Miss Madison News

Oh Boy! Oberto Returns to Hydroplane Racing
Celebrates 25th year since first sponsorship

DETROIT, MICH. (July 7, 2000) Marking the 25th anniversary since the Oberto Sausage Company sponsored its first unlimited hydroplane, the country's largest manufacture of natural style beef and turkey jerky announced today the company will sponsor longtime hydroplane icon, the community owned U-6 Miss Madison hydroplane, beginning at the Kennewick, Wash. race July 28-30. Oh Boy! Oberto, a cultural fixture in unlimited hydroplane racing decided after a five-year absence, the time was right to return to motorsports. Art Oberto, Chairman of Oberto said, it's time to give hydroplane racing fans what they have been missing, red, white and green jerky boat.

The 82-year old Oberto Co. will partner with the U-6 Madison team, the oldest name in hydroplanes, having competed in 40 consecutive seasons. The boat, is driven by rookie Charley Wiggins who won five unlimited light races in 1999.

Charlie Grooms, team manager for the U-6 Oh Boy! Oberto Beef Jerky said, "this sport is all about family fun and that's the Oberto motto, 'have fun'. Oberto is a family run business and so is the Miss Madison, it is a natural partnership for the two companies." Grooms continued, "in the words of the Tom Campanile (president of Oberto) we are going to 'Obertotise' our hydroplane and the sport."

Oberto sponsored their first hydroplane in 1975 with Bill Wurster behind the wheel of an aging 13-year old boat. The boat, known as the 'Super Salami', never performed well. Because the contract was based on performance it didn 't cost the company any money. One company spokesman said, "it did sell a lot of salami in the 70s for us!"

In the 80s the 'Super Salami boat changed to 'Pepperoni Powered', and in 1989, with driver George Woods Jr., won two races. The only races to date for Oh Boy! Oberto.

With a distribution agreement with Frito-Lay, Inc. and a national roll-out of natural style beef and turkey jerky products Oberto plans an extensive marketing campaign with a full size unlimited hydroplane and smaller American Power Boat Association (APBA) outboard hydroplanes to be displayed at Albertson and Hagen Top Foods grocery stores for the remaining UHRA races in Washington and California.

ABOUT THE U-6 MADISON TEAM
The city of Madison, Ind. became an owner of a hydroplane in 1961, when industrialist Samuel DuPont decided he would donate his hydroplane, named Nitrogen, to the City of Madison, Ind. When that boat was destroyed in an accident a year later, DuPont sold his second boat to the city for only $5,000.

Madison, Ind. has been in the hydroplane business ever since. The world's only community-owned hydroplane and team are administered by a board of directors appointed by the city's mayor.

Miss Madison is the oldest name in the sport, having competed in 40 consecutive seasons.

The current boat, which has one victory in 1993 was built in 1988 and is the 6th Madison, Ind. hydroplane. Led by team manager, Charlie Grooms, the boat is driven by rookie driver, Charley Wiggins from Birmingham, Alabama.

ABOUT OBERTO SAUSAGE COMPANY
Oberto Sausage Company is the country's largest manufacture of natural style beef and turkey jerky. Based south of Seattle in Kent, Wash., the company produces six different brands of jerky available in stores throughout the country.

Founded in 1918 by Constantino Oberto, the company is privately owned by the Oberto family, employs over 800 people and operates four production facilities in the Pacific Northwest.

Oberto makes low in fat, high in protein jerky by taking strips of lean beef or turkey, seasoning them and slow-cooking them by smoking to create the healthy snack food.

With distribution agreements with Wal-Mart, Kmart, Costco and Sam's Club, Oberto last year signed with Frito-Lay, Inc. to distribute Oberto's natural style beef and turkey jerky products coast-to-coast across North America. Frito-Lay, the largest operating division of PepsiCo, Inc., is the world's leading snack food company.

Oberto also produces thin-style jerky, salami, pepperoni and refrigerated luncheon meats, as well.

For further information, contact Owen Blauman, Mach 5 Sports Group, (206) 399-7417 or owenb@nwlink.com