IRL: New Partnership to Put Indy Racing Fans in Virtual Driver’s Seat

IRL Net Race LiveÈ users will Race Against the ProsÈ starting at Indy 500 INDIANAPOLIS and HUNTSVILLE, Ala., Thursday, Jan. 27, 2000 – AniVision, Inc., IMS Properties, Inc. and the Indy Racing League have agreed to launch IRL Net Race LiveÈ as the first application of AniVision’s next-generation online sports gaming technology. With IRL Net Race LiveÈ, AniVision will provide consumers graphically reproduced simulations of Indy Racing League races that incorporate actual telemetry data from the track distributed via the Internet. Under the terms of the multi-year global agreement, AniVision will use its proprietary technology to deliver real-time race data to an AniVision software player that can be downloaded off the company’s Internet site at www.NetRaceLive.com. With the player, Internet users will connect to real-time data streams to race in the same Indy Racing events as the real drivers. NetRaceLive.com will initiate online racing this May to coincide with the 84th Indianapolis 500 in May. AniVision’s innovative Internet technology will expand our Indianapolis 500 and Indy Racing League fans’ ability to enjoy the excitement and competitive nature of our sport during the next century just as television did during the last century, said Bob Reif, chief marketing officer of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Said Bobby Wells, chief executive officer of AniVision, Inc.: AniVision’s technology produces an entirely new experience for online viewing and interaction with live events. It is only fitting that the Indy 500, with all of its history and tradition, be the launching pad for this landmark technology. Net Race LiveÈ brings a new facet to online gaming – the opportunity to race against the best drivers in the world in big-league events. Net Race LiveÈ is the first and only online gaming network that allows gamers to compete head-to-head in actual race events. With the agreement, AniVision, Inc. obtains rights for Internet games utilizing actual Indy Racing League racing data for the Indy 500, Indy Racing League, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and Indy Racing League teams and drivers. AniVision will launch its promotional site, NetRaceLive.com, this weekend to coincide with the Indy Racing League’s first event of the season, the Delphi Indy 200 at Walt Disney World Speedway. Initial sponsors for NetRaceLive.com include Delphi Automotive Systems (NYSE: DPH). Known as The Greatest Spectacle in Racing, the Indianapolis 500 is the largest single-day sporting event in the world, televised globally to millions of fans and attracting the top drivers in the world. The field of 33 drivers competed for a purse of more than $9 million in 1999. The Indianapolis 500 has clearly been the pioneer over the last century in delivering motorsports entertainment to the world, said Brian Mitchell, president of AniVision, Inc. We are very excited to partner with IMS Properties as they continue this tradition by opening the Indianapolis 500 and all of the Indy Racing League events to the millions of racing fans that will now compete in the events via the Internet. By licensing AniVision, we are confident that we have the ideal partner, said Reif. As an emerging worldwide leader in Internet-based mixed-reality simulation, AniVision will create an online experience that will reflect the quality, leadership and excellence of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Additionally, we believe that with AniVision on the team, our interactive game publishers will be able to add tremendous new features to all of our future game title releases for the PC and console platforms. AniVision, based in Huntsville, Ala., develops patent-pending real-time animation and mixed-reality technologies for the creation of entertainment content for Internet and interactive TV distribution. AniVision is an entirely new media with opportunities for software sales, technology licensing, subscription services and targeted advertising strategies. AniVision operated for three years as a division of Thermo Electron Corporation until October 1999, when it completed an initial round of financing with Hickory Venture Capital Corporation. Hickory Venture Capital Corporation (www.hvcc.com) is one of the largest venture-capital companies in the Southeast and has more than $1000 available for investment. Hickory makes initial investments of $1 million to $7 million in companies with high growth potential in the areas of information technology, telecommunications, business-to-business e-commerce, non-physician managed health services and unique, proprietary applications using the Internet. HVCC’s three principals have more than 60 years of combined industry experience. Media Contacts: Ron Green, Indy Racing League Media Relations Manager, +1 (317) 484-6425 Paul Kelly, Indy Racing League Communications Manager,+1 (315) 673-0184 World Wide Web: http://www.indyracingleague.com E-mail: imspr@brickyard.com Fax on Demand: (877) 797-4639 AniVision Contact: Brian Mitchell, President, AniVision, Inc. Mitchellb@anivisioninc.com +1 (256) 382-8000