Kroger to leave Walker/Fisher at end of 2001.

Derrick Walker faces another off-season sponsor hunt after the Kroger Company announced that they would not be continuing their support of Sarah Fisher's No.15 Dallara-Aurora in the Indy Racing Northern Light Series Championship next season.

The Kroger Co. will not be returning as a sponsor of Walker Racing and driver Sarah Fisher for the 2002 season, owner Derrick Walker announced on Friday.

Kroger and Procter & Gamble joined the Walker team in March of 2001 as sponsors on Sarah's No.15 Walker Racing Dallara-Aurora. Kroger and P & G have been the recipients of more than $3.5-million dollars in off-track national exposure as a result of their relationship with Sarah and the Walker Racing team, with over 195 million impressions in television, radio and print. In addition, Kroger and Procter & Gamble have received over $3.9 -million dollars in on-track television exposure during the 2001 season to-date.

"It's a great pity that we will not have the support next season from Kroger," Walker said. "We enjoyed the relationship with them and hope in the future that when they think of motorsports they keep us in mind."

As part of the sponsorship agreement between Walker Racing and Kroger, Sarah made appearances and signed autographs at Kroger and Kroger-operated stores in specific Indy Racing League markets during 2001.

"It was great to see so many hundreds of fans come out and support our efforts at the autograph sessions this season," said Sarah. "Kroger and the Procter & Gamble family of brands have been great partners for us this year, and did a lot of promotions with commercials and advertisements plastered across the country. It's been a fun association."

Kroger will make their final appearance on Fisher's car in the rescheduled 2001 season finale at the Texas Motor Speedway on October 6th. Fisher began the year looking as though she was poised to become the first woman to win an IRNLS event but after an early race crash at Indianapolis she and the team have struggled over the remainder of the season and has only recorded one-tenth place finish since Indy.