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25 December 2003 - For immediate release
For more information, contact: John Dillon
Creativity in Action
P. O. Box 1231
Thousand Oaks, CA 91358-0231
Widget web site: www.WidgetRacing.com
e-mail: John @ WidgetRacing.com

Victory at Final Rally of the Year

Bigger Prize Eludes Team

Laughlin, NV. Leon Styles, Mission Viejo, CA, driver for the Widget Rally Team, and codriver John Dillon of Thousand Oaks, CA, finished their 2003 rally season with victory on the final day of the Ramada Express International Rally. This rally, a combination of four events rolled into one, included roads into and out of Arizona's Grand Canyon and ran over three days from Dec 13-15. The rally be broadcast on national television in early 2004.

On the very first stage of the rally, racing a car they'd never raced before, the team took the overall lead by setting the fastest time. The stage win demonstrated the strength of the crew and the new car, but a slipping clutch began to make itself apparent almost immediately. These mechanical problems kept Widget out of overall victory circle, but they were able to win Sunday's segment by borrowing their old car from team mates Nick Korpal and Eric Schleisser.

"We managed to eke out one final win in 2003," reported Styles. "Our new car has plenty of horsepower, but it was our first race for the Mitsubishi Evolution VII and teething problems sidelined us." A slipping clutch and differential took its toll on the "Evo."

"Naturally we're disappointed," said Dillon, "but we take consolation that Nick and Eric managed to finish third in the three day event. Like us, our team mates were racing a car new to them." Korpal and Schliesser will partner with the Widgets throughout the coming year. "We're already planning ahead for the 2004 season," reported Dillon. "Leon's driving skill and a freshly-sorted Evo should make us contenders for the national championship."

The Widget Rally Team is able to pursue a national championship thanks to the help of companies like 7-24 AirX, a domestic and international trucking and air cargo company; Perforce Software (www.perforce.com), providers of professional-grade software configuration management tools; Tombstone Paintball Park; and Worr Games (www.worr.com), manufacturers of tournament-quality paintball guns. The team insists on brakes by Porterfield Enterprises (www.porterfield-brakes.com) and utilizes the web services of Shults Dot Com (www.shults.com) for its internet needs. The Best Western Alpine Lodge of Gaylord will provide accomodations to the entire team for the first rally of the new year, January's Sno*Drift Rally in Michigan.

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