Race day will be Ralphs and Food 4 Less day at this year's Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. That's because Ralphs Grocery Company, the operator of the Ralphs supermarket and Food 4 Less warehouse store chains, is the Official Supermarket Sponsor of the 1997 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach (April 11-13). The Los Angeles-based supermarket giant also was an official sponsor of the 1996 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Ralphs' sponsorship of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach is an extension of the supermarket company's long-time participation in professional auto racing. Ralphs is currently the only supermarket company in the nation sponsoring a car on the 1997 PPG CART World Series circuit. The company has been involved in racing since 1992.

The Ralphs/Food 4 Less Della Penna Motorsports Racing Team will compete in 17 PPG CART races this year, including the 1997 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. The team features up-and-coming driver Richie Hearn, a 26-year-old native Southern Californian who has experienced success at every level of racing in which he has competed. The team also raced to a top-10 finish in the 1996 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

"Ralphs Grocery Company is very excited to be participating in this year's Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach as both an official sponsor of the race and as a car sponsor," said George Gollerher, Ralphs' Chief Executive Officer. "This is a great racing event. We expect this year's Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach to be the best yet, and are looking forward to bettering our 10th place showing of a year ago."

Founded in 1873, Ralphs is the oldest, largest and one of the most successful supermarket companies in Southern California. The company currently operates 265 full-service conventional Ralphs supermarkets and 80 price-impact Food 4 Less warehouse stores in Southern California. It also operates a Northern California Division consisting of 28 supermarkets under the Cala, Bell and FoodsCo. banners, and a Midwest Division consisting of 36 Falley's and Food 4 Less stores. Ralphs is led by Chairman of the Board Ron Burkle, Chief Executive Officer George Golleher and President and Chief Operating Officer Al Marasca.

Source: CART News Service