Ward Scores Chevy's Sixth IRL Victory

FORT WORTH, Texas, June 8, 2002 -- Jeff Ward led only one lap in the
Boomtown 500 at Texas Motor Speedway, but it was the one that counted. Ward
scored his first IRL victory in his 52nd career start, edging Al Unser Jr.
by .0111 seconds in the closest finish in IRL history. Ward scored Chevy's
sixth straight IRL victory of the season and led a Chevrolet sweep of the
first five finishing positions.

Ward pulled off an outside pass on Unser as a three-car Chevy freight
train barreled toward the finish line. With Airton Dare's Harrah's
Chevrolet Dallara tucked tightly behind the gearbox of his Target Chip
Ganassi Racing G-Force, Ward had just enough momentum to catch Unser.

"I was inching around the outside, hoping Al wasn't going to move up,"
Ward said. "He stayed low and scrubbed off some speed; that gave me a run
to catch up. I sucked up and pulled out. The outside line lets the motor
free up. I didn't know I had it -- I shook my fist anyway just in case!"

After four runner-up finishes in his six-year IRL career, Ward's
breakthrough victory was popular -- and long overdue.

"I haven't won anything in 10 years, but I never gave up," said Ward.
"I forgot what this feeling is all about. This is what you work for. When
you don't win, you wonder what's going on. These guys never gave up on me."

Unser led a total of 38 laps in Kelley Racing's Corteco Chevrolet
Dallara before coming within inches of notching his third IRL victory.

"I had a great car and it was really hauling the mail," said Unser. "We
almost got a win today. No regrets -- I was committed to the inside line. I
didn't do anything different from what I had been doing, and just came up
short."

The 200-lap race featured the wheel-to-wheel racing that has become
the trademark of IRL racing on the high-banked 1.5-mile Texas oval. There
were 13 lead changes among nine drivers. Chevrolet engines powered 18 of
the 23 starters and took 13 of the top 14 finishing positions.

"Everyone talks about those other motors, but we had a great result and
beat them all," said third-place finisher Airton Dare, who drives for Texas
racing legend A.J. Foyt. "The car was really good and the engine worked
really well through the whole race. No complaints!"

"Everything is bigger in Texas, and tonight's victory by Jeff Ward was
huge for Chevrolet," said Glenn Tayler, GM Racing IRL marketing manager.
"It marked Chevy's sixth straight win in 2002 and the tenth consecutive
victory by General Motors engines in IRL events at Texas Motor Speedway.
This is another step in the long journey toward winning the 2002
Manufacturer's Championship. The speed and rock-solid reliability of
Chevrolet teams tonight give us confidence as we move forward with the
design of the next-generation Chevy Indy V8 to take on new competitors in
2003."

Chevy driver Helio Castroneves took a 44-point lead (227-183) in
the championship standing with a fourth-place finish. Gil de Ferran lost
ground to Castroneves, his Penske Racing teammate, after encountering
transmission problems and finishing 16th, but he held onto second in the
standings. Sam Hornish Jr., third in the championship race, was eliminated
in an accident with Eddie Cheever Jr. on lap 127. It was Panther Racing's
first DNF (did not finish) in 18 races.

IRL teams will venture into the thin air of the Rocky Mountains next
weekend for the Radisson Indy 225 at mile-high Pikes Peak International
Raceway near Colorado Springs, Colo.

RACE SUMMARY
Track: Texas Motor Speedway, 1.5-mile oval
Winner: Jeff Ward, Target Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet G-Force
Margin of Victory: .0111 seconds
Average Speed: 166.984 mph
Pole: Tomas Scheckter/Infiniti, 220.146 mph
Fastest Lap: Eddie Cheever Jr./Infiniti, 220.447 mph

TOP FIVE FINISHERS
Pos./Driver/Engine/Laps
1. Jeff Ward/Chevrolet, 200 laps
2. Al Unser Jr./Chevrolet, 200
3. Airton Dare/Chevrolet, 200
4. Helio Castroneves/Chevrolet, 200
5. Felipe Giaffone/Chevrolet, 200

MANUFACTURER RESULTS
Laps Led: Chevrolet 65, Infiniti 135
Starters: Chevrolet 18, Infiniti 5
Running at Finish: Chevrolet 13, Infiniti 1

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (after 6 of 15 events)
Driver/Engine/Points (victories in parentheses)
1. Helio Castroneves/Chevrolet, 227 (2)
2. Gil de Ferran/Chevrolet, 183
3. Sam Hornish Jr./Chevrolet, 171 (2)
4. Felipe Giaffone/Chevrolet, 170
5. Jeff Ward/Chevrolet, 147 (1)

Manufacturer/Points (victories in parentheses)
1. Chevrolet, 60 (6)
2. Infiniti, 42

NEXT EVENT
June 16, Radisson Indy 225, Pikes Peak International Raceway, Fountain,
Colo., 1-mile oval, 225 laps
TV: ABC, 4 p.m. Eastern