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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Spreading the Holiday Spirit
Bill Elliott gets an early start on Christmas with the PEANUTS™ Gang
INDIANAPOLIS (Aug. 5, 2005) -- In a collaboration revealed today during a media event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, United Media, the licensing and syndication company for PEANUTS by Charles M. Schulz; Evernham Motorsports; driver Bill Elliott; and Action Performance Companies Inc. unveiled a special No. 6 Hungry Drivers Dodge Charger featuring everybody's favorite "blockhead," Charlie Brown, and his famous "pathetic" Christmas tree from the animated television special, A Charlie Brown Christmas. Elliott is scheduled to drive the car during the upcoming NASCAR Busch Series race at Memphis Motorsports Park on Oct. 22, 2005.
Today at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Charlie Brown and Snoopy were on hand to help Elliott unveil the race car, which was created to honor the 40th anniversary of A Charlie Brown Christmas. Action Performance Companies, the leader in licensed motorsports collectibles, designed the paint scheme featured on the No. 6 Hungry Drivers/A Charlie Brown Christmas Dodge Charger. Action also has a Web site devoted to the program at www.action-performance.com/charliebrown.
"As we gear up for the 40th Anniversary of A Charlie Brown Christmas, a classic television special that people of all ages tune in to watch each and every year, there's no better way to commemorate the occasion than by partnering with a sporting event like a NASCAR race, which is equally adored by the public," said Christina Nix-Lynch, director of promotions for United Media. "Everyone knows that Charlie Brown's pathetic Christmas tree needs a little encouragement, and I'm sure it will get just that as it races around the track on Bill Elliott's No. 6 Hungry Drivers Dodge Charger."
In addition to imagery from the 1965 holiday classic and an official 40th anniversary logo, the No. 6 Hungry Drivers Dodge features sponsorship identifiers from Hellmann's mayonnaise. This season, Unilever Foods signed on with Evernham Motorsports as the primary sponsor of the No. 6 Dodge Charger. Throughout the 2005 season, the car has appeared in NASCAR Busch Series races with different drivers at the wheel and rotating Unilever Foods brand sponsors on the hood. Additionally, The title sponsor of the Memphis NASCAR Busch Series race, Sam's Town - Tunica, will be featured on the No. 6 car as an associate sponsor for this race.
"Partnering with United Media on this special PEANUTS program provided a wonderful opportunity to heighten awareness of our No. 6 Hungry Drivers NASCAR Busch Series team," explained Ray Evernham, the president and CEO of Evernham Motorsports. "Having Bill Elliott in the driver's seat is an added bonus. I hope the fans at Memphis Motorsports Park enjoy seeing Charlie Brown and Snoopy at the racetrack. All of us at Evernham Motorsports are excited to be the team bringing the PEANUTS back to NASCAR."
When Elliott, a fan-favorite with two Daytona 500 wins and 44 NASCAR Cup Series career victories, debuts the No. 6 Hungry Drivers/A Charlie Brown Christmas Dodge Charger at Memphis Motorsports Park, Snoopy and Charlie Brown again will join him for some fun. Both Snoopy and Charlie Brown will have special race-day duties, including a parade lap prior to the race and waving the green flag to signify the race's start.
"Just having Bill Elliott back at the racetrack is a draw for most NASCAR fans," said Fred Wagenhals, Action Performance's chairman, president and CEO. "Teaming Bill up with the PEANUTS characters simply makes it an even more enriching experience. It is a union of two beloved American classics - an extremely popular NASCAR champion and an enduring comic strip - that still never fail to inspire their fans."
For information about Evernham Motorsports team die-cast collectibles and other racing-inspired merchandise, please contact Action's standard distribution channels. To reach an Action Racing Collectables distributor, call the locator line at 1-800-411-8404 or use the ARC dealer locator tool online at www.action-performance.com. Racing Collectables Club of America, a members-only collector club, can be reached at 1-800-952-0708 or on the Web at www.goracing.com.
About PEANUTS™ and United Media: PEANUTS™ was created by Charles M. Schulz and is licensed and syndicated by United Media. Since its debut in 1950, PEANUTS (www.snoopy.com) has focused on the anxieties and joys of childhood as expressed by an ensemble cast of children who often seem wise beyond their years. United Media (UM) is a worldwide licensing and syndication company that focuses on building brand equity around a wide range of creative content. It is a wholly owned E.W. Scripps Company.
About Memphis Motorsports Park: Memphis Motorsports Park is owned by Dover Motorsports, Inc. (NYSE: DVD), a leading promoter of motorsports events in the United States. DVD subsidiaries operate tracks in three states and present more than 500 motorsports events each year. This includes 15 major, national events which operate under the auspices of three premier sanctioning bodies in the U.S. - NASCAR, NHRA, and IRL. Dover Motorsports, Inc. also owns and operates Dover International Speedway in Dover, Del., Nashville Superspeedway near Nashville, Tenn., and Gateway International Raceway near St. Louis, Mo. For more information on Memphis Motorsports Park, visit the company's Web site at www.memphismotorsportspark.com.
About Boyd Gaming Corporation: Headquartered in Las Vegas, Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE: BYD) is a leading diversified owner and operator of 18 gaming entertainment properties, plus one under development, located in Nevada, New Jersey, Mississippi, Illinois, Indiana and Louisiana. Boyd Gaming press releases are available at www.prnewswire.com. Additional news and information on Boyd Gaming can be found at www.boydgaming.com.
About Action Performance Companies: Action Performance Companies Inc. (NYSE: ATN) is the leader in the design, promotion, marketing and distribution of licensed motorsports merchandise. The Company's products include a broad range of motorsports-related die-cast replica collectibles, apparel, souvenirs and other sports-inspired memorabilia. Action Performance markets and distributes products through a variety of channels including the Action Racing Collectables network of wholesale distributors, the Racing Collectables Club of America, QVC, goracing.com, trackside at racing events, direct corporate promotions, mass retail and department stores, specialty dealers and select online retailers. For more information about Action Performance and its many subsidiaries, please visit the company's corporate Web site at www.action-performance.com.
For more information contact:
Steven Cole
Action Performance Companies Inc.
Vice President of Marketing
602-337-3800 ? e-mail: pr@action-performance.com
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