Hills Bros Coffee Races Forward With Hut Stricklin and Bill Davis Race Team in 2002

    NEW YORK--(BW SportsWire)--Oct. 26, 2001--

Established Sponsor and Veteran Driver Team Up with No. 93 Dodge for
    Next Season's NASCAR Winston Cup Series

    Hills Bros Coffee Race Team announced today a new primary sponsorship of the Bill Davis No. 93 Dodge, with driver Hut Stricklin, for the 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup Season.
    "This new agreement with Bill Davis Racing really makes the Hills Bros Racing Team a triple threat in next year's Winston Cup circuit," said Henk de Back, president and CEO of Sara Lee Coffee & Tea Consumer Brands. "First we're able to keep our long-standing and prosperous relationship with NASCAR driver Hut Stricklin who helps connect our brand with the race fans that follow his career. Second, we have the best opportunity to win with a powerhouse race team and proven-winner in Bill Davis. And, third, we capitalize on the chemistry that has been created between Hut, our trade and consumers since we aligned with NASCAR."
    Hut Stricklin, who has over 100 feature races to his credit, is the son-in-law of Winston Cup legend Donnie Allison. He started the 2001 season driving the No. 90 Hills Bros Coffee and finished 6th at Michigan this summer. In 2000, he finished 14th at the Brickyard 400 and took second in Darlington during the 1996 campaign. In 1991, Stricklin placed 16th in overall Winston Cup points and in 1989 he was runner up to "Rookie-of-the-Year" honors for the NASCAR Winston Cup series.
    "In Hills Bros Coffee and their 500 employees, we have a sponsor that is committed to winning, as well as growing the sport of NASCAR Winston Cup racing," said Stricklin. "I'm thrilled to carry the Hills Bros Coffee Flag into next season."
    Bill Davis Racing is entering its 15th year of operation in `02, and has been fielding Winston Cup Race teams since 1993. He is currently one of only six owners to win races in both the Winston Cup series (3) and Busch series (6) and ranks 13th in all-time career owner earnings with over $11 million entering the 2001 season. His stable currently runs two cars, the No. 22 Caterpillar/Polaris Dodge driven by Ward Burton, and the No. 93 now driven by Amoco/Siemens Dodge Dave Blaney.
    "By keeping the core Hills Bros Coffee Race Team together, you can't help but feel that we have a competitive advantage going into next season. It's a short learning curve when you have so much consistency," said owner of the No. 93 Dodge Bill Davis. "In my opinion, they're (Hills Bros) as close to the perfect sponsor package as you can get. They're all about forging long-term relationships with their team, their driver, race fans and employees."
    The team will be located in Davis's facility in High Point, N.C.
    More plans from Hills Bros Coffee to leverage this new association both on and off the track will be forthcoming. For more information on Hills Bros Coffee and their racing program visit www.hillsbrosracing.com.

    Hills Bros, America's hometown coffee since 1878, delivers rich aroma and smooth mellow taste that consumers have come to know and love. Hills Bros Coffee is a part of the Sara Lee Coffee & Tea Consumer Brand a Sara Lee Company.