IV 

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 Win-
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•HRES 353 IH 

ston 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 
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•HRES 353 IH 

loyal and global following of millions of fans: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

2 (1) commends R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company 

3 and its employees for their 33-year relationship with 

4 motorsports and their contributions to the sport of 

5 stock-car racing; 

6 (2) recognizes the significant contribution the 

7 company’s sponsorship has made to the families and 

8 communities associated with the sport and its tre9 mendous growth; and 

10 (3) encourages NASCAR’s new and future 

11 sponsors to uphold and retain the traditions devel12 oped in the sport over the course of the last three 

13 decades.

Æ