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DISCOUNT AUTO PARTS TO SPONSOR CHRIS FONTAINE IN NASCAR ALL PRO RACING FOR 2001

LAKELAND, Fla. - Discount Auto Parts has agreed to sponsor driver Chris Fontaine and the CJF Racing Team for the 2001 NASCAR All Pro season. It will be Fontaine's second year of late model racing and his first in a NASCAR-sanctioned series.

"For such a young driver, Chris accomplished a great deal during his rookie season in late model racing," said Tom Merk, vice president of sales and marketing for Discount Auto Parts. "The company is proud to have the opportunity to support his move onto the NASCAR stage."

Last year, Fontaine took one feature win, eight top-five and 14 top-ten finishes in 27 late model races. He also added three wins, four top-five and four top-ten finishes from heat and qualifying events. Fontaine ended the 2000 season third in FASCAR points and 13th in the SARA late model title chase.

This year, the CJF Racing Team will field a Chevrolet Monte Carlo prepared at its shop headquarters in Auburndale, Fla. Along with his NASCAR All Pro appearances, Fontaine will again compete at select events in both the FASCAR and SARA series in 2001.

"Thanks largely to the backing of Discount Auto Parts, the CJF Racing Team will compete in as many as 40 races this season," said Fontaine. "We aim to put together a championship-caliber effort and gain the additional experience needed to keep our racing career on the upswing."

Before taking up late model racing, Fontaine was the 1999 National Indoor Champion and 1999 North Florida Region Champion in Mini-Cup cars. In addition to Fontaine, the Discount Auto Parts Racing Team features NASCAR racer Mark Martin, USAR ProCup racer Derrick Kelley and NHRA drag racer Bobby Childs.

Discount Auto Parts also provides title sponsorship of the Discount Auto Parts 200 NASCAR Dash Series race during Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway, as well as the Discount Auto Parts 150 NASCAR Dash Series race and the Discount Auto Parts NASCAR All Pro Series event in Lakeland.

Discount Auto Parts Inc. is one of the Southeast's leading specialty retailers and suppliers of automotive replacement parts, maintenance items and accessories to do-it-yourself consumers, professional mechanics and service technicians. The company currently operates more than 650 stores located throughout Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana and South Carolina.