HARRISBURG, Pa. (June 6, 2002) --- Pushing a grocery cart through the produce aisle at 160 mph is one sure-fire way to toss a salad. For a safer kind of thrill, you can pop the new World of Outlaws Sprint Cars 2002 game into your PlayStation2 computer entertainment system.
The game features the so-called Salad Car, which is sponsored by Harrisburg-based Verdelli Farms Inc., the largest regional produce processor on the East Coast.
Sprint cars, known for the big wings on top that are designed to keep them from flipping, race on dirt tracks at speeds in excess of 160 mph. On the new game --- as in real life --- the Salad Car is driven by Brian Paulus of Mechanicsburg.
Paulus is among 24 World of Outlaws drivers --- and a dozen tracks, including Williams Grove Speedway, Mechanicsburg --- incorporated into the game. A picture of the Salad Car even appears on the game's back cover. (On April 26, Paulus and the Salad Car circled the Williams Grove track in 16.14 seconds, setting the record for the fastest one-lap time in the 63-year history of the half-mile oval.)
"Going from the world of coleslaws to the World of Outlaws has been a great experience for Verdelli Farms," said Mike Verdelli, vice president of sales and marketing. "We're proud to be affiliated with Brian and the P&P Motorsports Racing Team of Mechanicsburg, as well as this tremendously popular World of Outlaws racing circuit. Racing fans are known for their intense loyalty, to drivers and their sponsors. When they're shopping for produce, we hope they'll make a pit stop for Verdelli Farms products."
Paulus and P&P had been driving a simple silver-and-gold car until an employee at Lowe's Motor Speedway in North Carolina suggested that they turn the car into a speeding salad. Paulus, a graphic artist, came up with the design for the car. A similar motif now adorns his driver uniform.
"Racing is a dangerous way to make a living," Paulus said, "but it gives you a real appreciation for your health. I learned that last year when I broke my hand. As drivers, we need to be in peak physical condition. I can't think of a sponsor that embodies a healthy lifestyle better than Verdelli Farms and its fruits and vegetables."
Infogrames Inc., the game's New York-based publisher, describes the game as the closest thing to actual sprint car racing, offering features such as day- and night-time racing; "spectacular" collisions, including damage that affects how a vehicle performs; and in-game commentary. Tapping the system's DVD capabilities, the game includes historical video, interviews with the drivers and real race footage.
Verdelli has sponsored the Paulus No. 28 car since 1998. The Pennzoil World of Outlaws circuit is celebrating its 25th season this year, with 66 events at 44 tracks in 26 states and purses topping $10 million. For more information about the Salad Car, visit www.brianpaulus.com.
Meanwhile, Verdelli (www.verdelli.com), in its third generation of family ownership, supplies fresh-cut produce to consumers throughout the East Coast. Verdelli operates a vegetable-processing plant at its Harrisburg headquarters and a fruit-processing plant nearby in Hummelstown, Pa. Founded in 1924, Verdelli this year celebrates the 50th anniversary of its incorporation.
