Whirling, Twirling Taz Enlists Looney Tunes Pals to Help Team Monte Carlo

(June 7, 2001 – Concord, NC) – Some of America’s favorite cartoon characters will move into the NASCAR fast lane September 8, when Chevrolet Monte Carlo drivers team up with an animated Warner Bros. Looney Tunes crew for the Chevy Monte Carlo 400 with the Looney Tunes. Team Monte Carlo veteran Taz has turned to his animated pals like Bugs Bunny and Wile E. Coyote to match up with some distinguished three-dimensional counterparts like Jeff Gordon and Kevin Harvick in an integrated marketing and licensing partnership between Chevy’s Team Monte Carlo and Warner Bros. Consumer Products. Chevrolet and Warner Bros. Consumer Products announced the partnership today in a gala event borrowing a page from a Hollywood premiere. The seven Monte Carlo drivers teamed with their respective Looney Tunes alter egos, and walked side-by-side down the red carpet. Equally stunning were the cars unveiled – each with a unique design capturing the spirit of both driver and classic cartoon character in bold paint schemes. As the Looney Tunes crew are a dynamic team in their own right, the entire group appears together in a place of honor: on the special edition Monte Carlo pace car. Each of the Looney Tunes characters appears on the pace car, equipped with special “Pure Fire ChromaLusion” paint by DuPont. The car will lead the pack at the Chevrolet Monte Carlo 400 with the Looney Tunes, NASCAR Winston Cup race at Richmond International Raceway on September 8, 2001. “Team Monte Carlo and Taz have a long-standing relationship, and this agreement between Chevrolet and Warner Bros. Consumer Products reinforces Monte Carlos’ ‘Classy with a Wild Streak’ image. Driving is just more fun in a Monte Carlo,” said Don Parkinson, Monte Carlo Brand Manager. “This partnership allows the Looney Tunes friends to join our racing family, and we look forward to the September 8 race in Richmond, when we plan to see a parade of Looney Tunes cars take the checkered flag in a sweep of the race.” Matching-up the drivers to their Looney Tunes companions wasn’t exactly ACME rocket science – each driver easily matched up with his respective two-dimensional pal. The line-up pairs DuPont driver Jeff Gordon with Bugs Bunny, Goodwrench Service Plus driver Kevin Harvick with the Tasmanian Devil, Pennzoil driver Steve Park with Sylvester & Tweety, Lowe’s Home Improvement driver Mike Skinner with Yosemite Sam, AOL driver Jeff Green with Daffy Duck, Square D driver Bobby Hamilton with Marvin the Martian and Kellogg’s driver Terry Labonte with Wile E. Coyote and Roadrunner. Warner Bros. officials are equally pleased with the latest partnership, said Dan Romanelli, president of Warner Bros. Worldwide Consumer Products. “There is no question that we are very excited about pairing some of the top Winston Cup drivers with the most beloved classic cartoon characters of all time. It’s amazing to see how the personalities of such memorable characters as Bugs Bunny and the Tasmanian Devil so closely match the traits of drivers like Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick, Terry Labonte and Steve Park. We’re confident that the Looney Tunes’ own brand of wacky ingenuity will lend a competitive edge to the Team Monte Carlo drivers on race day.” This promotion is the most recent affiliation between Chevrolet and Warner Bros. The two first formed an alliance in 1998, a partnership resulting in a concept new to the automotive market – family-friendly vehicles with performance handling and driver appeal. Taz was immediately chosen as the Monte Carlo’s alter ego, to symbolize the car’s sleek, aerodynamic styling and a long list of luxury car features, coupled with an ability to transform any drive into a pulse-quickening experience – like a Taz tornado on four performance tires. For Warner Bros., the desire to continue a tradition of dedication to American family values emphasized by the creation of the company-wide Family Entertainment banner in 1993 ensures that the latest agreement with Chevrolet places Looney Tunes characters in a wholesome and highly visible environment. An additional element to this integrated marketing promotion is the partnership with Action Performance Companies, Inc., which will provide ample opportunity for NASCAR fans to show their support for their favorite drivers. “One thing always has been true about racing – it is a sport that families enjoy together,” said Fred Wagenhals, Action’s chairman, president and chief executive officer. “There is no better way to showcase the family institution than bringing a true slice of Americana – the Looney Tunes – to the racetrack. No matter if you are 2 or 92, the Looney Tunes can make everyone feel a little bit like a kid again.” Consumer products will include collectible merchandise and apparel, along with promotional support across the AOL Time Warner and General Motors corporations. A sweepstakes promotion will provide a chance to win a 2002 Monte Carlo, as well as other prizes. Parkinson promises more excitement to come in 2001 and beyond, thanks to the continuing partnership between a trio of dymnamic leaders in their respective industries. “While we have many special things planned for the race weekend in Richmond, this partnership won’t end after the checkered flag falls.” General Motors, through the participation of drivers who race the Chevrolet and Pontiac brands, is easily the most successful automobile company involved in NASCAR racing today, having won 23 of the last 29 Winston Cup driver championships and manufacturer championships and five out of six Craftsman Truck driver championships. General Motors is undefeated in the modern era of the Busch Series driver championships, with Chevrolet, Pontiac, Buick and Oldsmobile collectively winning the honors for 19 consecutive seasons. Warner Bros. Consumer Products is a division of Warner Bros., an AOL Time Warner Company, and is one of the leading licensing and retail merchandising organizations in the world. # # #