DETROIT (Nov. 8, 1996) – Championship Auto Racing Teams unveiled an innovative sponsorship program Friday in naming MCI the "Official Telecommunications Company" of the series.

The four-year agreement between CART and MCI offers the telecommunications company an extensive sponsorship package that includes a unique integration of the sanctioning body’s rights with those of the track promoters. In addition to its official sponsor status with the sanctioning body, MCI will be the exclusive sponsor of 13 of the series’ race venues and serve as their "Official Long Distance Company."

"MCI is the first corporation to take advantage of CART’s new integrated sponsorship program," CART Senior Vice President Randy Dzierzawski said. "By doing so, MCI has locked up an exclusive relationship with both the sanctioning body and the majority of the tracks utilized in the series. We believe that this will be the model for the future."

The deal allows MCI to gain exclusive rights to signage, hospitality and other benefits at the participating tracks, as well as exclusive sponsorship rights and benefits with the sanctioning body.

"The CART series has everything we look for in a global marketing opportunity – a rapidly expanding domestic and international audience, impressive demographics, extreme fan loyalty, and proven enthusiast support for sponsor products and services," said Brian Brewer, senior vice president of Marketing for MCI Business Sales and Service. "Because MCI is the industry leader in providing fully integrated communications services to businesses and consumers nationwide, everyone is chasing us, trying to catch up. Agreements like this with CART will provide the horsepower to keep MCI ahead of the pack."

The venues that will use MCI exclusively are the Metro-Dade Homestead (Fla.) Motorsports Complex; IndyCarnival, Queensland, Australia; Nazareth (Pa.) Speedway; Nelson Piquet International Raceway, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Gateway International Raceway, Madison, Ill.; The Milwaukee Mile; Portland International Raceway; Molson Indy, Toronto; Michigan Speedway; Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio; Road America, Elkhart, Wis.; Concord Pacific Place, Vancouver; and The California Speedway, Fontana, Calif.

MCI, headquartered in Washington, D.C., provides a full range of integrated communications services to more than 20 million customers. Credited with opening up the U.S. long-distance market for competition, MCI is now leading the charge to bring competition to the $100 billion local market, offering American consumers for the first time the freedom to choose their local carrier. With quarterly annualized revenue of more than $18 billion, MCI is one of the largest and fastest-growing telecommunications companies in the world.

MCI also served this past season as the primary sponsor for the No. 25 Arciero-Wells Racing Reynard Toyota entry.