College Football Fan Takes the Trip of a Lifetime to Three Premier Bowl Games; Lucky Fan Wins Grand Prize and Celebrates With His Family On His 21st Wedding Anniversary.

STEUBENVILLE, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 7, 1999--

Among 37,491,078(a) college football fans across the country this year, David Blackburn is sure to be the envy of them all. Blackburn of Steubenville, Ohio, is the Grand Prize winner of Valvoline's Catch the Action Sweepstakes, which awards him a dream trip for four on a private jet to three major bowl games in Los Angeles, Phoenix and New Orleans and $25,000 in spending cash.

"I never dreamed I would be ringing in the new millenium on a private jet," said Blackburn, a self-employed wood maker who was randomly selected from hundreds of thousands of online and mail-in entries gathered during a four-month promotional period for the sweepstakes. "Since I live in Ohio, my college football allegiance is to the Buckeyes but after this season that could change."

As part of his Grand Prize award, he will be taking his wife and two teenaged-daughters as his guests on the trip, all of which will be making their first-ever flight aboard a private jet. "This is the most extraordinary opportunity my family and I have ever received," added Blackburn.

David also has reason to celebrate as he and his wife Adele, will be celebrating their 21st wedding anniversary on New Year's Eve. Beginning that day, the Blackburns' will board a private jet from Pittsburgh, Pa. to Los Angeles, where upon arrival they will ring in the New Year at the Eagles concert at the new Staples Center.

The Ohio-natives will welcome the new millenium in a limousine en route to their first Bowl game in Pasadena. With one night's rest and bags in hand, the four will be transported back to their private jet on January 2 in order to be flown directly to Tempe for their second Bowl game in consecutive days. After enjoying the game and luxury accommodations in the Valley of the Sun, the Blackburns will fly to New Orleans, where they will enjoy twenty-four hours of sightseeing before the National Championship game the next day (see attached itinerary).

The Valvoline Company is a long-time supporter of college football and currently sponsors ABC-TV's Halftime '99, as well as the SEC Conference. "You can always tell the guys who use Valvoline because they love college football," said Steven A. Kirchner, vice president of worldwide marketing.

For more details on other Valvoline promotions visit our Web site at www.valvoline.com or call 1-800-TEAM-VAL.

Valvoline motor oil is the No. 1 choice of top mechanics for use in their own vehicles. Valvoline, a division of Ashland Inc., has been serving American motorists longer than any other motor oil company and is a leading innovator and supplier of quality, high-performing automotive and industrial products in more than 140 countries. Best known for its Lubricants, Valvoline also markets Eagle One appearance products, Zerex antifreeze/coolant, SynPower Performance Products and Pyroil automotive chemicals and refrigerants. Valvoline is a member of the Ashland Inc. (NYSE: ASH) family of companies. For more information about Valvoline, visit the company's Web site at www.valvoline.com.

For Catch The Action logo e-mailed in digital file, contact: Bill Norris [e-mail]

(a)Source: NCAA 

             VALVOLINE'S CATCH THE ACTION WINNER ITINERARY

New Year's Eve

Jet departs Pittsburgh, PA at 11:45 a.m. EST Jet arrives at Los
Angeles, CA at approx. 1:50 p.m. PST Limo takes guests to hotel at
2:15 p.m. PST Arrive at Le Meridien Hotel in Beverly Hills at 3:00
p.m. PST Limo departs hotel for Eagles Concert at 6:45 p.m. PST Limo
departs Staples Center at 12:30 a.m. PST (1/1/00)

New Year's Day

Limo departs hotel to attend Bowl Game No. 1 at 12:30 p.m. PST Bowl
Game No. 1 from 2-5:30 p.m. PST Limo departs game at 5:30 p.m. PST and
returns guests to hotel

January 2, 2000

Limo departs hotel at 10:00 a.m. PST
Jet departs LAX at 11:00 a.m. PST
Jet arrives in Scottsdale, AZ at 12:49 p.m. MST
Limo takes guests to hotel at 1:15 p.m. MST
Arrive at Camelback Inn at 1:30 p.m. MST
Limo departs hotel to Bowl Game No. 2 at 4:30 p.m. MST
Bowl Game No. 2 from 6-9:30 p.m. MST
Limo departs game at 9:30 p.m. PST and returns guests to hotel

January 3, 2000

Limo departs hotel at 11:00 a.m. MST
Jet departs Scottsdale airport at 12:00 p.m. MST
Jet arrives in New Orleans, LA at 3:40 p.m. CST
Limo takes guests to hotel at 4:00 p.m. CST
Arrive at Chateau Sonesta Hotel at 4:30 p.m. CST

January 4, 2000

Limo departs hotel to Bowl Game No. 3 at 5:45 p.m. CST Bowl Game No. 3
from 7-10:30 p.m. CST Limo departs game at 10:30 p.m. CST and returns
guests to hotel

January 5, 2000

Limo departs hotel at 10:00 a.m. CST
Jet departs airport at 11:00 a.m. CST
Jet arrives in Pittsburgh, PA at 2:15 p.m. EST
Guests depart for home at 2:45 p.m. EST