On Wheels, Inc. Announces 2006 Winners of the 10th Annual Urban Wheel Awards

First Diversity Motorsports Award goes to NASCAR

Ford Motor Company named Company of the Year

DETROIT, Jan. 11 -- Yesterday, On Wheels, Inc. announced the winners of the 2006 Urban Wheel Awards, the only official event that celebrates diversity during the North American International Auto Show. In its tenth year, the event was hosted by acclaimed actor and comedian, Sinbad. Film and television actors Vivica A. Fox and Bokeem Woodbine also participated as presenters at the automotive industry's "Academy Awards"-like show.

The Urban Wheel Awards is produced and hosted by On Wheels, Inc., publishers of African Americans On Wheels, Asians On Wheels and Latinos On Wheels magazines. The publications are distributed in more than 80 newspapers in the US, with a combined readership of 5 million.

Awards were given in seven categories: African American, Asian and Hispanic Executives of the Year, Urban Car and Truck of the Year, Diversity Automotive Advertisements of the Year, Minority Automotive Supplier of the Year and Automotive Company of the Year. This year, On Wheels, Inc. added the first-ever Motorsports Award. The first honor went to NASCAR for its leadership in the industry and its many diversity initiatives. NASCAR president Mike Helton accepted the award at the event.

The winners of the 2006 Urban Wheel Awards African American, Asian and Hispanic Executive of the Year awards were Kim Harris Jones, Vice President, Product Finance, Chrysler Group; Hau Thai Tang, Director of Advanced Product Creation & SVT for Ford Motor Company; and Grace Lieblein, Vehicle Chief Engineer for General Motors Corporation's Front Wheel Drive Trucks; respectively.

DaimlerChrysler's Kim Harris Jones was the company's first African- American vice president.

Asian executive winner, Hau Thai Tang became a leader in developing exciting new products for Ford Motor Company, and led the design and development of the critically acclaimed 2005 Mustang program.

Hispanic executive winner, Grace Lieblein is General Motors' first and highest ranking Latino Vehicle Engineer.

The awards for the Urban Car and Truck of the Year went to Mercedes-Benz R Class and the new Honda Ridgeline, respectively.

Tri-Tec, LLC, supplier to Ford Motor Company, won the 2006 Urban Wheel Awards Minority Supplier of the Year. Tri-Tec is the premier provider of design, engineering, construction management, and contract administration.

The 2006 Urban Wheel Awards Company of the Year went to Ford Motor Company. With a diverse workforce of 25%, Ford's Vision for Diversity and Work life is to create an inclusive environment that leverages diversity to create high performing teams and organizations. Ford Motor Company is a symbol of excellence and a guiding light to African Americans, Latino and Asian Americans in the auto industry worldwide.

Via online voting, the public chose Carol H. Williams Advertising Agency for its GMC Truck - "Poetry in Motion" Envoy Denali commercial for the 2006 African-American Diversity Automotive Advertisement of the Year. Accentmarketing Agency received the honor in the Latino category for its Pontiac - "50 Most Beautiful People" Diversity Automotive Advertisement of the Year. Lastly, AdAsia USA Agency received the honor for its "Subaru Tribeca" Asian Diversity Automotive Advertisement of the Year. Each of these companies has created effective diversity advertising that targets minority communities.

For more information about the 10th Annual Urban Wheel Awards, call On Wheels Inc. at (313) 963-2209, or visit http://www.onwheelsinc.com/ .