CHIP GANASSI RACING ANNOUNCES NEW TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVE
CONTACT: Nealie Hamilton, Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, 704-500-6068 Brian Zepp, Target Chip Ganassi Racing, 317-896-1027 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 13, 2003 CHIP GANASSI RACING ANNOUNCES NEW TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVE THROUGH TARGET CORPORATION PARTNERSHIP, LED BY MICROSOFT Microsoft, Dell, EMC, Syntel, Avaya join as new partners to all CGR Teams Chip Ganassi Racing is proud to announce an innovative new sponsorship program that includes several of the world's top technology companies. Through their long-standing partnership with Target Corporation, Chip Ganassi Racing has finalized sponsorship agreements with Microsoft, Dell, EMC, Syntel and Avaya. The technology consortium will become the official technology partners to Target Chip Ganassi Racing in the Indy Racing League with drivers Tomas Scheckter and Scott Dixon, and for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series with drivers Casey Mears, Jamie McMurray, and Sterling Marlin, and will benefit the programs of team primary sponsors Target, ChevronTexaco, and Coors Brewing Company. Owner Chip Ganassi is excited to announce the new technology partnership: "We are thrilled to add Microsoft, Dell, EMC, Syntel and Avaya as partners to our team," Ganassi explained. "Target has been a valued partner to us for over 12 years and these companies are excellent partners to Target. It just makes sense to bring it all together to benefit everyone involved." The ground-breaking alliance marks the first time that major IT companies have united to work together with a racing team in the U.S. In addition to dedicated intellectual capital, as part of the sponsorship Microsoft will provide consulting services and software solutions based on their .Net platform, Dell Corporation will provide computer hardware, EMC will provide data storage solutions, Syntel will provide customized software development and Avaya will power TCGR's converged communications network and wireless infrastructure. The partnership will provide innovative solutions to assist both the race engineers at the track and create a scalable and efficient infrastructure for the team's business operations. Ganassi is confident that the new partnership will keep the team ahead of the competition both on and off the track: "Ours is a business where a thousandth of a second can be the difference between wins and losses," said Ganassi. "We operate in a high-stress environment where rapid access to the right information is mission critical to success. We're very fortunate to have these industry-leaders as partners to provide us with innovative solutions that will have a direct positive impact on our ability to win races, manage our growth, and operate our business more efficiently. Chip Ganassi Racing has been involved in the world of motorsports since 1990. The storied team history includes four consecutive CART championships from 1996-1999 with drivers Jimmy Vasser, Alex Zanardi and Juan Montoya. In 2000, Montoya won the 84th running of the Indianapolis 500 and in 2001 the team began competition in the ultra-competitive NASCAR Winston Cup Series. With this new initiative in place, the team plans to continue their winning tradition. Other team partners include ChevronTexaco, Coors Brewing Company, Toyota, Daimler Chrysler, Fujifilm, Energizer, Reckitt-Benckiser, Coca-Cola, NestlePurina, General Electric, General Mills, Clorox, Gillette, Unilever, Lexar Media, Kennametal, PPG Paints, Freightliner, and Snap-On Tools. Microsoft Brian Scott, General Manager for Microsoft's Retail & Hospitality Industry Solutions Group feels that the partnership will add value to everyone involved. "Microsoft has a long, successful relationship with Target in providing state-of-the-art business solutions. We're excited to be joining them, Dell, EMC, Syntel and Avaya as partners of TCGR," Scott said. "Target Chip Ganassi Racing are proven winners on the race track and the association offers us a unique platform to further demonstrate the power of fully integrated .Net-connected solutions." Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software -- any time, any place and on any device. Dell Profile Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Dell is the world's most preferred computer systems company, and a premier provider of products and services required for customers worldwide to build their information-technology and Internet infrastructures. The company employs approximately 36,000 team members around the globe. Dell was founded in 1984 by Michael Dell, the computer industry's longest-tenured chief executive officer. Dell was founded on a simple concept: that by selling computer systems directly to customers, Dell could best understand their needs and efficiently provide the most effective computing solutions to meet those needs. EMC Corporation Profile EMC Corporation is the world leader in information storage systems, software, networks, and services and the only company 100% dedicated to automated networked storage. EMC Automated Networked Storage combines SAN, NAS, and CAS environments into an integrated networked storage infrastructure. It unifies networked storage technologies, -more- Team Target/Technology/...3 storage platforms, software, and services to enable organizations to better and more cost-effectively manage, protect and share information. As a result, customers are able to reduce costs through consolidation of storage and server resources, centralize and automate manual storage management tasks, and improve overall business continuity and flexibility. Syntel is a global e-Business, Applications Outsourcing, and Business Process Outsourcing company that delivers real-world technology and IT enabled solutions to Global 2000 corporations. Syntel's portfolio of services includes e-Business development and integration, wireless solutions, data warehousing, eCRM, as well as complex application development, enterprise integration, and Business Process Outsourcing services. The company was the first US-based firm to launch a Global Delivery Service to drive speed-to-market and quality advantages for its customers. Named one of Forbes Magazine's "Best 200 Small Companies in America," Syntel has approximately 2,600 employees worldwide, is assessed at Level 5 of the SEI's CMM and is ISO 9001:2000 certified. To learn more, visit us at: www.syntelinc.com <http://www.syntelinc.com/>. Avaya Inc. Avaya Inc. designs, builds and manages communications networks for more than 1 million businesses worldwide, including 90 percent of the FORTUNE 500®. Focused on businesses large to small, Avaya is a world leader in secure and reliable Internet Protocol (IP) telephony systems and communications software applications and services. Driving the convergence of voice and data communications with business applications - and distinguished by comprehensive worldwide services -Avaya helps customers leverage existing and new networks to achieve superior business results. Target Minneapolis-based Target Stores serves guests at 1,148 stores in 47 states nationwide by delivering today's best retail trends at affordable prices. Whether visiting a Target store or shopping online at target.com, guests enjoy a fun and convenient shopping experience with access to thousands of unique and highly differentiated items. Target Stores, along with its parent company Target Corporation , gives back more than $2 million a week to its local communities through grants and special programs. Since opening its first store in 1962, Target has partnered with nonprofit organizations, guests and team members to help meet community needs. Nealie Hamilton Media Relations Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates office: (704) 662-9642 x1130 cell: (704) 500-6068 nhamilton@ganassi.com