The Desert Shootout preview

DEWALT Million Dollar Challenge finals, "The Desert Shootout".

TOWSON, Md. (October 30, 2002) - Since March, contractors and race fans across the country have been competing to see who could drive five screws the fastest in the DEWALT Million Dollar Challenge. Next weekend at the Phoenix International Raceway DEWALT's nationwide search for the Million Dollar Challenge Champion, "King of the Drill", reaches the pinnacle, as the lucky 16 regional finalists will vie for a chance to win the million.

The DEWALT Challenge was developed in the spring of 1992 by members of the DEWALT Marketing Team and has since revolutionized event marketing within the Power Tool industry and has become a fixture at every DEWALT event since its inception.

This year, DEWALT elevated the stakes with the DEWALT Million Dollar Challenge. DEWALT partnered with Chevrolet, Bombardier ATVs, Carhartt Clothing, Adrian Steel, and the Greater Phoenix Convention and Visitors bureau to create a nationwide interactive brand building promotion has driven contractors and race fans loyalty to a different level.

The Million Dollar Challenge promotion kicked off at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March when NASCAR Winston Cup Series drivers Matt Kenseth, Bobby Hamilton, Jeff Burton and TV personality Jeff Hammond drilled the first five screws. Since then over 50,000 contractors and 450 retail, jobsite and trackside events have taken place and it has all funneled down to 16 finalists.

The regional winners and their times are as follows: Mike Fischer from Huntley, IL 8.19 seconds; Phillip Elliot from Glen Aubrey, NY 9.38 seconds; Jon Smith from Delaware, OH 9.94 seconds; Joe Fodera from Sommerville, MA 10.23 seconds; John Seymour from Charlotte, NC 10.43 seconds; Ben Pece from Lyndhurst, OH 10.46 seconds; Darrell Fink from Citrus Heights, CA 10.71 seconds; Scott Brockbank from Orem, UT 10.86 seconds; Bill South from Litchfield Park, AZ 10.97 seconds; Mike Rennie from Kirkland, WA 11.10 seconds; James McAnally from Lake Mary, FL 11.24 seconds; Eric Anderson from Garland, TX 11.39 seconds; Darren Johnson from Pembroke Pines, FL 11.69 seconds; Kane Powell from Panora, IA 12.07 seconds; Dale Howington from Buford, GA 12.12 seconds; Ben Beachy from Mt. Joy, PA 12.56 seconds.

Each of the regional winners have already won a 2003 Chevrolet Express Van equipped with an Adrian Steel bin package, $2,000 worth of DEWALT Tools, a Carhartt Contractor jacket, and a trip for 2 to Phoenix for the Million Dollar Challenge. In Phoenix, Matt Kenseth will try to win the Checkered Auto Parts 400 in the Million Dollar Paint Scheme car, and one lucky finalist will try to drive five screws on the front stretch at PIR in fewer than seven seconds to win the million.

The event should be nothing less than exciting.

"We have seen the same contractors four or five days in a row competing to win a preliminary event or a chance to advance to the finals," said Todd Snellenburg, Event Marketing Manager for DEWALT. "Contractors have been training for the Million Dollar Challenge finals like an athlete trains for the Olympics. There is one guy who has been training blindfolded and many others who built replicas of the kiosk in their basements - Many of the 16 finalists claim to have beaten the 7-second million-dollar time. In their basement is one thing, but in front of 110,000 people on the front stretch of the PIR is another."

"Contractors become obsessed by it, distributors demand it, and competitive tool manufacturers attempt to duplicate it," said DEWALT Motorsports Manager Jon Howland. "The DEWALT Challenge is totally unique and from a marketing standpoint there no better way to get our tools into the hands of users in a practical application type of setting."

The DEWALT line consists of over 200 electric power tools and more than 800 accessories, including drills, hammerdrills, screwdrivers, circular saws, chop saws, miter saws, table saws, reciprocating saws, jig saws, planers, impact wrenches, die grinders, bench grinders, shears, nibblers, sanders, laminate trimmers, routers, and plate joiners.

DEWALT has also established itself as the industry leader in cordless power tools, offering an unmatched array of cordless tools in six complete voltage systems: 24volt, 18volt, 14.4volt, 12volt, 9.6volt, and 7.2volt.