EXHIBIT 99.1

                            CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO
                             18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,
                             AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
                  SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

In connection with the Annual Report of American Tire Distributors, Inc. (the
"Company") on Form 10-K for the year ended December 28, 2002, as filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the "Report"), I, Richard
P. Johnson, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, do hereby
certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. ss. 1350, as adopted pursuant to ss. 906 of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that, to the best of my knowledge, based upon a
review of the Report:

         (1)      The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section
13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

         (2)      The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in
all material respects, the financial condition and results of operation of the
Company.



/s/ RICHARD P. JOHNSON
- -------------------------------------
Richard P. Johnson
President and Chief Executive Officer
American Tire Distributors, Inc.
March 28, 2003