Funny Car driver Bazemore hits the road for Matco Tools

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (Mar. 18, 2006) - Whit Bazemore, who usually drives the
Matco Tools Iron Eagle Dodge Charger Funny Car in the NHRA POWERade Drag
Racing Series at over 330 mph, took a detour to shadow Don Bailey of Green
Cove Springs, Fla., on his daily route as a Matco Tools distributor.

In Florida for the NHRA Gatornationals this weekend at Gainesville Raceway
as the defending event champion, Bazemore participated in the activities of
a Matco Tools distributor on Thursday, visiting customers and selling tool
boxes.

Bazemore, who's made about five of these trips since Matco Tools came on
board as his sponsor in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series in 2000, and
plans to make three per year, finds the ride-along trips to be an
interesting way to learn what a day in the life of a Matco Tools distributor
entails. "Usually it's a lot of fun," he said. "Matco Tools has 1600
franchisee distributors, and they are an important part of our racing
program, so we try to give back to them as much as we can.

"One way to do that is to go on truck rides with them as they go through
their work day and do their business. We get to meet their customers, the
end-user, the professional mechanic.

"It's really a beneficial thing for Matco Tools, and something I love
doing," Bazemore added.

John Torok, manager of motorsports marketing for Matco Tools, who rode along
with Bazemore, sees these trips as a great way to interact with the
customers and to reward top Matco Tools distributors. "It was great going to
the shops and seeing the fans come out to the truck," he said. "It was
really a rewarding experience for the distributor and for Whit.

"We ended up closing a tool box deal for Don while we were out on the truck,
so that was cool.

"Mechanics have Whit sign their tool boxes and other items. They're real
fans out there. They enjoy Matco Tools, and they really enjoy their NHRA
POWERade Series drag racing."

This week's lucky distributor Don Bailey is a top-150 seller for Matco
Tools and serves the Green Cove Springs, Fla., area.