Fort Lauderdale Man Wins First-ever Nationwide Virtual Car Show; Ken Karaczewski Beats Out 1,983 Others with ''Looney Cruiser''

    PHILADELPHIA--June 20, 2001--Pep Boys , the nation's leading full-service automotive aftermarket retail and service chain, today crowned Ken Karaczewski of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., one of four overall winners in the first-ever "Virtual Car Show," a nationwide competition to showcase some of America's finest cars.
    Karaczewski, with his 2001 PT Cruiser -- named "Looney Cruiser" -- beat out 1,980 entrants from 48 states to take top honors in this first-of-its-kind event.
    The Pep Boys Virtual Car Show, held via the Internet, allowed automobile enthusiasts throughout the country to enter, view and/or vote for various makes and models of cars, trucks, vans and SUVs from the past and present, all without leaving their home or office.
    "The great thing about the Virtual Car Show was that it gave car enthusiasts like me a chance to compete on a nationwide scale," said Karaczewski, who grew up in Detroit surrounded by the car culture. "I've entered this car in a lot of shows in the past year and it's done well, but now that Pep Boys established a broader competition base, I think that will help car shows continue to grow in popularity."
    Bill Furtkevic, director of marketing communications for Pep Boys, agreed, adding, "Everyone at Pep Boys is very excited for Ken. He has a beautiful car. I'm pleased that our Virtual Car Show was able to highlight his 2001 PT Cruiser in such a unique way."
    Karaczewski's "Looney" Cruiser, which was entered in the Mopar category, is the first custom car Karaczewski has created. He estimates that since purchasing the vehicle in mid-2000, he's invested $25,000 into it and will certainly appreciate the $2,000 in Pep Boys gift certificates he received for winning the Virtual Car Show.
    The Pep Boys Virtual Car Show had 12 categories of competition: American Motors, Chevrolet, Buick, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Mopar, Ford/Mercury, Pre-1949 Cars & Trucks, 4x4s & SUVs, 2-Wheel Drive Trucks and Vans, Replica Cars and Trucks, and Imports.
    Three other overall winners were named in the contest: Mark Bartle, from Fort Worth, Texas, Jaime Stamatson, from Wichita, Kan., and Jerry Duckett, from Long Island, NY. Bartle's 1967 Shelby GT350 won in the Ford division; Stamatson's '53 Chevy truck in the 2-Wheel Drive category; and Duckett's "Hot Rod from Hell" in the pre-1949 division.
    The Pep Boys Virtual Car Show began March 5 and moved into the voting stages on May 15. After a team of Pep Boys representatives and the editors of emap-usa publications Motor Trend, Hot Rod, Car Craft, Sport Truck and 4Wheel & Off-Road, selected three finalists in each category, the public was asked to select the 12 category winners. After public voting was complete, Pep Boys and the emap editorial team selected the four overall winners.

    Pep Boys, which is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year, operates 629 stores and over 6,500 service bays in 36 states and Puerto Rico. Along with its vehicle repair and maintenance capabilities, the company also serves the commercial auto parts delivery market and is one of the leading sellers of replacement tires in the United States. Customers can find the nearest location by calling 1-800-PEP-BOYS or by visiting www.pepboys.com.