Gordon to Drive for RCR/Cingular Wireless Team in 2002

WELCOME, N.C. (Nov. 16, 2001) - Robby Gordon will drive the No. 31 Cingular Wireless Chevrolet Monte Carlo for Richard Childress Racing (RCR) in the 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season.

Gordon, 32, was the substitute driver of the No. 31 Chevrolet earlier this season when regular driver Mike Skinner was injured at Chicagoland Speedway (July 15). Gordon took over fulltime after it was announced Skinner would not return for 2002 and decided to have season-ending knee surgery. The Bellflower, Calif., native has extensive racing experience and success in open-wheel Indy cars, sports cars and desert trucks but is a relative newcomer to the NASCAR ranks.

"Driving for Richard Childress Racing and Cingular Wireless is the perfect opportunity for me," said Gordon. "RCR has made winning races and championships a tradition for three decades and I'm confident we'll be able to contribute our share of success to the program. Cingular Wireless is about creativity and self-expression and it's no secret that I've been known to creatively express myself throughout my career. I'm still learning a lot in Winston Cup racing so I appreciate Richard's confidence in me to get the job done and I look forward to getting the Cingular Wireless team on the winning track."

Highlights of Gordon's racing career include two victories and four poles in the CART Series, two overall victories in the Baja 1000, four straight class victories in the 24 Hours of Daytona sports car race and four SCORE Off-Road Championships. He finished a NASCAR Winston Cup career-best second in the June 24th race at Sears Point Raceway (driving for another team). A seventh-place finish in the No. 31 Chevrolet at Phoenix International Raceway (Oct. 28) is his best Winston Cup finish on an oval course.

"Robby's a winner and a champion," said Richard Childress, president and CEO of Richard Childress Racing Enterprises, Inc. "He understands what it takes to be successful - and that will give the Cingular Wireless program a big head start for next season. Robby's experience in the No. 31 car this year allowed him to get comfortable working with Gil (Martin, crew chief) and the crew and got him more seat time in a NASCAR Winston Cup car. I think it's just a matter of time before he starts consistently getting finishes like the one he had in Phoenix."

"We're excited about having Robby behind the wheel of the Cingular Wireless No. 31 Chevrolet next season," said Daryl Evans, Vice President of Advertising for Cingular. "Robby brings excitement, experience and no shortage of self-expression to the Cingular Team."

About Cingular Wireless

Cingular Wireless is the second largest wireless carrier in the U.S., and is dedicated to self-expression and customer-friendly service. As a leader in mobile voice and data communications, Cingular, a joint venture between SBC Communications and BellSouth, currently serves more than 21.3 million customers nationwide. Cingular offers customers advanced technologies in simple, cost-effective ways that permit them to tap the creative potential of wireless through their own self-expression. Details of the company are available at www.cingular.com.

About Richard Childress Racing

Richard Childress Racing Enterprises, Inc. (www.rcrracing.com), has set the standard for modern-era stock car racing teams. Based just south of Winston-Salem in Welcome, N.C., RCR is the only NASCAR organization with championships in the Winston Cup Series, Busch Series and Truck Series competition. It fields the NASCAR Winston Cup teams of 2001 NASCAR Busch Series champion, Kevin Harvick, 2000 NASCAR Busch Series Champion, Jeff Green, and Robby Gordon, and the NASCAR Busch Series teams of Harvick and Johnny Sauter.