August 1, 2005,  Auburn Hills, Mich. -

The most action-packed and fun-filled Camp Jeep® ever gets back to the basics in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania, Aug. 12-14, bringing together more than 1,500 Jeep® vehicles and about 5,000 die-hard Jeep off-roaders from around the country.

In addition to must-have favorites from previous Camp Jeeps, this year's edition is loaded with firsts: a giant U.S. flag made from red, white, blue and silver Jeep vehicles; an air show featuring a famous B-17 Flying Fortress; a USO-styled show and dance; a special appearance and "Grand Jam" by skateboarding legend Tony Hawk; the Jeep King of the Mountain Professional Bike World Championship; and performances by a pair of music's brightest young singer/songwriters, Jason Mraz (Saturday) and Gavin DeGraw (Sunday).

Also new: the public and non-Jeep owners are invited to share in the excitement of Camp Jeep and the Jeep King of the Mountain on Sunday, Aug. 14. 

Plus, Jeep vehicle owners will be able to test drive the 2006 Jeep Commander, the first three-row Jeep, on a challenging off-road course, as well as on a paved road course through the scenic Pocono Mountains. Jeep Commander is due in dealer showrooms this fall.

Camp Jeep is being held in the Pocono Mountains for the first time, putting the event further north and east than ever in its 11-year history. 

"Camp Jeep is the ultimate experience for our loyal customers," said Jeff Bell, Vice President - Jeep, Chrysler Group. "It's an event that allows Jeep vehicle owners to pack more fun and off-road adventures into one weekend than most other SUV owners do in a lifetime."

Popular Camp Jeep events remain, such as 4x4 trail rides and off-road driving courses, including the Trail Rated® Off-Road Course, which is designed to teach off-highway driving, safety skills and demonstrate the Trail Rated capabilities of the full line of Jeep vehicles. Participants are paired with experienced trail guides as they navigate steep grades and tackle challenges, such as large rocks, log crossings, sand and other off-highway obstacles. Once they master Jeep vehicle capabilities, they have a chance to navigate various levels of 4x4 trails in their own Jeep vehicles.

Camp Jeep offers more than 150 activities for the entire family. The Camp Kids Village features arts and crafts and a driving course with miniature Jeep vehicles. The Sports & Adventure Village features a variety of outdoor adventure sports, including a gigantic Adventure Tower, rock climbing, hiking, fly-casting and even scuba diving. The Thrills & Spills Village features extreme athletes performing high-flying action sports stunts and gives Jeep owners the opportunity to take a lesson from one of the athletes. A mountain boarding course and new Skydiving Simulator are just a hint of the action. The World of Jeep Village features a look at the past, present and future of Jeep. The Jeep Store is where Jeep gear and Camp Jeep merchandise will be sold.

Hard-core Jeep owners can also visit the Engineering Village and participate in roundtable discussions with Jeep engineers to learn more about their vehicle’s design, capabilities and features, and share product information and ideas. 
 
A special pre-Camp Jeep event occurs on Thursday, Aug. 11, beginning at 12:30 p.m. when more than 140 Jeep owners will gather at the Pocono Mountain Municipal Airport to create a 73-ft. x 191-ft. American flag made of red, white, blue and silver Jeep vehicles.
 
The giant flag will recognize and celebrate the Jeep brand's sponsorship of the "National Anthem Project: Restoring America's Voice," a three-year national education initiative created by the National Association for Music Education (MENC). A Harris Poll indicated that two out of three Americans don't know the words to "The Star-Spangled Banner." The Grammy award-winning country group, The Oak Ridge Boys, who serve as the project's official music ambassadors, will lead the Jeep owners in the singing of the National Anthem.

Major Camp Jeep events during the weekend are:

Friday, August 12

9 a.m. - Camp Jeep opening ceremonies begin with the singing of the National Anthem by The Oak Ridge Boys. Then, World War II vintage airplanes fly over Camp Jeep as part of "Jeep Salutes: Red, White & Blue," a tribute to the men, women and machines of World War II. The fly-over will include a P-51 Mustang, a P-38 Lightning, a F4U Corsair, a pair of P-47 Thunderbolts and the "Hollywood Belle," a B-17 Flying Fortress. The B-17 bomber is the same one featured in the 1990 motion picture, "Memphis Belle." The original Memphis Belle bomber became a legend for surviving 25 missions during World War II.

11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. - Up-and-coming bands perform on the Sirius Stage.

6 p.m. - A picnic dinner for Jeep vehicle owners.

7:15 p.m. - A World War II-era, USO-style show with a 13-piece orchestra, three singers and six dancers takes place at the Pocono Mountain Municipal Airport, along with a hangar dance. Historic World War II Jeep vehicles, as well as the aircraft, will be on display.

Saturday, August 13

9 a.m. - Camp Jeep opens

11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. - Up-and-coming bands perform on the Sirius Stage.

7:30 p.m. - Jeep Jubilee concert featuring emerging artists. Jason Mraz is the headliner. Afterwards, a Chrysler Financial sweepstakes drawing. The winner receives a two-year lease on a 2005 Jeep Liberty Renegade.

9 p.m. (approximately) - Fireworks display.

10 p.m. - Camp Jeep closes

Sunday, August 14

9 a.m. - Camp Jeep opens

TBD - "Tony Hawk's Grand Jam" in the Thrills and Spills Village.

11:30 - 1 p.m. - Up-and-coming bands perform on the Sirius Stage.

Noon - Jeep King of the Mountain (JKOM) Championships.  (See below for details.)

2 p.m. - JKOM awards ceremony, followed immediately by another Jeep Jubilee concert, this time starring Gavin DeGraw, as well as other musical acts.

3 p.m. - Camp Jeep closes

Jeep King of the Mountain
The Jeep King of the Mountain Series features some of the world’s top mountain bikers competing head-to-head to capture the King of the Mountain title and a share of the record prize purse, which tops $100,000, and the keys to a new 2006 Jeep Commander.
 
An elite field of international professional racers – six women and six men – have been pre-qualified to participate in the Jeep King of the Mountain Series. The balance of the 16-athlete field – two men and two women – will qualify for each event in the Series based on points earned in National Off-Road Bicycling Association (NORBA) events, allowing these wildcard entrants a chance to compete against the best of the best for a shot at the coveted title.
 
A national audience will be able to view the King of the Mountain Series on CBS Sports and through nationally syndicated television. The first two one-hour specials will be nationally syndicated during the June, July and August time period. The finals will air on CBS Sports in October 2005.
 
For additional information on Camp Jeep 2005, contact www.jeep.com/campjeep. For Jeep King of the Mountain, log on to www.jeepsports.com.