AUTO RACING NEWS: MEMORABILIA COMPANY LEAPS INTO ACTION

          Action Performance Companies is building a $6.5M
     facility in Concord, NC, to house the company's east coast
     operations.  The AZ-based designer and marketer of die-cast
     and pewter collectibles of NASCAR and other motor racing
     cars and memorabilia will house the operations of Action
     Merchandising Group, Action Sports Management and Action
     Marketing & Promotions at the new facility (Action).  For
     the quarter ended March 31, Action had sales of $28.3M, up
     from $9.77M a year ago (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 7/22).  
           HOT DEAL: BRANDWEEK's Terry Lefton reports that
     McIlhenny Co. has signed a one-year NASCAR sponsorship for
     its Tabasco hot sauce.  McIlhenny will get exclusivity in
     the condiment category and use the tagline, "NASCAR heat,
     fueled by Tabasco."  The rights package is valued at around
     $750,000, and McIlhenny will support with "several million"
     more in media.  The brand's first sports marketing venture
     will begin with a convenience store promo (BRANDWEEK, 7/21).