TULSA, Okla. -- Thrifty Car Sales, the used car sales division of Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group (DTG), has been named a Top 10 Best New Franchise by Entrepreneur magazine, a leading magazine for business owners.

Entrepreneur ranked Thrifty Car Sales ninth out of the top 50 new franchises in the nation.

The Top 50 New Franchise list is derived from organizations listed in Entrepreneur's 24th annual Franchise 500, published in January 2003. Organizations on the Franchise 500 are judged on a set of stringent criteria including financial strength, stability, size and growth rate of the company's system.

"We are thrilled to have our franchise and business model recognized nationally by Entrepreneur magazine, as it is a true testament to what we at Thrifty Car Sales believe is one of the most unique entrepreneurial opportunities available," said Jay Betz, president of Thrifty Car Sales Inc.

Thrifty Car Sales has been offering franchise opportunities since 1999. Since that time, Thrifty Car Sales has realized a steady growth rate and currently has 53 franchised dealerships open throughout the United States, with another 15 openings pending by year's end. The company's goal is to have 300 dealerships open by 2005.

"This national recognition, combined with successful penetration in my marketplace, is further proof that owning a Thrifty Car Sales dealership was the right decision for me," said Kimberly Sweet of Jackson Thrifty Car Sales in Jackson, Miss.