"We will give race fans racing news every day,"said Gary Schwab, executive sports editor of The Charlotte Observer. "This will give the race fan, whether he or she lives in North Carolina or North Dakota, a way to follow the sport every day, instead of weekly or monthly.

Every Thursday before a race, that That's Racin' Top 40 rates the drivers. Plus there are many other features such as fan polls, chat sessions, background pieces on teams, drivers, tracks, and constantly updated statistics all around a daily centerpiece story. The site will also draw heavily from The Charlotte Observer's 50-year collection of articles and photos documenting NASCAR's history during the sport's 50th anniversary year.

The Web site debuts this week and features a preview of the Daytona 500 with accompanying stories on NASCAR's new teams and the introduction of the Ford Taurus in 1998. There is a 50-year retrospective on Richard Petty, named by the Charlotte Observer as the top driver of NASCAR's first half-century. Fans can sit in on a long Q & A session with reigning Winston Cup champion Jeff Gordon and take a special look back at NASCAR legend Tim Flock, who is currently battling cancer.

Readers will also have the chance to offer their opinions on who will win next Sunday's Daytona 500 before accessing information on tracks, teams and breaking news coverage on most recent rule changes. While the primary focus is now on NASCAR's Winston Cup circuit, reports on other racing series will be carried in the near future.

"Our goal is to make this the ultimate race fan's site, and we pledge to listen to the fan daily," Schwab said. "The fans can help shape the site and there will be lots of interactivity. If it's about racing and we don't have it and they want it, we're going to find some way to get it."

News will be supplied by journalists and photographers from Knight Ridder papers including The Charlotte Observer, The Columbia State, The Detroit Free Press, The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, The Kansas City Star, The Miami Herald, The Myrtle Beach Sun, The Philadelphia Inquirer and The San Jose Mercury News plus other Knight Ridder newspapers.

Planning a racing weekend is quick and easy to do with Real Cities 'Yellow Pages' links to find hotels, campgrounds and restaurants in numerous raceway locations.

The Web site launch is timed with the season debut of a weekly "That's Racin'" page that will appear in 50 newspapers across the country, representing a total circulation of 4.5 million households.

That's Racin' will carry national advertising and is a part of the Real Cities network. Another auto-related Real Cities site is the Detroit Free Press' auto.com. Auto.com provides industry news about new cars and trucks, vehicle safety, the auto industry and motor sports. It also features auto reviews by top writers from Knight Ridder newspapers, including the Detroit Free Press, Philadelphia Inquirer, Miami Herald, San Jose Mercury News and Kansas City Star.

Knight Ridder New Media, located in San Jose, Calif. is a division of Knight Ridder. Real Cities is Knight Ridder's national online network consisting of 33 web sites and Internet products. Knight Ridder is the nation's second largest newspaper publisher, with products in print and online. The company publishes 33 daily newspapers in 28 U.S. markets, reaching 9.3 million readers daily and 12.9 million on Sunday. Knight Ridder has investments in two newsprint mills and is headquartered in Miami, Florida.

Knight Ridder Real Cities is a trademark of Knight Ridder New Media.

Press Contacts:

Cynthia Funnell National Communications Manager Knight Ridder New Media (408) 938-6076 cfunnell@newmedia.kri.com

Kris Johnson Muhleman Marketing Inc. (704) 568-2530

Advertising Information Contact:

Dennis West Charlotte.com (704) 358-5310 dennisw@charlotte.com