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America's Cup Winner Bill Koch Joins Board of Rocket Racing League

LAS CRUCES, N.M., Oct. 20, 2006 -- From sailing the seas to soaring the skies, billionaire Bill Koch has joined the board of the Rocket Racing League(TM) (RRL). The RRL, which aims to debut its first NASCAR-style races in late Fall 2007, is a first-of-its-kind aerospace sports and entertainment league formed by X PRIZE founder Peter Diamandis, a space travel enthusiast, and Granger Whitelaw, a two-time Indy 500 champion team partner.

A native of Wichita, William Ingraham Koch developed his entrepreneurial attitude from his father, Fred, whose petroleum venture, Koch Industries, became the largest privately owned company in the U.S. Receiving his engineering degree from MIT and spending twelve years at Koch Industries, Bill Koch subsequently founded and led The Oxbow Group, a diversified holding company comprised of more than 30 companies, including those specialized in producing electricity from alternative energy sources. Koch's "T3" philosophy -- talent, teamwork, technology -- has led him to tackle other challenges beyond the business world. Most notably, he funded the development, building and manning of America3, the sailing vessel that won the 1992 America's Cup. His leadership united more than 200 people who worked for 19 months to bring the Cup back to America. True to form, Koch launched an even more daring experiment with the all-women America's Cup team for 1995.

"Bill is a genuine Renaissance Man who combines an entrepreneur's savvy with an adventurer's spirit," said Whitelaw. "We know that he will be a strong presence on our board in seeking out opportunities for the RRL, and we are thrilled to have him aboard."

Koch explains, "I first became interested in how technology and speed intersect during our America's Cup campaign in 1992. This venture will not only provide great three dimensional entertainment but also take us to the space age."

About the Rocket Racing League

The Rocket Racing League (RRL) is an aerospace entertainment organization which combines the competition of racing with the excitement of rocketry. RRL is dedicated to providing safe and thrilling experiences for families through live events, television broadcasts and interactive technologies. Co-founded by Dr. Peter H. Diamandis, founder of the X PRIZE, and Granger Whitelaw, two-time Indianapolis 500 champion team partner, the league's mission is to serve as a technology accelerator in the areas of airframe, propulsion and spacecraft design, and reach for the future to inspire the next generation of spaceflight enthusiasts. Rocket Racing League(TM), RRL(TM) and X-Racer(TM) are trademarks of Rocket Racing Inc. For more information, visit the website at www.rocketracingleague.com.