Hyundai Withdraws from SCCA ProRally Championship

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For immediate release   4 December 2002

Hyundai Withdraws From SCCA ProRally Competition 

TOPEKA, Kan. (December 4, 2002) - After eight successful seasons, Hyundai 
Motor America announced its decision to not field a works-backed team in the 
SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) ProRally Championship Series in 2003, 
instead reallocating its marketing budget to a variety of other programs.

            Hyundai enjoyed a long and enormously successful relationship 
with Libra Racing in the SCCA ProRally Series, having just clinched a sixth 
Overall Manufacturers' Championship in October.  Over the years, the 
outstanding performance of SCCA rally legend and team leader John Buffum, 
along with drivers Paul Choiniere, Noel Lawler, Mark Higgins and navigators 
Jeff Becker, Charlie Bradley and Michael Gibson, focused the spotlight on the 
performance capabilities and the reliability of Hyundai vehicles.

            However, with the costs of competition escalating dramatically in 
the past few years, and faced with an uncertain US economy in 2003, the 
company faced a hard choice.  As successful as the program was, the company 
felt it would best be served by reallocating its marketing resources.

            "We want to thank Hyundai for their support of ProRally," said 
Steve Johnson, SCCA President and CEO.  "They were the first of many 
manufacturers who have come on board and helped create an incredibly 
successful series.  While we are sad to see them leave, the momentum rallying 
has in the US, along with some major sponsor announcements we will be making 
in the near future, ensures that SCCA ProRally will be stronger and even more 
successful in 2003."

            Hyundai entered the championship in 1995 and quickly emerged as a 
dominant force in the increasingly popular series.  In total, the company won 
six of the last eight Open Class and Overall Manufacturers' Championships, as 
well as the Production Class Manufacturers' Championship for the past two 
seasons.

SCCA: Founded in 1944, the Sports Car Club of America, Inc. is a 
65,000-member motorsports organization, which incorporates all facets of road 
racing, autocross and rally, with both amateur and professional motorsports 
events.  It annually sanctions over 2,000 events through its 109 regions and 
professional subsidiary.  Landmark events for the Club include the Club 
Racing Valvoline Runoffs® National 
Championship races at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, the Tire Rack Solo II® 
Nationals at Topeka, Kan., the Tire Rack ProSolo® National Series and the 
SCCA ProRally® Championship.  Additional information can be found at <A HREF="www.scca.com">
www.scca.com</A>

HYUNDAI:  Hyundai Motor America, based in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a 
subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company in Korea.  Hyundai cars and sport utility 
vehicles are distributed in the United States by Hyundai Motor America and 
are sold and serviced through more than 600 dealerships nationwide.
                                                                              
   
The SCCA ProRally Championship is presented by Mitsubishi and Subaru,  and is 
televised in North America on SpeedChannel.  Time and date listing 
information available at <A HREF="www.speedtv.com">www.speedtv.com</A>

The SCCA name and logo is a registered trademark of the Sports Car Club of 
America, Inc.  ProRally, ClubRally and RallyCross are service marks of the 
SCCA.