Top 10 Names Unveiled With Winner Set to Witness Historic Blastoff of Rocket Racing League
LAS CRUCES, NM -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 05/25/06 -- The competition to name the Rocket Racing League's first rocket plane entered the final lap today with the unveiling of the top 10 candidate names on AOL.com. Between now and June 5, space enthusiasts can vote for their favorite name at http://reference.aol.com/space/rocket-racing.
Close to two thousand name entries were submitted by RRL fans since the contest began January 30. The fan who submitted the winning entry will get a front seat to history -- along with a one-year VIP pass, astronaut-guided tour and RRL bomber jacket -- as the RRL's first Mark-1 X Racer rocket plane blasts off at the X PRIZE Cup in Las Cruces, New Mexico on October 20.
"AOL shares RRL's commitment to bringing the excitement of rocketry and science to fans of all ages," said Jennifer Maffett, Programming Director of AOL Research & Learn. "We are thrilled to give AOL.com users the exclusive privilege of naming RRL's first Mark-1 X Racer."
The top 10 names were selected by an RRL committee made up of Granger Whitelaw, CEO of the RRL, test pilots Erik Lindbergh and Rick Searfoss, and Leading Edge Team pilots Robert "Bobaloo" Rickard and Don "Dagger" Grantham, Jr. In alphabetical order, the final entry names are:
1. American Spirit
2. Banshee
3. Desert Thunder
4. Dragon Fire
5. Dream Chaser
6. Escape Velocity
7. Flat Out
8. Full Throttle
9. Sky Warrior
10. Thunder Hawk
"On behalf of the RRL, I'd like to thank the thousands of fans who brought their enthusiasm and creativity to this effort," said Granger Whitelaw, CEO of the RRL. "And for the fan out there with the winning entry, I can't wait to shake your hand."
About the Rocket Racing League
The Rocket Racing League is an aerospace entertainment organization which combines the competition of racing with the excitement of rocketry. The RRL is dedicated to providing safe and thrilling experiences for families through live events, television broadcasts and interactive technologies. Co-founded by Dr. Peter H. Diamandis, founder of the X PRIZE, and Mr. Granger Whitelaw, two-time Indianapolis 500 champion team partner, the league's mission is to serve as a technology accelerator in the areas of airframe, propulsion and spacecraft design, and reach for the future to inspire the next generation of spaceflight enthusiasts. Rocket Racing League (TM), RRL (TM), and X-Racer (TM) are trademarks of Rocket Racing Inc.
About AOL LLC
AOL LLC and its subsidiaries operate a leading network of Web brands and the largest Internet access subscription service in the United States. Web brands include the AOL.com® website, AIM®, MapQuest® and Netscape®. AOL offers a range of digital services in the areas of education, safety and security, communications and music. The company also has operations in Europe and Canada. AOL, which is based in Dulles, Va., is a majority-owned subsidiary of Time Warner Inc.
