40 Coors Light Fontana pre-race report

CONTACT:  Nealie Hamilton, Chip Ganassi Racing, 704/662-9642,
nhamilton@ganassi.com


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 23, 2002

STERLING MARLIN
COORS CHIP GANASSI RACING with FELIX SABATES
#40 COORS LIGHT DODGE INTREPID R/T
PRE-RACE REPORT: CALIFORNIA

EVENT:		NAPA Auto Parts 500 (race #10 of 36)
		California Speedway, 2-mile banked paved tri-oval
			
DATES:		Qualifying: April 26, 2002
		Race: April 28, 2002
			
BROADCAST:	Television: FOX pre-race show begins at 2:30 p.m. EDT
		Radio: MRN race coverage begins at 2:30 p.m. EDT
		Race begins at 3 p.m. EDT

COORS ORIGINAL TEAM FACTS

Fontana:  In five career starts at California Speedway, Marlin has scored
only one top-10 finish.  He has no wins and no poles at the track.  Marlin's
best start is 14th (5/3/98) and his best finish is ninth (4/29/01) at
Fontana.

Coors Original paint scheme:  The No. 40 Coors Original Dodge paint scheme
will kick off at Fontana this weekend and will also been seen at Dover,
Michigan, Sonoma, Daytona, Pocono, Talladega, Martinsville, Atlanta and
Phoenix.  Coors Brewing Company has been a committed sponsor of NASCAR
Winston Cup racing for nearly two decades and is looking forward the high
profile exposure that the Coors Original paint scheme will provide with the
21+ male NASCAR enthusiast market. Coors Original, Coors Brewing Company's
flagship beer, is currently aligned with several other partnerships
including Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and musicians Kid Rock and
Toby Keith.  

Car: The Coors Original team will take car #205 to Fontana.  It is a brand
new racecar that has never competed.  The Coors Original team tested it in
Fontana on March 27th and 28th.

Championship: Marlin remains first in championship points for the eighth
straight race (Rockingham to Talladega).  He is the only driver to rank in
the top-10 in NASCAR Winston Cup championship points since the 2001 Daytona
500.

Consistent: Marlin has finished in the top-10 in all but two of the races
this season including non-points races.  His two finishes outside of the
top-10 were 19th at Bristol and 12th at Martinsville.  Marlin has qualified
outside of the top-10 for all but one races this season including non-points
races.  He started sixth at Rockingham.

<Marlin California Speedway stats attached>

Nealie Hamilton
Media Relations
Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates
704-662-9642 x1130 / office
704-500-6068 / cell