Ready for Takeoff; Jeff Gordon's DuPont Chevrolet Takes Flight With the Wright Brothers

HAMPTON, Ga., March 7 -- Four-time NASCAR(R) Winston Cup Champion Jeff Gordon unveiled a special paint scheme for the No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet Monte Carlo today honoring the Wright Brothers' spirit of innovation and the birth of the aviation and aerospace industries.

DuPont Aviation Finishes, Hendrick Motorsports and Action Performance Companies, Inc., designed the car's paint scheme to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first controlled flights made by a powered, heavier-than- air machine by Orville and Wilbur Wright on Dec. 17, 1903, on the windswept sands of Kitty Hawk, N.C.

Gordon will race the specially painted No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet Monte Carlo at The Winston on May 17 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C. The car features the official Wright Brothers 100 Years of Aviation Celebration logo on its hood and the DuPont(TM) Imron(R) aviation finishes brand on the deck lid. It will appear at select air shows throughout the United States in coming months.

Gordon said he is honored to be a part of 100th anniversary of the Wright Brothers' achievement and believes that NASCAR(R) owes a debt to Orville and Wilbur Wright. "In addition to the enormity of what flight has contributed to humankind in the last 100 years, I know that without flight this sport would not be possible at the level it is today because we would not be physically able to accomplish all that we currently do," he said at the unveiling, which took place at Clayton County Airport - Tara Field, near Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Gordon added, "My longtime sponsor, DuPont, is a leader in the automotive finishes business and it also is a leader in the aviation finishes business, which really ties this celebration of flight together on many different levels."

Today's unveiling included a guest appearance by Amanda Wright-Lane, Wilbur and Orville's great-grand niece, as well as a replica of the Wright Brothers' plane, Flyer 1.

The DuPont/100 Years of Flight paint scheme is a testament to the Wright Brothers' ability to lift the world to new heights and help humanity reach places previously thought impossible. Since that storied first flight, DuPont has contributed many of its own "miracles of science" to the aviation and aerospace industries. DuPont breakthroughs such as DuPont(TM) Imron(R) polyurethane enamels, Kevlar(R) fiber, Pyralux(R) flexible circuit materials, Vespel(R) polyimide parts and shapes and Nomex(R) fire-retardant material are all essential components in modern aircraft.

DuPont is a science company. Founded in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by solving problems and creating solutions that make people's lives better, safer and easier. Operating in more than 70 countries, the company offers a wide range of products and services to markets including agriculture, nutrition, electronics, communications, safety and protection, home and construction, transportation and apparel.

DuPont(TM), Imron(R), Kevlar(R), Pyralux(R), Vespel and Nomex(R) are a trademark and registered trademarks of E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company.

NASCAR(R) is a registered trademark of the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing.