LAULETTA JOINS CHIP GANASSI RACING TEAMS, INC. AS PRESIDENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: John Olguin at Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Media Relations, 704-662-9642 LAULETTA JOINS CHIP GANASSI RACING TEAMS, INC. AS PRESIDENT CONCORD, N.C. (July 17, 2007) - Chip Ganassi Racing Teams, Inc. announced today that Steve "Jake" Lauletta has been named president of the organization according to Owner and Chief Executive Officer, Chip Ganassi. "I am very excited to bring a guy of Steve's caliber to our operation," said Ganassi. "With his strong background in sports marketing and specifically in racing, I know he will be a tremendous asset to us. Because of his previous experiences, he knows and completely understands the racing landscape as it exists in both NASCAR and IndyCar, which is something that I was looking for in this position. He brings so much to the table." Lauletta will oversee all aspects of the Chip Ganassi Racing's business and marketing operations including both its Concord and Indianapolis facilities. He will be charged with creating and implementing the company's overall strategic direction as it relates to sponsorship acquisition and retention, organizational branding and communications and league partnerships. All of the teams racing operations including managing directors Mike Hull (Indianapolis) and John Fernandez (Concord) will continue to report directly to Ganassi. Lauletta was formerly the president of Radiate Sports, the sports marketing division of Omnicom's The Radiate Group, a global network of independently branded, best-in-class marketing service agencies. Lauletta was responsible for Radiate Sports' overall strategic marketing direction, including leading new sports business development enhancing The Radiate Group's current clients' sports marketing initiatives in North America, Europe, South America, and Asia. Prior to Radiate, Lauletta enjoyed a successful 11-year career at Miller Brewing Company. He served in a variety of marketing leadership positions with Miller, most recently as director of sports and event marketing. Lauletta was responsible for the strategic direction and management of Miller's sports and event marketing. He oversaw the negotiation and administration of Miller's sports and entertainment sponsorships, including all major professional sports leagues, music venues and celebrity endorsements. Lauletta began his sports marketing career working for sports agencies in the areas of client management, event production, promotion and athlete representation. "Chip and Felix (Co-Owner Sabates) have created first class operations in both Indianapolis and Concord," said Lauletta. "These guys are both icons in the motorsports world and I cannot think of a place I'd rather be. They have won championships in the past and I cannot wait to be part of their continued success in the future." A graduate of the University of Norte Dame and a native of Brooklyn, N.Y., Lauletta and his wife Jamie reside in Charlotte, N.C. About Chip Ganassi Racing Teams, Inc. Following a strong career as a driver, Chip Ganassi created his own one-car IndyCar team in 1990 and established a partnership with a new sponsor, Target. Today, his teams include two IRL IndyCars, one Indy Pro Series car and along with Felix Sabates he has three cars in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, two entries in the NASCAR Busch Series and two Daytona Prototypes in the world of Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series racing. Ganassi's IndyCar teams have amassed five Championships and 54 wins since 1994; his NASCAR teams have 11 wins and a Rookie-of-the-Year title; and the Grand American team has won two of the last three Rolex Series Daytona Prototype Championships and are the two-time defending Champions of the Rolex 24 At Daytona. Chip Ganassi Racing operates out of state-of-the-art race shop facilities in Indianapolis, Ind., and Concord, N.C., with a corporate office in Pittsburgh, Pa. For more information log onto www.chipganassiracing.com <http://www.chipganassiracing.com/>