Discover Card Sponsors HAAS CARTER Motorsports; Team Signs Six-Race Sponsorship

    STATESVILLE, N.C.--May 26, 2002--HAAS CARTER Motorsports announced today that it has partnered with Discover(R) Card, one of the nation's leading credit card companies, for a six-race NASCAR Winston Cup Series sponsorship. Todd Bodine rejoins HAAS CARTER Motorsports as driver for its No. 26 race team.
    This announcement marks the Chicago-based credit card company's first involvement in NASCAR. To further drive home the point that its commitment goes beyond its name on a car, Discover Card will have in-car cameras for each of the six races in which the No. 26 Ford Taurus will attempt to qualify. In addition, new commercials will begin airing during races on the FOX and NBC networks beginning June 2 and Discover Card will be the title sponsor of NBC's pre-race shows starting July 14.
    "NASCAR's national growth and popularity is undeniable, which makes it a great outlet for us to not only build our brand awareness, but it's also the perfect vehicle to build relationships with our merchant partners and pass along the benefits of this sponsorship directly to our Cardmembers," said Richard Lalley, vice president of Advertising at Discover Financial Services, Inc. "We believe that by sponsoring a veteran team like HAAS CARTER Motorsports, we can reach NASCAR fans and give Discover Cardmembers something to cheer for."
    HAAS CARTER Motorsports has been searching for full-time sponsorship of its Nos. 26 and 66 teams since its primary sponsor, Kmart, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
    "This is a great opportunity for both Discover Card and HAAS CARTER Motorsports," said Carl Haas, co-owner of HAAS CARTER Motorsports. "Discover Card's sponsorship gives our team the chance to race at a competitive level, while our team provides the marketing tools for Discover Card to reach a new audience. We couldn't be happier with this relationship and hope that it develops into a long-standing partnership," Haas continued.
    HAAS CARTER Motorsports co-owner Travis Carter believes that Discover Card's sponsorship bodes well not just for his team, but may also be a positive indicator for motorsports sponsorships in general.
    "At a time when the economy is still skeptical and many corporations are hedging their sports investments, it's a good sign that a solid company like Discover Card is willing to invest in motorsports," said Travis Carter, co-owner of HAAS CARTER Motorsports. "We're proud to be associated with an industry leader like Discover Card."
    Discover Card will be the primary sponsor on the No. 26 Ford Taurus driven by Bodine at the following NASCAR tracks: Dover Downs International Speedway (June 2); Pocono Raceway (June 9); Michigan Speedway (June 16); Sears Point Raceway (June 23); Daytona International Speedway (July 6) and Chicagoland Speedway (July 14).

    About Discover Financial Services

    Discover Financial Services, a business unit of Morgan Stanley, operates the Discover Card brands and the Discover Business Services network for its more than 50 million Cardmembers. Discover Business Services is the largest independent credit card network in the United States with approximately 4 million merchants and cash access locations.