RJR NOT SWEATING IT OUT REGARDING NASCAR VISIBILITY

     The U.S. Justice Department is not saying whether NASCAR
will be the next target in their evaluation of cigarette
advertising, according to Tom McCollister in Atlanta.  What is
"still to be determined" is whether the Justice Department is
targeting brand identification, such as Marlboro signs during
telecasts, or the cigarette sponsorship of NASCAR's Winston Cup
and National Hot Rod Association Series.  Officials at R.J.
Reynolds Tobacco Co., who produce Winston cigarettes, say they
"have had no contact" with Justice officials, but believe they
are not in violation of the law banning tobacco ads from TV.  RJR
spokesperson Nat Walker:  "The (brand name) Winston is almost
always used in contact with NASCAR.  It doesn't stand alone. ...
We are not overly concerned."  But McCollister writes that if the
government should "come down" on RJR, both NASCAR's Winston Cup
and the NHRA "would be severely affected" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION,
6/21).