Charlotte, NC. (February 10, 2003) -The latest innovation
from Press Pass, Press Pass NASCAR D3 mini-model cards, will hit
retail shelves beginning in early March. Press Pass NASCAR D3 cards
are made of plastic and contain 18 punch-out parts that are assembled
to create a 3-dimensional mini-model of a NASCAR Winston Cup Series
race car. Assembled cars measure approximately two inches in length.
Twenty different drivers are represented in Press Pass NASCAR D3
Series 1 including Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, Dale Earnhardt,
Jr., Jimmie Johnson, Rusty Wallace, rookie-of-the-year Ryan Newman,
and defending Winston Cup Series champion Tony Stewart. Press Pass
NASCAR D3 cars feature wheels that roll for added play value.
"We are excited to partner with the top teams in NASCAR to
introduce Press Pass NASCAR D3's," explained Tom Farrell, Director
of Marketing for Press Pass, a division of Racing Champions (NASDAQ:
RACN). "Kids of all ages will enjoy assembling, collecting,
and playing with these mini-models." Press Pass NASCAR D3 blister
packs contain five different mini-model cards and carry an SRP of
$2.99. NASCAR fans can find Press Pass NASCAR D3 blister packs at
Wal-Mart, Target, K-Mart, Shopko, Toys 'R Us, and 7-Eleven, as well
as other mass retailers and specialty toy and hobby stores.
Racing Champions (www.rcertl.com) is a leading producer and marketer
of innovative collectibles and toys targeted at males of all ages.
The Company's diverse product offering includes scaled die-cast
replicas of John Deere agricultural equipment and NASCAR stock cars,
other licensed vehicle replicas, pre-teen toys, sports trading cards,
racing apparel and souvenirs, and collectible figures. These products
are sold under the Company's market-focused brand names, including
Racing Champions®, Ertl®, Ertl Collectibles®, American
Muscle™, AMT®, W. Britain®, Press Pass® and JoyRide
Studios™. The Company reinforces its brands and enhances the
authenticity of our products by linking them with highly recognized
licensed properties including NASCAR, NHRA, John Deere, Case IH,
Polaris, Honda, Caterpillar, Ford, GM, Chrysler, Texaco, Warner
Brothers, Gullane Entertainment, Nintendo, Sega and Electronic Arts.
The Company's products are marketed through multiple channels of
distribution, including mass retailers and specialty and hobby wholesalers
and retailers, OEM dealers and to corporate accounts for promotional
purposes. The Company sells through more than 20,000 retail outlets
located in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific.
