Hendrick Motorsports Inks Trio of Prospects

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (April 21, 2004) – Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick today announced the signing of drivers Blake Feese, Boston Reid and Kyle Krisiloff, who will each compete under the Hendrick banner in 2004 thanks to a pair of developmental alliances that were also unveiled. Feese and Reid will each start a minimum of three ARCA Series events this season in the No. 5 Chevrolets of Bobby Gerhart Racing (BGR). The six-race schedule will serve as a driver-technology development project for Hendrick Motorsports, which will provide engines and chassis to the Gerhart team, headquartered in Lebanon, Pa. In addition to the alliance with Gerhart, Hendrick Motorsports has inked an agreement with Indianapolis-based SS Racing that will allow Krisiloff to compete in 13 American Speed Association (ASA) events in 2004. “We’re extremely excited to see what Blake, Boston and Kyle are capable of,” Hendrick said. “The three of them certainly have the opportunity to make an impact on this organization. They’re each tremendously talented in their own right. “This is an important step toward solidifying the future of Hendrick Motorsports. We looked at a number of different ways to identify and develop young talent, and we’ve decided that a combination of alliances with other successful organizations at different levels is the most effective direction for us.” BLAKE FEESE In only his second career start on the ARCA circuit, Feese won at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway on April 9, leading 29 of 113 laps in the No. 5 BGR Chevrolet powered by a Hendrick engine. Although unannounced at the time, the race was part of the Hendrick-BGR developmental program. The 22-year-old Feese, who started driving quarter midgets at age 10, is a veteran of World of Outlaws, USAC and All-Star sprint car competition. In May 2003, he went to Victory Lane at Lowe’s Motor Speedway’s Dirt Track in the Outlaws Showdown Feature. In addition to his ARCA victory at Nashville, the Saybrook, Ill., native is scheduled to compete on the circuit at Kentucky Speedway and Lowe’s Motor Speedway, both in the month of May. BOSTON REID Reid, 22, began racing quarter midgets as a 6-year-old before graduating to go-karts at age 9 and mini sprint cars before turning 13. By 1997, the Logansport, Ind., native had already tested non-winged sprint cars and won track championships at Miami County (Ind.) Speedway and Linton (Ind.) Speedway. In 1999, Reid, then 16, won his first sprint car feature, followed by a pair of victories in 2000 and another nine in 2001. He was named USAC Sprint Car Rookie of the Year in 2002. Driving the No. 5 BGR Chevrolets, Reid will enter ARCA events at Toledo (Ohio) Speedway in May, Kansas Speedway in June and Kentucky Speedway in July. KYLE KRISILOFF A native of Indianapolis, Krisiloff began racing BMX bicycles at age 3, making him the youngest rider in the nation at the 6-and-under level. He was soon introduced to auto racing, winning more than 320 quarter-midget features and nine Grand National championships from 1995 to 1999. Krisiloff won two races and a pair of pole positions in Superkarts USA competition in 2000 before joining the 2001 SCCA Formula Ford tour, where he won six events and six pole positions in 22 attempts, along with the SCCA Runoffs national championship. In 2002, Krisiloff entered the final six races of the CART Toyota Atlantic Championship season. The following year, he finished 10th in the series standings and, at 17, became the youngest driver ever to earn a podium finish on the circuit, coming in second at The Milwaukee Mile in May. Krisiloff, 18, will race full-time in ASA competition with SS Racing beginning on May 29 at Lake Erie (Pa.) Speedway. Driving the No. 06 Chevrolets, he will be a teammate of three-time ASA champion Butch Miller. HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2004, Hendrick Motorsports fields five teams in two different NASCAR divisions with drivers Terry Labonte, Jeff Gordon, Brian Vickers, Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch. The organization has won nine NASCAR championships in the last decade, including five at the NEXTEL Cup Series level.