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Miller Lite and Harley-Davidson Partner for Summer Racing Promotion

7 March 2000

Miller Lite and Harley-Davidson Partner Together Again for Exciting Summer Racing Promotion; Partnership Also Will Highlight Responsibility Efforts

    DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.--March 6, 2000--Two Milwaukee landmarks with legendary racing programs, Miller Brewing Company and Harley-Davidson, Inc., are continuing a long-standing relationship by joining together again in a racing program that will feature Miller Lite stock car driver Rusty Wallace.
    Wallace will drive a special Miller Lite/Harley-Davidson stock car in three National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing events during the 2000 season. The Miller Lite/Harley-Davidson stock car will debut in the Pepsi 400 night race at Florida's Daytona International Speedway, July 1. Following the race in Daytona, Wallace and the Penske Racing team will race the Miller Lite/Harley-Davidson stock car in the GoRacing.Com 500 at Bristol (TN) Motor Speedway, August 26, and the Chevrolet Monte Carlo 400 at Richmond (VA) International Raceway, September 9. All three events are Saturday night races.
    In addition, Miller Lite will make a contribution to the National Motorcycle Safety Fund, which supports the efforts of the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, based on Wallace's performance on the race track in the three races.
    "We're excited to partner again with our Milwaukee neighbor, Harley-Davidson, to bring such a great program to race fans and to use this outstanding opportunity to promote our important personal responsibility messages," said Bob Mikulay, Miller Brewing Company's senior vice president - marketing. "Rusty Wallace is well-known to racing fans throughout the country, and the Miller Lite/Harley-Davidson commemorative paint design will increase enthusiasm for our stock car team and introduce new fans to the sport. It also provides us with a chance to again work with our neighbor Harley-Davidson and partner together for the benefit of both of our consumer groups."
    Miller Brewing Company and Harley-Davidson have worked together numerous times in the past. Most recently, the two companies collaborated on a summer racing promotion last year that offered consumers an opportunity to win Harley-Davidson motorcycles, and introduced a special limited-edition Miller Lite/Harley-Davidson design for cars of the brewery's three racing teams. The two companies also worked together on the motorcycle manufacturer's 90th and 95th Anniversary Reunions in Milwaukee.
    The Motorcycle Safety Foundation and the National Motorcycle Safety Fund are dedicated to providing a safer riding experience for motorcyclists, as well as improving the safety of motorcyclists on the nation's streets and highways. The National Motorcycle Safety Fund will use the contribution from this partnership to launch a training program for motorcyclists traveling in groups.
    The amount of the donation to the National Motorcycle Safety Fund -- which could be as much as $25,000 -- will be based on Wallace's performance in the three races in which he will drive the No. 2 Miller Lite/Harley-Davidson Ford Taurus. The National Motorcycle Safety Fund will receive a contribution, from the three designated races, for each race victory ($5,000), pole position ($3,000) and top-five finish ($2,500), or five dollars per lap completed if Wallace is not among the first five drivers to cross the finish line.
    Milwaukee Brewers' legend and 1999 Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, Robin Yount also will participate in the program, promoting the companies' responsible drinking and safe riding messages. Yount, who played his whole career in Milwaukee, is a Harley owner and racing enthusiast.
    "This partnership brings together two great American brands, and it adds the excitement of NASCAR racing," said Joanne Bischmann, Harley-Davidson's vice president of marketing. "Rusty's racing success can now have an impact on all motorcyclists, through Miller's generous donation to the National Motorcycle Safety Fund. Now we even have more reasons to want Rusty to win."
    "Miller Brewing is committed to ensuring that our products are enjoyed responsibly," said Mikulay. "This is a great opportunity for both companies to aggressively address the issue of social responsibility. We plan to use this program to heighten the awareness of social responsibility through our popular and highly visible racing program featuring Rusty Wallace."
    Both Miller Brewing Company and Harley-Davidson also will help its dealers and distributors focus on responsible drinking and safe riding issues. In addition, both companies will prepare materials that can be used in conjunction with local activities and special events. A variety of point-of-sale materials, including a poster, will be produced featuring Miller Brewing's "Think When You Drink" message and Harley-Davidson's "Ride Straight" slogan. These materials, in addition to the jointly-logoed Rusty Wallace show car and a special Harley show bike will be featured at several bike rallies.
    "Last year, when Miller Brewing and Harley-Davidson got together, I thought it was the coolest program I've ever been involved with in my racing career -- and I've been racing a long time," said Wallace. "Now that the two companies are getting together again -- and my performance in the Miller Lite/Harley-Davidson car will be tied to a really good cause -- I'm even more excited. This is a quality program that will be a great benefit to a good organization, and will be presented in a first-class manner."
    Wallace, the 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup champion, has been driving a Miller Brewing Company-sponsored stock car since 1990. Heading into the 2000 season, Wallace has registered 49 victories and 26 pole positions in 492 career NASCAR Winston Cup races. The 43-year old driver, a winner of at least one race in 14 consecutive seasons (1986-1999), registered ten victories in 1993 and eight wins the following season (1994). In 1991, Wallace became a NASCAR team co-owner with Roger Penske and Don Miller when Penske Racing South was formed.
    The National Motorcycle Safety Fund is a charitable organization created in 1981 to support the work of the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation is a national, nonprofit organization promoting the safety of motorcyclists with programs in rider training, operator licensing and public information. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation is sponsored by Harley-Davidson and the companies that manufacture and distribute most motorcycles in the United States. For more information, visit the Motorcycle Safety Foundation web site at www.msf-usa.org.

    Harley-Davidson, Inc. is the parent company for Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Buell Motorcycle Company and Harley-Davidson Financial Services, Inc. Harley-Davidson Motor Company, the only major U.S.-based motorcycle manufacturer, produces heavyweight motorcycles and offers a complete line of motorcycle parts, accessories, apparel, and general merchandise. Buell Motorcycle Company produces sport and sport-touring motorcycles. Harley-Davidson Financial Services, Inc. provides wholesale and retail financing, insurance and credit card programs to Harley-Davidson dealers and customers.
    Miller Brewing Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Philip Morris Companies Inc. Principal beer brands include Miller Lite, Miller Genuine Draft, Miller High Life, Meister Brau and Milwaukee's Best. Primary products from Plank Road Brewery, a small division of Miller, include ICEHOUSE and Red Dog. Newly acquired brands include Henry Weinhard's, Hamm's, Olde English 800 and Mickey's Malt Liquor. Miller also brews Sharp's, a non-alcohol beer.