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FYI ARCHIVES
11-12-2000

“STARS OF TOMORROW” EVENT VERY SUCCESSFUL

Las Vegas, Nevada (November 3-5, 2000) - Over 200 karters converged on the Las Vegas Karting Center’s 13-turn, 7/8-mile road course in Las Vegas, Nevada for the inaugural 3-day Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) “Stars of Tomorrow” karting challenge. The fiercely competitive event concluded on Sunday November 5th with the announcement of the five “Stars of Tomorrow” winners.

Through the support of CART, Team Rahal, Skip Barber Racing School, Firestone Racing, Honda, Paul Tracy Kart Racing, E-Z Go, Bosch, Yamaha and Racer and Champ Car magazines, the “Stars of Tomorrow” event was able to offer karters an unprecedented prize and award package.

The top winners in the challenge - the five “Stars of Tomorrow” - will travel to Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, California later this month for a 3-day Skip Barber Racing School beginning November 28th. The group will arrive at California Speedway in Fontana, California, the site of the CART season finale, on December 11th for the ultimate prize - a two-day test in the Team Rahal Champ Car on a temporary road course.

“I am extremely proud of all of our competitors today,” said founder Bryan Herta. “I think they showed a tremendous amount of talent out there, and I look forward to watching our “Stars of Tomorrow” take part in the Skip Barber program and the Champ Car test. I hope this program will provide a real stepping stone for them to further their racing careers. Herta continued, “I really want to thank all of our sponsors and an extremely dedicated team of people that helped put together an event that was ten times more work than any of us anticipated, but also very rewarding.”

The five “Stars of Tomorrow” consist of the race winners from the three senior classes: 1) Pro SuperBox; 2) Pro 80cc Gearbox; 3) Pro 125 Gearbox and two “at-large” picks chosen by Skip Barber Racing School instructors and drivers Casey Mears, Richie Hearn, Claude Bourbonnais, Memo Gidley, Alex Baron, Paul Tracy, Alex Tagliani, Bryan Herta plus Champ Car magazine editor Jeremy Shaw.

The “Stars” are:
Pro SuperBox - Kevin Christensen, 20, Castaic, California
Pro 80cc Gearbox - Jason Bowels, 18, Ontario, California
Pro 125 Gearbox - Jonathan Bomarito, 18, Salinas, California
At-large - A.J. Allmendinger, 17, Hollister, California
At-large - Brett Buckwalter, 18, Novato, California

The top three winners in the Junior Superbox and Junior 80cc Gearbox will each be awarded a 125cc Gearbox Driving School and a test with one of the top Gearbox teams in North America - Paul Tracy Kart Racing.

The winners are:
Junior Superbox - 1st Place: Caleb Sanden, 15, Holtville California; 2nd Place: Charlie Kimball, 15, Camarillo, California; 3rd Place: Darren Hagen, 14, Riverside, California.

Junior 80cc Gearbox - 1st Place: Alex Speed, Manteca, California; 2nd Place: Charlie Kimball, 15, Camarillo, California; 3rd Place: Joel Miller 12, Hesperia, California.

Also, in an action-packed ”Stars of Today” challenge, Memo Gidley claimed bragging rights, followed by Richie Hearn, Bryan Herta, Casey Mears and Claude Bourbonnais. An early incident between Alex Baron and actor Alfonso Ribiero took both contenders out and an off-course excursion with a brief but impressive, stint on two wheels ended Paul Tracy’s day. Alex Tagliani, with lingering soreness in his back from a crash at California Speedway the week before, did not start.

“Paul (Tracy) was driving the wheels off that thing out there, but I saw him go up on two wheels and knew that was my chance,” said Gidley. He continued, “Bryan (Herta) did a real good job with this whole event. I really appreciate what he’s doing for some deserving talent, and for karting in general. So many times in the past, people in karting have planned big events, promised this and that, then failed to deliver. Bryan has done everything he promised this weekend, and more.”

KARTS INTERNATIONAL ANNOUNCES $5.5 MILLION CASH INFUSION

Roseland, Louisiana (November 9, 2000) - Karts International Incorporated (OTCBB: KINT), of the largest manufacturers of recreation (fun or yard) go-karts in the United States, today announced a $5.5 million equity infusion.

The Company raised $5.5 million through the sale of 73,333 shares of a newly designated Series B Preferred Stock via a private placement with a major investor. The transaction closed on October 9, 2000. The proceeds from the sale were used to retire trade debt and strengthen working capital in preparation for the busy pre-holiday manufacturing season.

Chairman Blair benGreald commented, “This major cash infusion comes at an opportune time for Kart International, with our biggest annual sales period right around the corner. The retirement of debt and additional working capital will allow us to ramp up our production to meet the high demand expected during the year 2000 holiday gift-giving season.”

The equity raise comes on the heels of the recently announced management restructuring at Karts International. President and Chief Executive Officer Charles Brister commented, “Bringing the right people to the Company and then closing on the fund puts us in the drivers seat to capitalize on the opportunities in front of us.”

Karts International Incorporated, through its three wholly owned subsidiaries; Brister’s thunder Karts Inc., USA Industries Inc., and Straight Line Manufacturing Inc., is one of the largest manufacturers of recreational (fun or yard) go-karts in the United States. The Company currently has an exclusive licensing agreement with Polaris Industries to design and distribute Polaris go-karts and mini-bikes. Karts International is headquartered in Roseland, Louisiana.

END

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