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NASCAR WCUP: It's Time for Dodge Entry Into Winston Cup

15 October 1999

It's Time for Dodge Entry Into Winston Cup
          Program is Logical Extension of Dodge Motorsports Program

    NEW YORK, Oct. 15 -- Dodge's announcement that it will field
teams in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, beginning with the 2001 Daytona 500,
completes its dominating motorsports lineup with championship-caliber teams in
NASCAR's Craftsman Truck Series, drag racing, sprint cars, short-track racing
and open-wheel series.
    The 2001 Dodge NASCAR Winston Cup entry will feature two teams and five
cars.  The popular Dodge Intrepid will be the vehicle for the racing program
with two of the cars featuring Dodge and its dealers as the primary sponsors
and carrying the bright red colors of the Dodge brand.  The additional cars
will be open for primary sponsorship.
    Ray Evernham will own and manage one team; additional owners have not yet
been announced.  Evernham will be instrumental in the design and development
of Dodge's Winston Cup vehicles.  Dodge is expected to submit vehicle designs
and specifications for NASCAR approval early next year.
    A version of the actual NASCAR Intrepid is expected to be announced in
early 2000 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
    During 2000, Dodge will test the Intrepid race car at top tracks around
the country.  The Winston Cup debut will come at the 2001 Daytona 500.
    "Through our varied and comprehensive motorsports involvement," said Lou
Patane, Vice President - Motorsports Operations and Mopar Performance Parts,
"we can utilize our integrated team approach of design, engineering and
marketing to manufacture better, faster, more dependable and higher quality
components for all our brands and for our customers.
    "We want to develop our product against the best competition we can find.
It is our goal to show there is a Dodge difference for our teams, our dealer
organization and our customers."
    NASCAR's Winston Cup Series is just the latest addition to a growing and
highly competitive Dodge Motorsports presence.
    Dodge Motorsports involvement includes the Dodge Viper road racing program
which has twice won the 24 Hours of LeMans, taken the FIA GT2 Championship
three times and won the North American Super Touring Series.
    The Dodge Ram teams are frequent winners in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck
Series.  NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series teams include a Richard Petty-owned
team with driver Jimmy Hensley, a Bob Keselowski-owned team with driver Dennis
Setzer and Winston Cup driver Bobby Hamilton's Dana Dodge team driven by Joe
Ruttman.  Additions to the program in 1999 include championship point
contender Stacy Compton in the RC Cola Dodge and former open-wheel star Randy
Tolsma in the Impact Motorsports Dodge Ram.  Dodge Rams have scored four wins,
11 poles and 31 top-five finishes in the first 23 races of the 1999 season.
    In drag racing, the Dodge banner is carried by the Team Mopar Pro Stock
Dodge Avengers of team owner/crew chief/engine builder David Nickens for
drivers Scott Geoffrion and Darrell Alderman.  Dodge has worked for four
seasons over the Top Fuel machines of owner Darrrell Gwynn and driver Mike
Dunn.  This year, Dodge Motorsports and Team Mopar have been affiliated with
the Skuza family team in the NHRA Funny Car class for the fourth straight year
and are backers of seven teams in NHRA Pro Stock Trucks.  Included among them
are the Pro Stock Dodge Dakota Trucks of Todd Patterson and Bo Nickens.
    Mopar is also teamed with the famed Kinser family in World of Outlaws
sprint car racing.  Car owner and builder Karl Kinser uses Mopar-sponsored and
powered machines for son Mark to drive in the exciting open-wheeled
competition across the country.  The all-aluminum 410 cubic inch Mopar V-8
engines Kinser uses are developed and built by Gary Stanton in cooperation
with Team Mopar engineers.
    "Our customers benefit directly from our approach to all our motorsports
involvement," concludes Patane.  "The venues where we compete are proving
grounds for car designs and engineering allowing us to test parts and concepts
under the most severe conditions."
    "Dodge 500" Countdown to 2001 Daytona 500:  493 days; 1 hour; 15 minutes