Leffler to pilot #7 Sirius Dodge.

Sirius Satellite Radio, the premier satellite radio provider, and Ultra Motorsports today named Jason Leffler as the interim driver of the #7 Sirius Satellite Radio Dodge Intrepid R/T.

"We're pleased to be able to put a talented driver like Jason behind the wheel of the #7 Sirius Dodge," said Joseph P. Clayton, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sirius Satellite Radio. "He's a proven competitor and we're confident that he'll perform at a high level for the remainder of the 2002 season."

Leffler, a former USAC sprint car champion and current NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) driver, is slated to finish out the season with the #7 team, beginning this weekend at the Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International Raceway.

Leffler, who currently sits fifth in the NCTS standings, will also compete in the final two truck events at Phoenix and Homestead-Miami, as well as driving the #7 Sirius Dodge for the final two Winston Cup races this season.

"This is without a doubt a tremendous opportunity for me and I'm anxiously looking forward to racing the #7 Sirius Dodge the rest of this season," commented Leffler. "I'm being given the chance to come into a situation with a team on the rise and a fantastic sponsor. I couldn't be more thrilled."

Coming into 2002, Leffler had only 65 stock car starts after a career in USAC. From 1997 to 1999, he won three straight USAC national Midget championships, becoming the first driver in 37 years to accomplish that feat. Leffler also won the 1998 Silver Crown title in his first year in the series. In 1999, he won 11 races in a variety of USAC divisions.

In 2000, Leffler moved on to the NASCAR Busch Series driving the #18 car for Joe Gibbs Racing, recording two top fives and four top 10s and tying a Busch Series record for pole positions by a rookie (three) along the way. Last season, Leffler joined the NASCAR Winston Cup fraternity, wheeling Chip Ganassi's #01 Dodge Intrepid R/T, collecting one top-10 finish, seven top-20 finishes and his first career Winston Cup pole.

Ray Evernham, president and CEO of Evernham Motorsports, and Jim Smith, owner of Ultra Motorsports, have agreed to end their joint venture Ultra/Evernham Motorsports. Ultra/Evernham fielded the #7 Sirius Satellite Radio Dodge driven by Casey Atwood in the Winston Cup Series this season. Beginning with this weekend's race at Phoenix International Raceway, the #7 Sirius Satellite Radio Dodge will be solely owned and operated by Smith's Ultra Motorsports team.