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CART: Champ Car fans can win big at CART's fan appreciation weekend at California Speedway

22 August 1999

DETROIT - Fans who follow Championship Auto Racing Teams' FedEx Championship Series will have the opportunity to win hundreds of valuable prizes as part of the open-wheel sanctioning organization's year-end 500-mile race at California Speedway October 28-31.

CART, California Speedway and promotion partners Toyota, Firestone, FedEx, Pioneer Electronics, Kmart, Penske Auto Centers and Circuit City have joined forces to create "CART Fan Appreciation Weekend at California Speedway."

"It's great to be able to give something back to the millions of fans who attend our races and the millions more who follow us on television," said Andy Guest, director of marketing for CART. "The 500 at California Speedway is a special race for the series - the driver who wins takes home a million-dollar prize. With the support offered by the sponsors of Fan Appreciation Weekend, fans throughout the country will have a chance to win hundreds of special prizes, too."

Individuals from throughout the United States can enter to win one of the hundreds of guaranteed prizes. The top prize is a Toyota Tundra pickup truck equipped with a top-of-the-line Pioneer car audio system. Other prizes include four trips for two people, courtesy of Firestone, to next year's Champ Car races on each of the four continents (Asia, Australia, North America, and South America) where CART races.

Additional prizes include a Pioneer Home Theater system; 500 Kmart $50 cash cards; 100 full-year supplies of Penske Auto Center Crew Chief oil changes as well as 150 gift certificates for automotive service valued at $100; 30 Pioneer Simple Solution home theatre speaker packages, 10 sets of Firestone Firehawk tires and 100 Firestone racing jackets.

The national program is made even more unique by the fact that all entry forms collected at retail will be delivered to the sweepstakes headquarters by FedEx, Title Sponsor of the FedEx Championship Series.

In addition to the prizes offered nationally, fans visiting California Speedway will have the opportunity to win prizes in a separate sweepstakes event going on throughout "The 500" weekend.

"Champ Car fans will have an opportunity to win some terrific prizes as part of the CART Fan Appreciation Weekend at California Speedway," said Scott Atherton, president of California Speedway. "This caps off a great season of CART racing. The $1 million payout to the driver who wins, the prizes offered through Toyota and the other sponsors - we are very pleased to be able to work with CART and our sponsors to provide more to the fans of Champ Car racing."

Eight million entry forms will be available beginning in September at more than 10,000 locations nationwide, including Kmart stores, Firestone retailers, Penske Auto Centers, Circuit City stores and Southern California Toyota dealers. Through the support of Quokka Sports - CART's Internet partner - fans can also enter on CART's website - www.cart.com.

The sweepstakes also will be supported by 11 million "event guides" available on the display at each retail outlet. Additionally, Toyota, Kmart, Firestone, Penske Auto Centers and Pioneer will be supporting the campaign with print, radio and promotional advertising.

Ticket information for the grand finale, the 20th Round of the 1999 FedEx Championship Series at California Speedway, can be obtained by calling 800-944-RACE.

Editors Note: For hundreds of hot racing photos and racing art, be sure to visit The Racing ImageGalleries and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.