Trouble for Team Target at Richmond

Contact: Nealie Hamilton, Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, cell: (704) 500-6068, nhamilton@ganassi.com

For Immediate Release

RICHMOND, Va. (September 6, 2003) --- The Target Dodge seems accident-prone at Richmond International Raceway. Driver Casey Mears has been involved in two accidents in each of his two races at RIR this season.

In the Spring Richmond race, Casey Mears had a strong car and was close to his first top-10 finish when he was caught in a wreck when a few cars checked up in front of him. The alignment of the car was hindered and the team finished in 28th place.

This Saturday night, Mears had a similar outcome in the Fall event at Richmond. After qualifying 31st and using pit strategy to move into the top-5, Mears hit the wall at the halfway point of the race and damaged the alignment of the car. Team Target took the car behind the wall to repair the damages and head back out on the track. Mears finished in 41st position completing only 247 of 400 laps of the Chevy Rock & Roll 400.

"Our car was tight early on, but with pit stops and pit strategy we were able to make it up into the top-five," Mears said. "Unfortunately, I tagged the wall in turn four and we started falling back. Then we got spun out and due to the damage to the toe of the car we had to go behind the wall. The Target crew worked hard tonight, and we are looking forward to going back to Loudon next week."

Team Target was left with a 41st place finish in the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 and remains 34th in the championship points standings. Mears teammates Jamie McMurray and Sterling Marlin finished 19th and 22nd respectively.

Team Target travels to New Hampshire International Speedway next weekend. The New Hampshire 300 will be broadcast live on TNT television and MRN radio on Sunday, August 14th.