitely is getting some 'hot' wheels, and it's even more
valuable because we only raced this paint scheme once before permanently
retiring it.  He has the ultimate NASCAR collectible."
    Dripping Springs, about 20 miles west of Austin, Texas, was electric this
morning when Valvoline delivered the car to the Davis home.  Dozens of
Dripping Springs residents (population 1,100) greeted the car, including young
Spencer and his preschool classmates.
    Davis is not sure what he's going to do with the car, but it's a question
he doesn't mind struggling with.
    "People keep asking me what I'm going to do with it.  I don't know what to
tell them," he said.  "This is my first NASCAR Winston Cup racer. Maybe next
time I'll have a more prepared answer.  I do know this, Spencer's going to
have a really cool car to take to the prom when he grows up!"
    Valvoline motor oil is the No. 1 choice of top mechanics for use in their
own vehicles.  Valvoline, a division of Ashland Inc., has been serving
American motorists longer than any other motor oil company and is a leading
innovator and supplier of quality, high-performing automotive and industrial
products in more than 100 countries.  Best known for its lubricants, Valvoline
also markets Eagle One appearance products, Zerex antifreeze/coolant, SynPower
Performance Products and Pyroil automotive chemicals and refrigerants.  For
more information about Valvoline, visit the company's Web site at
http://www.valvoline.com.