Hot Wheels teams with Tagliani

Hot Wheels® and the FAZZT Race Team are excited to announce a partnership that is sure to race straight to the hearts of IndyCar fans across Canada. This July, at the Honda Indy Toronto and Honda Indy Edmonton, FAZZT Race Team driver and the only Canadian scheduled to race in all IndyCar races this year, Alex Tagliani, will be racing in a brand new Honda IndyCar, customized in Hot Wheels® style. The car will be unveiled for the first time at the Honda IndyFest on July 14th at Yonge and Dundas Square in Toronto.

"Hot Wheels® is about providing thrilling vehicle experiences to boys of all ages who are looking to fuel their passion for speed, power and performance," says Melissa Chau, Hot Wheels® Assistant Brand Manager for Mattel Canada. "We are so excited to see this vision brought to life through our partnership with the FAZZT Race Team and Canada's very own Alex Tagliani."

Tagliani's racecar, fire suit and his pit crew's uniforms will all be designed by the Hot Wheels creative team with an entirely new, custom design scheme that reflects Alex's fearless and competitive driving style on the racetrack. "This year, we are thrilled to expand our presence on the track with this one-of-a kind racecar look that only Hot Wheels can provide," says Chau.

"Some of my earliest and favorite memories of when I was a little boy are of racing with Hot Wheels cars," says Tagliani, who has been racing professionally for 14 years. "Decades later, it's a huge honor to have my very own life-size Hot Wheels racecar. I am looking forward to getting on the racetrack and crossing the finish line in my awesome Hot Wheels® ride, in front of my fellow Canadians."

The unveiling of the #77 Hot Wheels® car will take place on July 14 at the Honda IndyFest event at Yonge and Dundas Square in Toronto. The Honda Indy Toronto takes place July 16-18, 2010 and the Honda Indy Edmonton the following weekend, July 23-25.

Additionally, a 1:64 scale replica version of this limited edition car will be available for fans to purchase in 2011.

For more information on Hot Wheels® visit www.hotwheels.ca or for the FAZZT Race Team, visit www.fazztraceteam.com.