[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 353 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 353

 Commending R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company and its employees for their 
 33-year relationship with motorsports and their contributions to the 
                       sport of stock-car racing.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 3, 2003

 Mr. Burr (for himself, Mr. Ballenger, Mr. Coble, Mr. Taylor of North 
Carolina, Mrs. Myrick, Mr. Houghton, Mr. Wilson of South Carolina, Mr. 
   Scott of Georgia, Mr. Simmons, Mr. Miller of North Carolina, Mr. 
 Hastings of Washington, Mr. Goode, Mr. Frost, Mr. Boucher, Mr. Hayes, 
 and Mr. Jones of North Carolina) submitted the following resolution; 
        which was referred to the Committee on Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Commending R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company and its employees for their 
 33-year relationship with motorsports and their contributions to the 
                       sport of stock-car racing.

Whereas Richard Petty won the first Winston Cup Championship in 1971, with 21 
        race wins and $300,000 in earnings;
Whereas, 31 years later, Tony Stewart won 3 races on the way to the Winston Cup 
        Championship, with almost $5 million in earnings and a bonus of $3.75 
        million;
Whereas, in 2003, the Winston Cup Champion will take home a bonus of $4.25 
        million, with all bonuses for the Winston Cup Series reaching $17 
        million, making it the richest year ever in stock car racing;
Whereas since Winston's initial involvement with NASCAR it has contributed 
        $101,290,000 in point fund money, with almost $32 million earmarked for 
        the Series champion;
Whereas the Winston Cup Series took the lead in motorsports attendance worldwide 
        in 1976, with 1.5 million spectators;
Whereas the Winston Cup race at the Daytona 500 was televised in its entirety 
        for the first time on February 18, 1979;
Whereas, 10 years later, every Winston Cup race was being televised;
Whereas, by 1994, the Winston Cup Series was drawing 5 million fans to 31 races, 
        an average of more than 160,000 fans per event;
Whereas in 2003 the Winston Cup Series will draw millions of spectators to 39 
        events in 19 States, with additional millions following qualifying, 
        practices, and races on television, radio, and the Internet;
Whereas the roster of Winston Cup Champions includes Richard Petty, Benny 
        Parsons, Cale Yarborough, Dale Earnhardt, Darrell Waltrip, Bobby 
        Allison, Terry Labonte, Bill Elliott, Rusty Wallace, Alan Kulwicki, Jeff 
        Gordon, Dale Jarrett, Bobby Labonte, and Tony Stewart; and
Whereas over the course of more than 30 years, stock car racing under the NASCAR 
        banner and R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company's sponsorship has grown from a 
        regional sport with limited national exposure to one with a loyal and 
        global following of millions of fans: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) commends R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company and its 
        employees for their 33-year relationship with motorsports and 
        their contributions to the sport of stock-car racing;
            (2) recognizes the significant contribution the company's 
        sponsorship has made to the families and communities associated 
        with the sport and its tremendous growth; and
            (3) encourages NASCAR's new and future sponsors to uphold 
        and retain the traditions developed in the sport over the 
        course of the last three decades.
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