CITGO ANNOUNCES MAJOR SPONSORSHIP IN ROLEX SERIES WITH LATIN DRIVER MILKA DUNO

Stewart, Earnhardt Jr., Gordon set to drive for Team CITGO at Rolex 24


ATLANTA, Ga. (January 26, 2004) -- As a key element of an aggressive new Hispanic marketing initiative, CITGO Petroleum Corporation announced today that the company is sponsoring Latin racing star Milka Duno and her Rolex Series racing team in 2004.

Duno and the team's No. 09 CITGO Pontiac Crawford Daytona Prototype will kick off their 2004 campaign January 31 - February 1 at the Rolex 24 At Daytona, teaming with NASCAR driver Robby Gordon, Stephane Gregoire and car owner Doug Goad.  CITGO will also outfit the No. 2 Chevrolet Crawford Daytona Prototype, manned by three-time Rolex 24 winner Andy Wallace, as well as NASCAR superstars Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

"The sponsorship of race driver Milka Duno in the Rolex Series will play an integral role in putting CITGO on the map with the Hispanic community," said Don Rucks, CITGO brand development manager.  "The rapidly changing ethnic landscape in the U.S. provides a perfect opportunity for CITGO to employ a highly concentrated effort to reach the Hispanic consumer, and the championship program we have put together for Milka in the  Rolex Series this season will be a major tool in that effort."

"We are delighted to have CITGO and Milka join us in Rolex Sports Car Series," said Grand American Road Racing Association President Roger Edmondson. "This announcement corresponds with an initiative that Grand American is currently working on to increase our fan base within the Hispanic community. We feel that the addition of Milka as one of our Daytona Prototype drivers with CITGO's support will help us in achieving both of our goals."

After Daytona, Duno and co-pilot Wallace along with the CITGO racing team will hit the track running at the 11 remaining Rolex Series races in the CITGO Pontiac Crawford DP03 Daytona Prototype.  The U.S. race venues are located in a number of high-density Hispanic markets such as Phoenix, Ariz., Homestead, Fla., and Fontana, Calif., as well as other markets with large concentrations of CITGO branded outlets.

A combination of brainpower and horsepower, Duno completed her undergraduate education as a naval engineer and holds four master's degrees -- in organizational development, naval architecture, maritime business and marine biology.  She has driven in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, is the first woman to reach the podium in sports cars highest class and competed last year as a VIP driver in the Porsche Supercup race as part of the Formula One Grand Prix of Spain.  Duno spent most of 2003 driving for Vergani Racing in the ultra competitive World Series Light by Nissan Championship with races in Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria and France.  For more information on her racing career, visit her website at www.milkaduno.com .

CITGO, based in Tulsa, Okla., is a refiner, transporter and marketer of transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals, refined waxes, asphalt and other industrial products.  The company is owned by PDV America, Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A., the national oil company of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.  For more information on CITGO visit www.citgo.com .

Tickets to the Rolex 24 At Daytona are currently on sale and can be purchased online at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 386-253-RACE. SPEED Channel will broadcast more than 15 hours of the Rolex 24 At Daytona live.

For additional information on the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series and the Rolex 24 At Daytona, visit www.grandamerican.com .

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