MADISON, Wis.

FOR RELEASE: September 5, 2001

U.S. Olympic Team Hopefuls In Madison Receive Vehicles To Help Support Olympic Dream

40 Hopefuls Across the Nation Receive Chevrolet Vehicles

MADISON, Wis. - Brother and sister Craig and Erika Brown, Madison-natives and U.S. Olympic Team hopefuls in men's and women's curling, today received a new Chevrolet Tahoe and Chevrolet Malibu, respectively, from Jon Lancaster Inc. as part of a unique vehicle donation program that supports aspiring athletes by providing them with vehicles to help them achieve their Olympic dreams.

The Brown siblings are two of 40 hopefuls across the country receiving vehicles from Chevrolet The Team Behind The Team, a program designed to help relieve some of the burdens that Olympic training can put on an athlete and his or her family.

Selected athletes are being put behind the wheel of one of four new Chevrolet vehicles they can depend on to meet their daily transportation needs: a Tahoe, Silverado, Venture or Malibu. Vehicle assignments are based on athlete training and transportation needs.

"Chevrolet and its 4,300 dealerships, including Jon Lancaster Inc, are proud to support aspiring U.S. Olympic athletes," said Jon Lancaster, CFO of Jon Lancaster Inc. "The Team Behind The Team helps ease the burden many athletes and their families face in pursuit of their Olympic dreams, namely by providing athletes with the reliable and high quality transportation they need to compete and train."

Having a vehicle is essential in helping each Brown sibling improve their chances of achieving their Olympic dream. Craig Brown, a 26-year-old curler, is currently driving a 12 year-old vehicle that has already surpassed the 200,000-mile mark. Aside from not having a sponsor and only working part-time jobs during his training, Craig's team is the only curling team to have already qualified for the U.S.C.A. National Olympic Trials. Erika Brown, a 28 year-old curler, has become the "unofficial" chauffeur for her curling team, as most competitions are within driving distance from her home. Often traveling to competitions during the harsh Midwest winter months, Brown will use this vehicle to help make these trips-which add up to thousands of miles each year-a bit more comfortable for her and her team. "Being selected to receive a Chevy Tahoe through this program makes my sister and me feel like someone really believes in us," said Craig Brown.

An Advisory Panel comprised of some of America's greatest U.S. Olympians selected the Chevrolet The Team Behind The Team athletes for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. Representing this year's Advisory Panel are the following Olympic gold medalists: Speed skaters Bonnie Blair and Dan Jansen; figure skaters Peggy Fleming and Kristi Yamaguchi; skier Phil Mahre and track and field athlete Evelyn Ashford.

U.S. Olympic Team hopefuls who were considered for one of the 40 Chevrolet vehicles submitted a detailed application consisting of financial information, competitive history and placements, and a short essay describing why they should be selected. Selection was based on financial need, training and competition requirements and qualification as a U.S. Olympic Team hopeful. Rankings were then tabulated to determine the recipients of the vehicles.

JK Group, Inc., an independent company that manages corporate philanthropic programs, was enlisted by Chevrolet to administer The Team Behind The Team selection process. Spearheading the development of the overall process, JK Group worked with the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and National Governing Bodies of Sport to identify prospective U.S. Olympic Team hopefuls who would be eligible for the program.

Chevrolet, which is General Motors' lead division for the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games, has a long history of supporting the spirit of the Olympic Games through partnerships with many National Governing Bodies of Sport, including the U.S. Ski and Snowboarding Association, U.S. Figure Skating Association and USA Hockey. These partnerships, along with The Team Behind The Team program and Chevrolet's role as a presenting sponsor of the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Torch Relay, elevate Chevrolet's commitment to providing transportation solutions for the Olympic Games.

The Team Behind The Team program was first established in 1999 when it donated vehicles to 100 U.S. Olympic hopefuls who aspired to make the team for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.

Chevrolet is the largest division of General Motors, which is the official domestic automotive sponsor of the U.S. Olympic Team through 2004. Headquartered in Detroit, Chevrolet fulfills the transportation needs of more than 36 million Americans daily -- more than any other manufacturer -- and offers the broadest lineup of cars, trucks and vans in the industry.