
<PAGE>   1



                             [FRONT OF CERTIFICATE]

        COMMON STOCK                                        COMMON STOCK
        PAR VALUE $0.01                                  PAR VALUE $0.01

   NUMBER                                                                 SHARES
CSK

                                [CSK AUTO LOGO]
                              CSK AUTO CORPORATION
              INCORPORATED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE


                                                         CUSIP 125965 10 3
                                             SEE REVERSE FOR CERTAIN DEFINITIONS

                    This Certifies that

                    Is the owner of

                       FULLY PAID AND NONASSESSABLE SHARES OF COMMON STOCK OF
                    CSK Auto Corporation (the "Corporation"), a Delaware 
                    corporation.  The shares represented by this certificate 
                    are transferable only on the stock transfer books of the 
                    Corporation by the holder of record hereof, or by the 
[VIGNETTE OF        holder's duly authorized attorney or legal representative,
ATLAS HOLDING       upon the surrender of this certificate properly endorsed.
 GLOBE WITH                                                                     
BANNER READING,        This certificate is not valid until countersigned by the
 "CSK AUTO          Corporation's transfer agent and registrar. 
WORLD CLASS"]                            
                       In Witness Whereof, the Corporation has caused this 
                    certificate to be executed by the facsimile signatures of 
                    its duly authorized officers and has caused a facsimile of 
                    its corporate seal to be hereunto affixed.

                    Dated:



<TABLE>
         <S>              <C>                               <C>                               <C>
                          /s/ Maynard Jenkins               /s/ James G. Bazlen               /s/ Don W. Watson

       [CORPORATE         CHAIRMAN AND                      PRESIDENT AND                     CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
         SEAL]            CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER           CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER           AND TREASURER
</TABLE>





COUNTERSIGNED AND REGISTERED:
ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C.
                Transfer Agent and Registrar
By:
                    Authorized Officer
<PAGE>   2
                             [BACK OF CERTIFICATE]

                              CSK AUTO CORPORATION

         A statement of the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions
granted to or imposed upon the respective classes or series of shares of stock
of the Corporation, and upon the holders thereof as established by the
Certificate of Incorporation or by any certificate of determination of
preferences, and the number of shares constituting each series or class and the
designations thereof, may be obtained by any stockholder of the Corporation
upon request and without charge from the Secretary of the Corporation at the
principal office of the Corporation.

         The following abbreviations, when used in the Inscription on the face
of this certificate, shall be construed as though they were written out in full
according to applicable laws or regulations:

<TABLE>
<S>                                                               <C>
TEN COM - as tenants in common                                    UNIF GIFT MIN ACT-____________Custodian______________
TEN ENT - as tenants by the entireties                                               (cust)                    (minor)
JT TEN  - as joint tenants with right of                                            under Uniform Gifts to Minors
          survivorship and not as tenants in common                                 Act________________________________
                                                                                              (State)
                                                                  UNIF TRF MIN ACT-_______Custodian (until age _______)
                                                                                   (cust)
                                                                  ______________________________under Uniform Transfers
                                                                    (Minor)
                                                                  to Minors Act________________________________________
                                                                                     (State)
</TABLE>

         Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, ____________________________________________ hereby sell, 
assign and transfer unto

PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER
IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE

___________________________________

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 (PLEASE PRINT OR TYPEWRITE NAME AND ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, OF ASSIGNEE)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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                                                                         Shares
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
of the capital stock represented by the within Certificate, and do hereby 
irrevocably constitute and appoint

                                                                       Attorney 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
to transfer the said stock on the books of the within named Corporation with 
full power of substitution in the premises.

Dated  
     -------------------

                                  ----------------------------------------------
                                  NOTICE:  THE SIGNATURE OF THIS ASSIGNMENT MUST
                                  CORRESPOND WITH THE NAME AS WRITTEN UPON THE
                                  FACE OF THE CERTIFICATE IN EVERY PARTICULAR
                                  WITHOUT ALTERATION OR ENLARGEMENT OR ANY
                                  CHANGE WHATEVER.

Signature(s) Guaranteed:

By
  -----------------------------------------------------
THE SIGNATURE(S) SHOULD BE GUARANTEED BY AN ELIGIBLE
GUARANTOR INSTITUTION BANKS, STOCKBROKERS, SAVINGS AND
LOAN ASSOCIATIONS AND CREDIT UNIONS WITH MEMBERSHIP IN
AN APPROVED SIGNATURE GUARANTEE MEDALLION PROGRAM),
PURSUANT TO S.E.C. RULE 17Ad-15

