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Northern Light IRL: Starz Super Pak powers Unser Jr. as primary sponsor in 2001

11 November 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

Gemstar-TV Guide International To Serve as Associate Sponsor

INDIANAPOLIS-- Starz Super Pak will power Al Unser Jr. as primary sponsor in the 2001 Indy Racing Northern Light Series season, Galles Racing Owner and General Manager Rick Galles announced today. Gemstar-TV Guide International Inc., one of Americas most recognized brand names, will join the Galles team as associate sponsor for the 2001 season. It will be Starz Super Paks second year with Galles Racing and Unser. Starz Super Pak was an associate sponsor of Galles Racing in 2000, its first year of Indy Racing sponsorship.

"We are very excited that Starz Super Pak has signed on as our primary sponsor for 2001," Galles said. "Their associate sponsorship in 2000 gave us a chance to show them the tremendous opportunities offered by motorsports and the Indy Racing Northern Light Series, in particular.

"This sponsorship is opening the doors for an entire new business to be involved in open-wheel racing, and that is extremely exciting. We are also thrilled about our newest sponsor, Gemstar-TV Guide International. They are a solid company that will undoubtedly be a benefit to our team and the series. We are proud that they have chosen Galles Racing to represent them for the first time in open-wheel racing. I want to thank our front office marketing staff for putting this fantastic sponsorship package together."

Said two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Unser: "We are extremely proud to have Starz Super Pak as our primary sponsor and Gemstar-TV Guide International as the major associate sponsor for 2001. Starz Encore was very active with its associate sponsorship this past season and showed the Galles team a tremendous amount of support throughout the season. They were great to work with as an associate sponsor, and I can only imagine what they will deliver as the primary sponsor.

"This announcement is not only positive for Galles Racing and myself, it is also another clear example of the strength of the Indy Racing Northern Light Series."

Said Mike Hale, senior vice president of marketing and business development at Starz Encore: "Our 2000 associate sponsorship of Galles Racing and Al Unser Jr. was a good marketing investment for us. The combination of televisions fastest growing package of premium movie channels, Galles Racing, one of Americas most storied and successful race teams, and Al Unser Jr., one of racings greatest drivers, was a great experience for Starz Encore. Now, were moving forward in 2001with more passion and commitment as a primary sponsor."

During the 2000 season, Starz Encore Group played host to hundreds of customers at Indy Racing Northern Light Series events, Hale said. The series exposed millions of newspaper and magazine readers and television viewers to the Starz Super Pak brand.

At the same time, Starz Encore developed unique race-related promotions for its cable and satellite affiliates and directly publicized the racing sponsorship to the 67 million pay units it programs into American homes.

"Going forward in 2001, we expect to do even more," Hale said.

TV Guide also has big plans for its sponsorship with Galles.

"When TV Guide looked for a way to bring the power of our brand together with a great American pastime, Galles Racing and the Indy Racing events seemed the perfect extension for us and for our affiliates," said Kevin McAuliffe, senior vice president, affiliate marketing, TV Guide. "We plan to take this sponsorship to a new level - offering great opportunities for our operators across the country to get very involved with the sport, the fans and Al Unser Jr. We look forward to a great year with Galles and Al Unser, Jr."

Unser finished ninth in his first Indy Racing Northern Light Series season, with a victory at Las Vegas. He led 220 laps during the season, third best among all drivers in the series.

Starz Encore Group LLC (Starz Encore) is the largest provider of cable and satellite-delivered premium movie channels in the United States. Starz Encore owns 13 domestic channels and currently counts approximately 67 million pay units. Starz Encore offers up to 12 "starz encore channels" of the Starz Super PakSM, which comprises STARZ!, the New EncoreSM, Action, Mystery, BET Movies, Westerns, STARZ! Family, Love Stories, True Stories, STARZ! TheaterSM, WAM! and STARZ! CinemaSM.

Additionally, Starz Encore has the only low priced movie pak for price-sensitive consumers, the Encore Movie PakSM, featuring up to seven theme channels. Find programming information on the Web at www.starzencore.com. Starz Encore is a wholly owned subsidiary of Liberty Media Group (NYSE: LMGa and LMGb).

Gemstar-TV Guide International, Inc., (NASDAQ: GMST) is a leading global technology and media company focused on consumer entertainment. The company has four major business sectors: the Technology and Licensing Sector, which is responsible for the development, licensing and protection of intellectual property and technology; the Companys technology includes the VCR Plus+ system, the interactive program guide ("IPG") marketed under the GUIDE Plus+ and TV Guide InteractiveSM brands and the electronic book ("eBook"); the Interactive Platform Sector, which owns, operates and derives recurring income from advertising, interactive services, content sales and e-commerce on the companys proprietary IPG and eBook platforms; and the Media and Services Sector, which operates the TV Guide magazines, TV Guide ChannelSM, and other television media properties, as well as a media sales group that services all of the companys media platforms; and the Investments & Holdings Sector, which operates a variety of businesses, including the startup Television Games Network.

Text Provided By Paul Kelly

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