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Cingular Wireless Launches Into 2001 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Season as Team Sponsor

 Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates to Finalize 2001 Winston Cup Program

    ATLANTA, Jan. 9 Cingular Wireless(SM), the second largest
wireless carrier in the U.S. and a joint venture between BellSouth Corporation
and SBC Communications, Inc., today announced that it will become the primary
sponsor of the #01 car with Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates for the
2001 NASCAR Winston Cup Series.
    "As we launch the new Cingular brand, we look forward to introducing our
new company to NASCAR fans nationwide.  We know NASCAR fans like to express
themselves and we're here to help them do it.  We're not about technology.
We're about our customers -- their communication -- about celebrating life,"
said Larry Powell, Cingular vice president of advertising.  "We feel fortunate
that we will be able to partner with one of the most exciting teams in 2001
with Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates.  We know their talent and passion
for this sport is unparalleled and we feel confident they will bring a winning
attitude to unleash Cingular's brand into the national spotlight."
    "With Cingular as a sponsor of our #01 car, we know we'll make it one of
the most competitive cars in the series," said Chip Ganassi, co-owner of the
team.  "Sponsors are a team's life-blood, and with a dynamic brand like
Cingular, we can't imagine a stronger force to propel us to the top in 2001."
    Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates and Cingular Wireless have not
named a driver for the #01 car yet, but plan to make an announcement within
two weeks.
    Cingular customers will also benefit from a new, more powerful wireless
company providing national reach, far greater coverage areas and the latest in
wireless data and voice communications at very competitive prices.
Previously, BellSouth Mobility sponsored the NASCAR Busch Series #01 car
fielded by Team SABCO.
    "BellSouth's primary avenue for promoting its Winston Series racing
program was through its wireless services businesses.  With BellSouth's
wireless business now part of Cingular Wireless, it made sense to transition
the racing program to Cingular," said William Pate, vice president of
advertising and public relations for BellSouth Corporation.
    Cingular Wireless is a newly created wireless carrier dedicated to
self-expression and superior customer service.  As a leader in mobile voice
and data communications, Cingular, a joint venture between SBC Communications
and BellSouth, currently serves more than 19 million customers nationwide.
Cingular's vision is to grow rapidly by offering customers advanced
technologies in simple, cost-effective ways that permit them to tap the
creative potential of wireless through their own self-expression.  Details of
the company are available at http://www.cingular.com
    Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates manage two cars in the 2001 NASCAR
Winston Cup Series, the #01 car sponsored by Cingular, and the #40 car
sponsored by Coors.  The 2001 season marks Chip Ganassi's first year in NASCAR
racing and his tenth year as a Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) owner
with the four-time championship team and 2000 Indy 500 winner Target Chip
Ganassi Racing.