PHOENIX -- As part of a new program featuring The Wizard of Oz, Action Performance Companies Inc. today unveiled race cars, starring the colorful cast of characters from the land of Oz, that will be piloted by NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series drivers Jeff Gordon, Elliott Sadler, Brendan Gaughan and Scott Riggs.

Appropriately, The Wizard of Oz paint scheme program will be a featured part of the high-speed action during the 400-mile NASCAR Nextel Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway on Oct. 10, 2004.

To commemorate the program, Action Performance, the leader in licensed motorsports collectibles, is producing limited edition die-cast replicas for each participating driver. The cars selected for the program share a common "theme" with The Wizard of Oz entities featured on the vehicle.

Gordon's No. 24 DuPont/The Wizard of Oz Chevrolet Monte Carlo will center on the Cowardly Lion, but will include a unique Technicolor® connection. The base paint and flame designs on the car will be vividly rendered using DuPont's specialty Hot Hues"! paints in "Blackened," "Lemon Glow" and "Sinful Cinnamon." Visit Hot Hues"! online at www.hothues.dupont.com.

Toto, Dorothy's brave pooch, will stand in for the PEDIGREE® Brand dog aboard Sadler's No. 38 Ford Taurus, which also will include colorful scenes from the motion picture along with the familiar PEDIGREE® rosette design. Visit PEDIGREE® Brand online at www.pedigree.com.

Gaughan's No. 77 Kodak Racing Dodge will feature Ofoto, the online digital photo developing service, as well as filmstrips from the Technicolor® movie masterpiece, including the black and white images of Dorothy's Kansas and the full-color spectrum of Oz. Visit OFOTO at www.ofoto.com.

Dorothy will be adding oil to the quickly rusting Tin Man in the main scene featured on Riggs' No. 10 Valvoline/The Wizard of Oz Chevrolet Monte Carlo, befitting the automotive lubricants producer. Visit Valvoline at www.valvoline.com/pages/racing.

"There isn't a better setting than Kansas Speedway to honor a film that, for decades, has been praised for its revolutionary style, music and conscience," noted Fred Wagenhals, Actions' chairman, president and CEO. "Best of all, The Wizard of Oz has managed to permeate nearly every cultural and age demographic. Fans of the film still marvel at its beauty and watch it year in and year out without fail. I am glad that Jeff Gordon, Elliott Sadler, Brendan Gaughan and Scott Riggs will help bring Dorothy and Toto back to Kansas for this special NASCAR race."

The Wizard of Oz die-cast collectibles, including The Wizard of Oz program car featuring Hot Hues color "Amazing Grape," will be available through Action's standard distribution channels, including the 16-member ARC distributor network and the RCCA collector's club.

About The Wizard of Oz:

In 1939, audiences were introduced to The Wizard of Oz, adapted from L. Frank Baum's children's book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (originally published in 1900). The film starred Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale, who won a special Academy Award® in 1939 for her outstanding performance as a screen juvenile. That year, the film also picked up two Oscars for Best Song and Best Original Score.

About Action Performance Companies:

Action Performance Companies Inc. (NYSE: ATN) is the leader in the design, promotion, marketing and distribution of licensed motorsports merchandise. The Company's products include a broad range of motorsports-related die-cast replica collectibles, apparel, souvenirs and other sports-inspired memorabilia. Action Performance markets and distributes products through a variety of channels including the Action Racing Collectables network of wholesale distributors, the Racing Collectables Club of America, QVC, goracing.com, trackside at racing events, direct corporate promotions, mass retail and department stores, specialty dealers and select online retailers. For more information about Action Performance and its many subsidiaries, please visit the company's corporate Web site at www.action-performance.com.

from Nascar.com