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NASCAR WCUP: Chase Racing All-Stars panel set for 2000 season

29 February 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
Charlotte, N.C.,- The selection panel for the new Chase Racing All-Stars program has been set for the 2000 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and includes a variety of individuals from all corners of the sport. The crew member incentive program, which was announced during the Lowe's Motor Speedway Media Tour, will award excellence in 12 team positions as well as several outstanding achievement awards.

The diverse selection committee is comprised of Steve Waid from Winston Cup Scene, TV commentator Benny Parsons, legendary NASCAR drivers Buddy Baker, Bobby Allison, and Ernie Irvan, Lowe's Motor Speedway President Humpy Wheeler, Fred Wagenhals with Action Performance Companies, Inc., and Carole Swartz, Manager, NASCAR Racing Public Relations with Goodyear. In addition to the named panel, there will also be a vote cast from a fan chosen through a retail promotion contest and one internet tabulated vote.

Winston Cup crew members from 12 team positions will be evaluated on a variety of criteria such as speed, performance, leadership and teamwork. Each week the panel will closely observe the crew members in contention and vote on whom had the best overall performance based on those standards. Top performers will be named as members of the Chase Racing All-Stars Team at an annual awards ceremony upon the conclusion of the season.

The crew members in contention will include all members of each Winston Cup team at the beginning of the season. The field will then be narrowed four times throughout the year. After the March Atlanta race, each position will be whittled down to 20 crew members. Ten crew members for each position will remain after Charlotte Speedweeks, five crew members for each position after the August Michigan race, and three finalists for each position after the season-ending race in Atlanta. As finalists are determined through the year, they will be distinguished during races by wearing fluorescent radio belts.

At the All-Stars awards banquet in January, the remaining crew members in contention will be separated in three teams and awards will be presented accordingly. Team one, two, and three will receive jackets, trophies, and monetary awards, and Team one members will also receive a Chase Racing All-Stars ring.

The Chase Racing All-Stars program is named for Action Performance's Chase Authentics, the official apparel brand of the Crew Chief Club and authentic trackside apparel of NASCAR. A line of commemorative apparel will be designed and available for fans to purchase trackside, and online through Action's standard distribution channels.

The Motorsports Decisions Group, Inc. (TMDG) is a full-service marketing agency founded to meet the needs of drivers, teams, corporations and manufacturers in the motorsports arena. The major divisions of services provided by TMDG are: Market Analysis & Consulting, Event & Promotion Management, Media & Public Relations, Licensing & Merchandising, Sponsorship Marketing, Concept Development, and Marketing support. For information visit www.motorsportsdecisions.com.

Action Performance Companies, Inc. is the leader in the design, marketing, promotion and distribution of licensed motorsports merchandise. Its products include a broad range of motorsports-related die-cast car replica collectibles, apparel, souvenirs, and other memorabilia. The company markets and distributes products through a variety of channels, including the 170,000-member Racing Collectable Club of America (RCCA), online through SpeedMall at goracing.com, trackside at racing events, mass retail department stores, and a worldwide network of wholesale distributors and specialty dealers. Action Performance recently was ranked 24 on both Fortune magazine's list of "100 Fastest Growing Companies" (September, 1999) and Forbes magazine's list of "200 Best Small Companies" (November, 1999).

Text provided by Beth Westmoreland

Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit The Racing Photo Museum and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.