FAT BOY FRESH has some new ideas on how NASCAR should smell ...

NASCAR Air? It must be the smell of fuel, brakes and Jeff Gordon's hair gel! More importantly - it may not be the best smell or even healthy for you. BUT if you want that NASCAR feeling - why not try Fat Boy Fresh's new NASCAR air fresheners. We spoke with Frank N. Cane, President of Fat Boy Fresh about their new product.

Nika: Tell me about the company Frank - I love the name!

Frank: A few years ago, my partners and I were working on an engineering project in Taiwan for a company whose initials were F.A.T. In Taiwan, we were affectionately known as "FAT boys" from the U.S.

Taiwan has a very humid climate and in combination with the air pollution from literally millions of motor scooters and cars, the atmosphere is tainted with the stench of mold and mildew. I, personally, dreaded traveling to the island because the prevailing scent of mildew would have a negative impact on my moods and physiology. Once there, I would break out in a rash or "hives" and I could not wait until I returned home to the U.S. where the rash would clear up.

Nika: What made you get into air fresheners?

Frank: I noticed that almost all the cars there had cute novelty air fresheners attached to their air vents. Our driver had four novelty air fresheners attached to his air vents, a helicopter, a windmill, a flower and an airplane that lighted up when your cell phone rang. I would bring several of these cute little novelty air fresheners back every time I would return home for use in my family vehicles. I then noticed that my rashes were not clearing up.

I wondered why these types of fresheners were not sold and distributed in the U.S. I learned that the fragrance scents contained "formaldehyde", a known carcinogen. The import tariff into the US is very expensive for product containing hazardous chemicals and therefore would not be cost competitive. Subsequently, I discovered that my rashes were not due to the mildew smell of the air in Taiwan, but due to my allergic reaction to the "formaldehyde" found in most air fresheners. Formaldehyde is used in air freshening scents to deaden your sense of smell so that offensive odors can be masked by other additives.

Nika: So what did you decide to do?

Frank: FatBoy Fresh, Inc., an Aromatherapy/Aromachology company, was formed to design, develop and commercialize novelty air fresheners and diffusers used with naturally occurring fragrances without hazardous synthetic chemical or artificially scented additives.

Aromatherapy: aro.ma.ther.a.py - noun- The use of extracted plant essential oils derived from the flowers, leaves, roots, resins, or bark for psychological and physical well-being. Inhalation, using methods such as diffusion, is the most common method of enjoying the benefits of essential oils. Our sense of smell is able to process up to 100,000 different smells. Certain aromas do help us to feel better and feeling better can have a tremendous therapeutic influence on stress related emotional and psychological symptoms.

Aromachology: aro.ma.chol.o.gy-noun- The science of the effect of scent on mood and behavior. (Psychology of Scent). Aromachology is the use of specific essential oils to enhance the psychological or aesthetic sense of well-being. Some of the benefits that Aromachology is said to provide include relaxation, reduction of stress, improvement of work performance, elevation of moods, reduction in depression, stimulation of memory and alertness, and enhancement of self-image and sexuality.

The benefits of aromatherapy/aromachology are experienced when essential oils are inhaled. Direct inhalation or diffusion will enhance emotional wellness, calm, relax, or rejuvenate. Pleasurable scents unlock odor memories, trigger our emotions and relieve stress.

Only about 700 plants world-wide are considered to be aromatic, and therefore useful for the production of essential oils. While most oils are distilled from the plant material, the types of plant, the unique chemical make-up of its oil, and the location of the oil within the plant determine the extraction process.

The aromas of essential oils stimulate the part of the brain (the limbic system) that affects emotion. The inhalation of essential oils helps us reach a pleasurable emotional balance, which can have a therapeutic and beneficial effect on moods, especially those resulting from stress.

Nika: So your new NASCAR air fresheners do more than just look good - they work and they work naturally?

Frank: Yes they do. The NASCAR design is not just ornamental, it is actually a "functional" diffuser. The car housing is comprised of a removable top, bottom and an attachment clip adapted to be installable and removable from an outlet grille of a vehicle ventilation system. After the top is removed, a fragrance pad is placed into the bottom and the top snaps back together. The unique propeller style wheels rotate and spin with forced airflow from a vehicle's ventilation system. As the wheels spin, air currents are created that draw out the fragrance from housing and aid in the dispersion of fragrance into the vehicle cabin.

We offer four mood-enhancing essential oil blends: REJUVENATING- Eucalyptus, Peppermint & Lemongrass; ENERGIZING- Lemongrass, Jasmine & Rosemary; STRESSLESS- Lavender, Chamomile & Sage; and REFRESHING- Orange, Seaweed & Lemongrass.

Nika: Where can we find them Frank and how much will they be selling for?

Frank: The launch date for the NASCAR air freshener is scheduled for February 2003 and will be sold at Auto Parts & Accessory Chains such as AutoZone, Pep Boys, Advance Auto Parts, etc. Also, distribution through mass merchants such as Wal-Mart, Kmart, Target Stores, etc. and trackside at NASCAR racing events. The estimated retail price will be between $5.99 and $7.99. However, supply and demand will dictate the actual price at various retail outlets and racing venues.

Nika: We thank Frank N. Cane, President for taking the time to talk to us.

Frank: Thank you Nika and racerhcicks.com. I hope some of this information is useful in understanding car air fresheners and their constituents. Addition information can be found on our website: www.fatboyfresh.com in the Education link.

If I can be of any assistance or can answer any questions, please feel free to contact me at your convenience. I can be reached at 408-394-8110, Fax: 408-274-1344, or email: fcane@fatboyfresh.com