Colorado Springs, Colorado -- Doug Delano, Sales Manager for Phil Long Mitsubishi in Colorado Springs, has offered the dealership's full support to the Tombstone Paintball Widget Rally Team for the 81st running of the world-famous "Race to the Clouds," the Pike's Peak International Hill Climb. It will be the first time the Widget Team competitors have ever raced up the mountain.

Driver Leon Styles thanked the dealership, saying "we just learned our crew chief can't make it to this event, so Doug has really come to our rescue. Even though we don't expect any trouble with the car, it's nice to know that there's a solid service organization behind us 'just in case.'"

Codriver John Dillon echoed Styles' sentiments, adding "This Mitsubishi Evolution is an absolute thrill. In our first time in the car, the Ramada Express International Rally last December, we learned almost instantly what a purebred racing maching the Evo is. Man, it was so nimble it felt like we were dancing between the trees!"

Though the team arrives Wednesday night for Saturday's race, a limited practice schedule means the car will be displayed at the dealership for an extended period of time. Everyone will be able to get a close look at the race car as well as meet the team principals on Thursday when Mitsubishi hosts a huge block party for the fans. Said Dillon, "We're delighted to be able to show our car in Colorado. Hopefully people will look at our race car and realize the tremendous value of getting a street version of the Evo from Phil Long Mitsubishi."

The team is entered in the SCCA Open class, a class which first raced up the mountain only a year ago. Styles and Dillon finished fourth overall at the recent Rim of the World Rally, an outstanding performance for a privateer effort. (The top three spots were factory-backed cars, including both factory Mitsubishis.)

Major support for the team comes from Perforce Software (www.perforce.com), makers of fast software configuration management tools for professional developers, and Worr Games, manufacturers of tournament-quality paintball guns. The race car is transported around the country by 7-24 AirX (www.7-24airx.com), an on-demand full-service shipping company. The team insists on brakes by Porterfield Enterprises (www.porterfield-brakes.com) and utilizes the web services of Shults Dot Com (www.shults.com) for its internet needs.

"The Evolution is a great car to drive and an even better car to race," reported Styles. "With the help of Phil Long Mitsubishi and all our other sponsors, we plan to make our first trip up the mountain a rewarding one!"