TEXARKANA, ARK. RESIDENT WINS TRIP TO NHRA FINALS AND CHANCE TO BECOME POWERade FAN NATIONALS SERIES CHAMPION

Colton Chapman Triumphs Behind the Wheel of a Funny Car Simulator at the
O’Reilly Fall Nationals in Ennis, Texas; Wins a Trip to the Auto Club Finals in November and a Chance to Become 2006 POWERade Fan Nationals Series Champion

ENNIS, Texas. (Sept. 24, 2006) – Recently flexing his competitive muscles behind the wheel of a Funny Car racing simulator at the 21st annual O’Reilly Fall Nationals, Texarkana’s Colton Chapman, 13, beat out hundreds of participants to become the local POWERade Fan Nationals Event Champion. Now, Chapman will travel to Auto Club Raceway at Pomona at the end of the season to compete for the national championship.

Chapman, a seventh grade student and NHRA Jr. Dragster competitor, will ultimately be one of 23 Event Champions from drag strips across the country to compete to become the Series Champion. He and one guest will travel to the 42nd Annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals in Pomona, Calif. the weekend of Nov. 9-12, 2006. There, Chapman will compete in a series of qualifying rounds for the chance to claim the title of POWERade Fan Nationals Series Champion.

“The POWERade Fan Nationals was a lot of fun,” Chapman said. “I was surprised that I beat my dad and won the race. This is really cool.”

TEXARKANA, ARK. RESIDENT WINS TRIP TO NHRA FINALS AND CHANCE TO

BECOME POWERade FAN NATIONALS SERIES CHAMPION

Colton Chapman Triumphs Behind the Wheel of a Funny Car Simulator at the
O’Reilly Fall Nationals in Ennis, Texas; Wins a Trip to the Auto Club Finals in November and a Chance to Become 2006 POWERade Fan Nationals Series Champion

ENNIS, Texas. (Sept. 24, 2006) – Recently flexing his competitive muscles behind the wheel of a Funny Car racing simulator at the 21st annual O’Reilly Fall Nationals, Texarkana’s Colton Chapman, 13, beat out hundreds of participants to become the local POWERade Fan Nationals Event Champion. Now, Chapman will travel to Auto Club Raceway at Pomona at the end of the season to compete for the national championship.

Chapman, a seventh grade student and NHRA Jr. Dragster competitor, will ultimately be one of 23 Event Champions from drag strips across the country to compete to become the Series Champion. He and one guest will travel to the 42nd Annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals in Pomona, Calif. the weekend of Nov. 9-12, 2006. There, Chapman will compete in a series of qualifying rounds for the chance to claim the title of POWERade Fan Nationals Series Champion.

“The POWERade Fan Nationals was a lot of fun,” Chapman said. “I was surprised that I beat my dad and won the race. This is really cool.”

The second season for the POWERade Fan Nationals Series, the competition is a dream come true for NHRA fans like Chapman who have longed to race behind the wheel of an NHRA Funny Car. The competition lets fans power a simulated Funny Car to feel what it’s like to roar down the track. Each simulator is equipped with a high-performance, hydraulic racing simulator system that creates a realistic experience for fans.

Similar to NHRA drag racing rules, contestants tear down a virtual quarter mile boulevard to compete for the best time. Drivers are eliminated in a series of qualifying rounds throughout the race weekend until one ultimate POWERade Fan Nationals Event Champion is crowned. At the end of the NHRA season, each of the Event Champions, along with two “Wildcard Winners,” will meet up in Pomona to face off in a series of side-by-side races until one driver emerges victorious and becomes the POWERade Fan Nationals Series Champion.

“The Fan Nationals event lets NHRA fans like Colton take the wheel in our specially-designed POWERade Funny Cars and feel what it’s like to roar down the track at 300 mph,” said Ben Reiling, Senior Manager, Sports Marketing, Coca-Cola North America. “Colton raced hard and we’re excited to crown him as our Dallas champ. He is in for an incredible experience at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, and we wish him the best of luck competing for the overall POWERade Fan Nationals Championship title.”