Unser and Team Corteco 'Drive' to Raise Funds for Children's Charities

PLYMOUTH, Mich., March 18 -- While driving in the Indy Racing League (IRL) is a passion for Corteco race driver Al Unser Jr., on March 20 he'll be driving in a totally different kind of event in Phoenix ... with a golf club in his hand.

That's because he'll be playing golf with fellow drivers, sponsors and IRL fans to raise funds for Al Unser Jr.'s Children's Charitable Foundation in the Copper World Charity Classic Golf Tournament at the Estrella Mountain Ranch Golf Course, near the Phoenix International Raceway.

According to Dennis Wood, former owner of the Phoenix Raceway and long- time family friend who runs the golf outing for Unser, the event is expected to draw more than 160 participants -- including drivers, sponsors and motorsports legends (such as Al Unser Sr. and Parnelli Jones) -- in town for The Purex Dial Indy 200 race on March 23.

The golf tourney, sponsored by Corteco and hosted by Unser, is now in its third year. Proceeds from the event will go to the charitable foundation Unser established in 1994, which assists several children's charities. Much of the foundation's funding goes to organizations seeking a cure for transverse myelitis, a viral disease that affects the spinal cord. Unser's oldest daughter, Cody, was paralyzed by this disease.

"This tournament has proven to be a great way to raise money for the foundation, have fun and create some friendly off-track competition among the IRL drivers, owners and sponsors," Unser said. "We're glad that our sponsor, Corteco, and many of our IRL friends and colleagues have stepped up to support this year's event. It promises to be our best ever."

"We at Corteco are proud to team up with Al on the race track, and we're pleased to extend that teamwork to help his work with children's charities," said Phillip Damaska, CEO of Freudenberg-NOK's Distributed Products Group which oversees the Corteco business. "This event is a big win for everyone involved: for Al Unser Jr. who has done so much for charity throughout his career, for the golfers and sponsors, for Corteco and, most importantly, for the kids who will ultimately be helped with the money raised."

A second charity golf tournament benefiting Al Unser Jr.'s Children's Charities Foundation will be held on May 19 in Indianapolis in conjunction with the annual Indianapolis 500 race.

Unser, a two-time Indianapolis 500 winner (1992 and 1994), drives the No. 31 Corteco-sponsored Indy Racing League car for the Kelley Racing Team. This is his 21st year in open-wheel competition. With an impressive record gained in more than 300 career starts, he finished the 2002 IRL championship in seventh place overall.

Now in its second year as Unser's primary sponsor, Corteco specializes in automotive aftermarket sealing and vibration control products. Its product lines include Corteco engine gaskets, seals and gasket rebuild kits; MounTec engine, transmission and strut mounts and bushings; and TransTec transmission and power steering rebuild kits. In addition, Corteco produces oil seals, in- vehicle crankshaft seal kits and cabin air filters. Corteco is headquartered in Plymouth, Mich., and maintains manufacturing and distribution facilities in Milan, Ohio and Newport, Tenn.

Corteco is the aftermarket business of Plymouth, Mich.-based Freudenberg- NOK, part of the Freudenberg and NOK Group Companies, which have total annual sales of nearly $7 billion. With worldwide automotive sales of approximately $4 billion, the Freudenberg and NOK Group was ranked No. 2 in global balance among top automotive suppliers (according to Automotive News International - Sept. 2001) and (No. 22 in global sales among the world's top OEM automotive suppliers (per Automotive News - June 17, 2002).

For more information, visit Corteco's web site at www.Corteco-usa.com and the Freudenberg-NOK web site at www.freudenberg-nok.com .